::: Managing the Process
The overall Aalborg Commitments process demands several interconnected steps from Baseline Review over Target Setting up to the Monitoring of the process. It requires an integrated approach and cross-sectoral work. The following projects and tools will help you to easier manage the process.
Managing Urban Europe 25
Partners involved
The project has altogether 24 partners, including 15 cities from all over Europe. The steering group consists of the lead partner Union of the Baltic Cities, Environment and Agenda 21 Secretariat as well as ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, University of West of England, Bristol (UWE)l, UNEP/Grid-Arendal and Bodensee-Stiftung.
The 15 cities are; City of Turku (Finland), City of Lahti (Finland), Municipality of Växjö (Sweden), Leeds City Council (UK), Lewes District Council (UK), Municipality of Ancona (Italy), Siena Province (Italy), City of Riga (Latvia), Kaunas City Municipality (Lithuania), Šiauliai City Municipality (Lithuania), Local Government of Siófok (Hungary), Local Government of Balatonfüred (Hungary), City of Oslo (Norway), City of Ludwigsburg, (Germany) and City of Stockholm, (Sweden).
Four network partners are contributing with thematic input i.e. Lake Balaton Development Coordination Agency (LBDCA), ACR+, ASSURRE and Energie-Cités.
In parallel another 9 German cities are taking part in a German module led by ICLEI and Bodensee-Stiftung.
Funding programme
European Commission DG Environment, the Community framework for co-operation to promote sustainable urban development. Further co-funders are Finnish Ministry of Environment, Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt and the Environmental Department of the Bundesland Baden-Württemberg (total budget of 2,9 MEUR).
Description of the initiative
Managing Urban Europe-25 (MUE-25) is developing a model for an integrated management system for urban areas which combines the best parts of existing environmental management systems. The model meets the needs of local governments and also supports the introduction of social and economic aspects. The integrated management system provides a framework which enables cities to fulfill the Aalborg Commitments. The project is closely linked to the Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment within the 6th Environmental Action Plan of the European Union.
The 24 cities, taking active part in MUE-25 and its German module, are implementing the proposed model which will be further developed during the project on basis of the cities´ experiences and feed-back. The goal is to propose an improved system and implementation methodology by 2008 – a system that can potentially be used in all cities in Europe. The outputs will be presented in a manual and on a web site giving guidance on the implementation of the model, provide case studies and further useful information and resources.
More information
Please contact: UBC, Annika Claesson
STATUS
Partners involved
ICLEI, University of Northumbria (UK), Abo Akademi University (Finland), Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), VTT Technical Research Centre (Finland), Ambiente Italia, Srl Istituto di Recerche (Italy), Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC) Commission on Environment (Finland)
Funding programme
DG Research, Sixth Framework Programme Priority 8.1: Policy-orientated Research.
Description of the initiative
The STATUS Project aims to develop locally-relevant sustainability targets for local authorities across Europe, using the framework of the Urban Thematic Strategy and the Aalborg Commitments. It aims to develop locally-relevant targets for local authorities across Europe to self-assess progress with urban sustainable development. To do this, a user-friendly on-line tool has been designed onto which a range of targets have been entered. With this tool, local authorities can consult a selection of possible indicative targets, and receive useful information on them. They can then select targets relating to their local context and enter relevant baseline data against these, from which they will receive a feedback report. The Tool will be supported by detailed Guidance (an electronic downloadable document) on Selecting and Setting Targets.
The development of the STATUS on-line tool has involved the input of local authorities from across Europe through participation in two local authority Workshops; in piloting the Tool, and involvement of a small number of local authorities at the final meeting with the European Commission. The project has also worked closely with an Advisory Panel of Experts drawn from European local authority networks, environmental NGOs, the EU, and representatives of relevant EU-funded projects such as Urban Audit and PreSud) in order to ensure that the Project fully reflects the wide range of contexts and experiences of local authorities across Europe.
Please contact: Andrea Burzacchini ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability
ACTOR: Aalborg Commitments Tools and Resources
Partners involved
ICLEI, University of Northumbria (UK), Abo Akademy University (Finland), Ambiente Italia (Italy), Union of the Baltic Cities Comission on Environment (Finland), REC: The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe, MedCities (Spain).
Funding programme
DG Research, the Sixth Framework Programme, Priority 8.1: Policy-orientated Research (January 2006 to September 2007)
Description of the initiative
The ACTOR Project has as its principal aim the development of a web-based Toolkit and Guidance to support and assist potential and current Aalborg Commitments signatories to make efficient and effective progress. The on-line Toolkit will catalogue and organise in a user-friendly way the already existing resources, tools, and guidance that are available at European, national, and local level to assist local authorities in implementing sustainability.
In association with the Toolkit, the project will involve the development of Guidance on the methodology and operationalisation of the Aalborg Commitments. This will be available to local authorities to download from the Internet, and as a PDF document. Both the Toolkit and Guidance Package will initially be translated into 7 EU languages, including English. Aalborg signatory local authorities from across Europe are closely involved in the development and testing of the Toolkit and Guidance Package, and the European Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign Networks will be invited to provide their expertise on the development, promotion and political implications of the Toolkit for local governments.
The prototype Toolkit and Guidance Package will be tested by local authorities, and the testing phase will link closely with events promoting the Aalborg process. The final Toolkit will be launched to national agencies, the Commission, and other practitioner and end-user groups at the end of the Project. Promotional material will be produced to assist in the promotion and future use of the Toolkit and Guidance Package.
Please contact: ICLEI, Stefan Kuhn
Availability of the tools developed
The Guidance Package will be available to local authorities to download from the Internet. Both the Toolkit and Guidance Package will initially be translated into 7 EU languages.
