Local Agenda 21: Implementation and actual situation

Abstract

The term Local Agenda 21(LA21) was used for the first time in chapter 28 of Agenda 2 1, the 1992 United Nations document which encourages world leaders to support the principle of sustainable development. The idea behind LA21 is to make towns and cities more sustainable and make people see the global context of our local actions. It is all about using skills more and resources less, being more modest in the demands for materials and improving the environment and quality of life.A consensus exists regarding the idea that, in the search for sustainable development, LA21 is a key tool for implementing a set of sustainability policies at local level. The problem appears in the inexistence of a methodology of implementation that could be followed by every Local Entities. A review of literature and real cases-study in Spain and specifically in the Canary Islands, lead us to show how this lack of unification is being solve, and in which point the process stands.The implementation of this tool in a region represents an effort, mainly in economic and staff resources, but the benefits when integrated with Local Government management are countless, being an effort that should be taken into consideration