The Tees Valley Footprint Report

The Tees Valley Footprint Report finds that the region's Ecological Footprint (5.12 gha/cap) is over twice the world average, while its Carbon Footprint (10.85 t/cap) is lower than the UK average, partly due to lower disposable income. The report warns that 'Business as Usual' trends will likely increase per capita emissions from housing (5.5%) and transport (8.7%) over 20 years. While food consumption is a significant driver of the Ecological Footprint, the report suggests that targeted housing retrofits and ambitious, systemic transport shifts—rather than small-scale initiatives—are necessary to meet 2050 carbon reduction targets.

• The average resident of the Tees Valley has an Ecological Footprint of 5.12 global hectares (gha), which is more than double the world average of 2.2 gha/cap. This level of consumption is described as a "three planet lifestyle," meaning if the entire global population lived this way, it would take the earth over three years to regenerate the resources used in one year.
• The Carbon Footprint for the Tees Valley is 10.85 tonnes per person. To meet a proposed UK target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by 2050, this figure would need to be reduced to approximately 4 tonnes per person.
• The Tees Valley exhibits a contradictory consumption pattern compared to the UK average: it has one of the highest Carbon Footprints for food consumption in the UK, but lower footprints for housing, transport, and spending on consumables.
• Business as Usual (BAU) projections indicate that existing trends and policies are insufficient to meet government emission targets. Per person, carbon dioxide emissions from housing are projected to increase by 5.5% and transport emissions by 8.7% over the next 20 years.
• Workshop scenarios demonstrate that the Carbon Footprint of housing could be reduced by at least 10% over 20 years through a combination of increasing renewable energy, implementing energy efficiency retrofits in existing homes, and raising energy performance standards for new builds.
• Small-scale transport initiatives, such as car clubs or limited car-sharing schemes, are unlikely to reduce the overall Carbon Footprint of transport in the Tees Valley if implemented in isolation. Significant reductions require a combination of policies that target car use across the entire population.
• Food consumption is a major driver of the region's environmental impact, accounting for 26% of the Ecological Footprint. A cumulative reduction of 45% in the Food Footprint is possible through the adoption of nutritionally balanced healthy diets, vegetarianism, and the minimisation of food waste.
• The region's relatively low Carbon Footprint compared to the UK average (11.87 tonnes per person) is linked to lower gross disposable income, which is 15% lower than the UK average, resulting in lower spending on consumables.

APA

Paul, A. (2007). The Tees Valley Footprint Report. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Future/tees_valley_footprint.pdf

Chicago

Paul, Alistair. The Tees Valley Footprint Report. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2007. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Future/tees_valley_footprint.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Paul |first1=Alistair |title=The Tees Valley Footprint Report |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=July 2007 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Future/tees_valley_footprint.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{paul2007tees, author = {Paul, Alistair}, title = {{The Tees Valley Footprint Report}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2007}, month = jul, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Future/tees_valley_footprint.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }