Towards Departmental Stewardship Planning in the Saskatchewan Government

The report investigates stewardship planning for the Saskatchewan government, focusing on two modes of influence: internal operations (e.g., green procurement, energy use) and external influence (e.g., legislation and policy). It analyzes case studies from the United Kingdom, Canada, Manitoba, and Oregon, as well as corporate reporting frameworks like the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and PotashCorp. Key findings emphasize the need to integrate stewardship planning with existing budgeting and accountability frameworks to ensure effectiveness and organizational capacity.

• The government of Saskatchewan identifies two primary modes of environmental influence: internal operations (such as green procurement, waste management, and energy use) and external influence via legislation and policy affecting Crown and private lands.
• Green procurement and operational efficiency in government can lead to significant cost savings; for example, the US Department of Defense's Aberdeen Proving Ground saved $1.76 per gallon by purchasing environmentally preferable paint, and New York City Transit estimated annual savings of $60,000 from installing photovoltaics.
• The United Kingdom's Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate uses a system of 30 government-wide, time-bound targets across nine categories, though it has faced criticism regarding a lack of organizational capacity and integration with other departmental reporting.
• Canada's 'Greening Government' initiative focuses on seven categories including energy efficiency and waste management, but lacks mandatory government-wide reporting frameworks for green procurement, leading some departments to operate without a clear plan.
• The province of Manitoba requires departments to report on sustainable development activities in annual reports, utilizing five specific procurement goals: Education, Training and Awareness; Pollution Prevention and Human Health Protection; Reduction of Fossil Fuel Emissions; Resource Conservation; and Community Economic Development.
• Corporate sustainability reporting, such as that by PotashCorp using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines, demonstrates the utility of site-specific reporting to track economic, social, and environmental performance across multiple locations.
• The New South Wales Public Accounts Committee recommended a whole-of-government framework for sustainability reporting and suggested that the Treasury adapt budget reporting processes to include integrated social, economic, and environmental outcomes.
• Oregon uses a system of 90 indicators across seven categories (including Economy and Environment) to measure progress toward its 'Oregon Shines' strategic vision, requiring state agencies to link their key performance measures to these benchmarks.
• Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is used in the Canadian federal government to identify impacts on air quality, water, climate change, and biodiversity, though its application remains sporadic due to a lack of a government-wide template and enforcement.
• The Swiss government employs a sustainability assessment procedure using a criteria matrix to evaluate draft legislation and projects across environmental, economic, and social dimensions.
• A global analysis of 19 countries indicates that sustainable development strategies often remain on the periphery of government decision-making because they are not integrated with national budgeting and expenditure processes.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2006). Towards Departmental Stewardship Planning in the Saskatchewan Government. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/measure_stewardship_planningin_sask.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Towards Departmental Stewardship Planning in the Saskatchewan Government. 2006. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/measure_stewardship_planningin_sask.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Towards Departmental Stewardship Planning in the Saskatchewan Government |date=26 January 2006 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/measure_stewardship_planningin_sask.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2006towards, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Towards Departmental Stewardship Planning in the Saskatchewan Government}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2006}, month = jan, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/measure_stewardship_planningin_sask.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }