Transcript No Slide Title

European Cities Move Towards Sustainability
Achievements and Prospects 1992-2012
Gino Van Begin, Regional Director Europe, ICLEI
Kyoto, 29 November - 2 December 2006
Overview
1. How was local sustainability introduced to
local governements in Europe: what has been the
political context ?
2. What achievements were made by European Local Governments
3. What are the prospects for future local sustainability in Europe
4. Conditions for success
5. Practical Examples & Conclusions
1. How was local sustainability introduced to
local governements in Europe: political context
1.1 Political Context of Local Sustainability in Europe
1992 Earth Summit
Rio de Janeiro
Agenda 21
Chapter 28: Local Agenda 21
City of
Aalborg
1990
ICLEI
1990 European
Commission
Local
Agenda 21
Green Paper on the
Urban Environment
ICLEI
Sustainable Cities Project
Sponsored
by
European Commission
1994 First European
Sustainable Cities & Towns Conference
(Aalborg Conference)
1.2
Transposing Rio to European Local Governments:
The Aalborg Process 1994-2004
1994
First European Conference on
Sustainable Cities & Towns
(Aalborg Conference)
Adoption of the Aalborg Charter
Charter
Launch of the European
Sustainable Cities & Towns Campaign
1.3
The Aalborg Conference 1994
1994
1.4
The Aalborg Charter 1994
Part I
Consensus Declaration:
European Cities & Towns
Towards Sustainability
Principles
Part II
The European
Sustainable Cities & Towns
Campaign
Initiation of
Campaign
1994
Part II
Engaging in Local Agenda 21
Processes: Local Action Plans
Towards Sustainability
Commitment
to Action
European Sustainable Cities & Towns Campaign
Milestones 1994 - 2004
1994
1st Conference
Aalborg, Denmark
Aalborg Charter
1996
2nd Conference
Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon Action Plan
1998
Northeast Conference
Turku, Finland
Turku Statement
Southeast Conference
Sofia, Bulgaria
Sofia Statement
Southwest Conference
Sevilla, Spain
Sevilla Declaration
Northwest Conference
The Hague, Netherlands
Den Haag Statement
1999
2000
3rd Conference
Hannover, Germany
2004
4rd Conference
Aalborg, Denmark
Hannover Call
Aalborg Commitments
Campaign
1.5
1.6
ESCT Campaign participation 94-04
Aalborg+10
Conference
Joburg
Conference
Millenium
Conference
2600
2030
1406
1521
1859
2001
2002 2003 2004
Regional
Conferences
880
627
Aalborg
Conference
305
383
446
174
80
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
1.7
ESCT Campaign participants
1.9
ESCT Campaign activities
Registry of
signatories to the
Aalborg Charter
Local Agenda 21
Briefing sheets
LA21
Planning Guide
LA21
Self-Assessment
System
European
Sustainable Cities
Award
Campaign
Newsletter
Awareness raising
workshops
Local Agenda 21
Guidance & Training
Program
European
Local Agenda 21
Roundtable
Multi-stakeholder
‘Open Platform for Urban
Sustainability’
Network of national LA21
Coordinators
1.10 European Sustainable Cities Award
Stockholm
Albertslund
Norwich
Tampere
1996
Leicester
1997
Gdansk
1999
Den Haag
2002
Dunkerque
Heidelberg
Veliko Tarnovo
Graz
Diputació de
Barcelona
München
Calvià
2. Achievements by European Local Government
2.1
What has been achieved ?
A European success story
1994-2004 Embracing the Aalborg Charter: from 80
to 2300 signatories
10 years Local Agenda 21: 6500 worldwide, 5200 in
Europe
Increased political support : EU, local government
networks, national states (UK,Germany,Netherlands,
Scandinavia, Italy, Spain, France)
2.2
What has been achieved ?
A European success story
Understanding of the links between environment,
economy and society has increased
Long-term and global thinking have been introduced
in local government
New environmental management instruments have
been introduced
The way of working together between
administrations and citizens/stakeholders has
changed
2.3 What has been achieved ?
A European success story
Increased civil participation: LA21&urban planning
Enhanced integration of environment in policy
making: cross-sectorial & holistic approaches
LA21 process embedded in local government:
better governance
Increased local to global thinking
!!NEED FOR ACCELERATION!!
