::: Tools to Use
Governance
TOOL :: Fano Guidelines; Building Capacity for Local Sustainability
>Description of the initiative
What preconditions need to be fulfilled before a local sustainability process can produce tangible results? In order to examine and understand the forms of institutional and social capacities that are required for sustainable development policy achievements, the DISCUS fieldworkers undertook research in 40 cities and towns all over Europe.
Based on the findings of the DISCUS project, the Fano Guidelines outline the factors and conditions which had been identified as crucial for building up the capacity within local government needed for the successful implementation of local sustainability policies. They have been presented to European local governments during the 'Governing Sustainable Cities' Conference hosted by the City of Fano/Italy, on 4-5 November 2004. The full results of the DISCUS project are presented in the book 'Governing Sustainable Cities' by B.Evans, M.Joas, S.Sundback and K.Theobald (Earthscan/UK).
The 10 Fano Guidelines are:
- Learning as an organisation
- Moving away from “policy silos” within local government
- Making alliances with people and organisations
- Facilitating the process and developing credible leadership
- Ecouraging creativity and innovation in policy/making
- Communicating to make a difference
- Catalysing action through raising environmental awareness
- Maintaining commitment to achieving the long-term vision
- Sharing experience with peers
- Influencing all levels of government
Where to find more information?
www.governingsustainablecities.org
Please contact: ICLEI, Stefan Kuhn
Availability of the tools developed
The Faro Guidelines are available in English, German and Slovak.
TOOL :: Sustainment
Creation of Sustainability Management centres, increased synergy in sustainability working
Description of the initiative
The SUSTAINMENT project aims to meet the needs and challenges for cities in their work toward a more integrated sustainability process. The project aims to create Sustainability Management centres, which would increase the synergy in sustainability working. The cross-sectoral cooperation in the local administrations is a key element towards urban sustainability, as pinpointed in the Thematic Strategy on Urban Environment of the European Union, in the 6th Environment Action Programme of the EU and in the 2005 Review of EU Sustainable Development Strategy.
The project enables the ability of the local authorities to develop their working methods, skills and personnel in order to significantly contribute to all the dimensions on sustainable development within the same city. One key aspect of SUSTAINMENT is to learn and support each other.
The SUSTAINMENT focuses on four main themes in order to build capacities for the creation of Sustainable Management Centers: 1) Management of the SMC as a strategic resource unit 2) Governance for sustainability and 3) Sustainable development 4) Promoting administration through good and strong communication. These four themes will be profoundly processed in the main activities of the project; through workshops and distance-learning.
A manual for establishing SMCs include a Workbook on each of the project themes. Additionally it includes information on how to step-by-step adapt Sustainability Management Centre. The Competence Development Package will be available in the nine Baltic Sea Region languages and can be used by other European cities to support their work towards integrated sustainability management.
Where to find more information?
http://www.sustainment-project.net/
Please contact: UBC, Kyösti Lempa
TOOL :: Local Evaluation 21
Description of the initiative
Local Evaluation 21 is an on-line monitoring and evaluation tool for local authorities to self-assess their local processes for sustainable development. Local authorities across Europe can use this tool for free and in their own language to evaluate processes and progress towards sustainability, including Local Agenda 21. The Local Evaluation 21 report will provide them with feedback on progress with their sustainable development activities. It can be used in conjunction with existing evaluation systems, and provides local governments with comparative information from other towns, cities and regions. They can use this report to focus on the successes and on the areas for improvement highlighted in the self-assessment by presenting it within the local authority and to local politicians. The assessment can be completed once a year. The report that they receive after having completed a set of questionnaires (ideally in co-operation with local stakeholder organisations) can be used to identify areas of success and areas requiring further work in general within the administration. It also benchmarks a local authority's efforts to other cities in their country and in Europe. Local Evaluation 21 is based on research carried out within the LASALA and LASALA-online projects.
Where to find more information?
Please contact: ICLEI, Stefan Kuhn
Availability of the tools developed
Local Evaluation 21 is the Local Authorities online self-assessment tool for local sustainable development processes. Local governments can use this tool free of charge and in their own language to evaluate processes and progress towards sustainable development from a local authority perspective.
