Six Key Elements of a Local Agenda 21

1. Managing and improving the local authority's own environmental performance

• Corporate commitment
• Staff training and awareness raising
• Environmental management systems
• Environmental budgeting
• Policy integration across sectors

2. Integrating sustainable development aims into the local authority's policies and activities

• Green housekeeping
• Land use planning
• Transport policies and programmes
• Economic development
• Tendering and purchase/provider splits
• Housing services
• Tourism and visitor strategies
• Health strategies
• Welfare, equal opportunities and poverty strategies
• Explicitly 'environmental' services

3. Awareness raising and education

• Support for environmental education
• Awareness-raising events
• Visits and talks
• Support for voluntary groups
• Publication of local information
• Press releases
• Initiatives to encourage behaviour change and practical action

4. Consulting and involving the general public

• Public consultation processes
• Forums
• Focus groups
• 'Planning for real'
• Parish Maps
• Feedback mechanisms

5. Partnerships

• Meetings, workshops and conferences
• Working groups/advisory groups
• Rounds Tables
• Environment City Model
• Partnership initiatives
• Developing-world partnerships and support

6. Measuring monitoring and reporting on progress towards sustainability

• Environmental monitoring
• Local state of the environment reporting
• Sustainability indicators
• Targets
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
• Strategic environmental assessment

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Source: Rushmoor Borough Council, October 1996.