3. Prospects on the future of local
sustainability in Europe
3.1 Future prospects: Transposing Joburg to European
Local Government: The Aalborg+10 Process 2004-2014
3.2 Aalborg Commitments
• = set of shared commitments to be jointly
implemented - a framework for next 10y in EU
• = different from Aalborg Charter: baseline review and
process to set qualitative and quantitative targets
• = flexible tool, adaptable to local needs
• = strengthen LA21 movement next 10 years
• review &monitoring within ESCT Campaign
3.3 Aalborg Commitments - SIGNATORIES
3.4 Aalborg Commitments
• signed by more than 110 Mayors and local
representatives during the Conference
• Now: more than 400 local authorities
• European local governments networks agreed to
increase cooperation to follow up on the implementation
of the Aalborg Commitments within the ESCT Campaign
• EU Strategy on Sustainable Development refers
explicitly to Aalborg Commitments
• ICLEI offers guidance to elaborate your baseline review
and organising the target setting process
4. Conditions of success
[ Council decision ]
[ Management structures ]
[ Participation strategy ]
[ Facilitation ]
[ Process time table ]
[ Information strategy ]
4.1 Council decision
responsible use of stakeholders’ time
 Demonstrates sincerity of the planning
process to the participating citizens
 Gives the administration a mandate
and resources to
co-ordinate the process
 Defines the link between participatory
planning process and political decision
making process
4.2 Management structures
professional and interlinked
 Responsibility should be with senior staff in a
strategic position, to reach out to various
departments and to outside stakeholders
 Cross-departmental working group
 Local Agenda 21 steering office
 Advisory board / expert group /
political board or committee
 Protocol on relations to political bodies
4.3 Participation strategy
be clear about what you offer
 Who exactly should be invited?
Stakeholders or interested citizens?
 What exactly are they requested to do?
Comment, develop plans/policies, implement
projects?
 How much time are they expected to invest?
How long should the participation take all in
all?
 What will the participation format look like?
Regular evening meetings in thematic working
groups, large annual fora, week-end
workshops?
4.4 Facilitation
makes the difference in quality
 Move from ‘chairing’ sessions to
‘facilitating’ them
 Allow for equal opportunities for all
invited individuals to contribute
 Identify the maximum consensus the
group can reach
 Visualise all contributions and results
for more transparency and efficiency
 Needs skilled professionals
and a budget
4.5 Process time table
plan the start - but also the end!
 Develop a clear timetable with defined start
and end of the LA21 planning process
 Define phases and communicate/celebrate
milestones
 Make sure results are achieved before
motivation to participate goes down
4.6 Information strategy
reach out to the public
 It is impossible to involve ALL citizens
actively
 However, sustainable development requires
changes in every-day decisions of all
citizens
 Make sustainable development and/or the
Local Agenda 21 process something people
talk about at work, in the supermarket, at
the bus stop...
 Follow clear information strategy principles:
- define occasion,
- choose target group,
- formulate their benefit,
- choose medium,
- create originality
5. Practical Examples and Conclusions
Heidelberg, Germany, Ferrara, Italy
Heidelberg
Ferrara
Vision: 25 Years / AC
Vision: 10 years/AC
Strategy: Plan 2010 adopted
Strategy: Plan adopted
in 1997, incl. social, health,
economy, env, education,
mobility employment
in 1998, incl social, economy,
envir, mobility, less health
& employment
Participation: private sector,
Participation: LA21 Forum
NGO, police, env, women,
unemployed, ethnic, youth,
university,
High influence
of 150 pers in 4 working
groups + 1 coordinating
private sector, NGO, env,
women, youth
High influence: example Mobility
Heidelberg, Germany, Ferrara, Italy
Heidelberg
Ferrara
Implementation:
Implementation:
- since 1992-1997
- specific objectifs, targets.
indicators
- LA21 group is special division
integrated in all policies, directly
with Mayor,
- set of specific plans
- green procurement
- staff 4-5 persons
- special actions
- since 1995-1998
- specific objectifs, targets.
indicators
- LA21 cross department,
no special division,
political control
- set of speciifc plans
- green procurement
- staff: 3-5
- special actions
For further info,
please visit
www.iclei.org/europe
Thank you !