Bonn Memorandum 2009

Sustainable Lifestyles

Communal Services for Sustainable Development

Tensions arising as a result of conflicting interests can be tackled directly at local level, and eco-efficiency can also be practised here. Communal services therefore play a key role in linking individual behaviour with the commitment to sustainability.

Local authorities need to identify barriers to sustainable behaviour patterns and construct barriers to unsustainable behaviour in order to increase the benefits towards more sustainability. A great range of tools is available to local leaders and authorities to modify the barriers and benefits.

By inserting environmental criteria into decision-making processes, communal services can respond to and guide sustainable development. Decisions on issues ranging from contracts for the supply of recycled paper to the construction of energy-efficient buildings and contracts for environmental cleaning services reflect minor, yet cumulative changes to sustainable behaviour as do smart metering, home energy audits, technical or financial assistance for installations, rebates for water or energy conservation, attractive recycling services, improved walking and cycling tracks, and improved access to public transport. In this vein local authorities should:
 

• set ambitious and realistic long-term targets to measure, monitor and be accountable for progress,
• involve all local stakeholders and cooperate towards common objectives,
• promote local and needs-oriented capacity-building activities,
• be made aware of carbon trading options to actively participate in climate change mitigation schemes and efforts,
• encourage international city cooperation and organisations to support local initiatives through capacity-building, knowledge sharing and wider stakeholder involvement (for example R&D institutions, local communities, the private sector and civil society),
• facilitate flexible, bottom-up, results-based approaches at all levels with a view to enhancing ownership at local and sub-national level, especially concerning adaptation to and mitigation of climate change.

Successful stories have in common local leadership and commitment to action plans and their implementation. Setting clear ambitious and achievable targets is important to support and measure progress against clear aims. Actions and improvements can be more readily achieved in cities with cooperating local stakeholders, supportive regional, national and international frameworks and cooperation, and backed with sufficient resources and skilled people.
 

• Public tendering, as the successes of the Procura+ Sustainable Procurement Campaign show, has produced results in the City of Lille (France). The city uses 50% recycled paper, serves organic meals in schools and at receptions, has reduced the use of pesticides and fertiliser in the management of green spaces, and reduced the energy consumption of public lighting by 32%.
   
• Decreasing energy consumption, replacing carbon intensive fuels, and converting waste to energy are some of the many ways local authorities can influence and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Cities for Climate Protection campaign highlights many of these opportunities and offers ways to measure the carbon footprint to improve target emissions. Local leaders and authorities have created new choices, markets and job opportunities by using renewable energy, building non-motorised transportation options and creating ways to reduce solid waste.
   
• The Global Alliance for EcoMobility draws together experiences from local authorities to highlight the merits of non-motorised transport to interested parties. For example Koprivnica (Croatia) received a Certificate of Honour for its project “Koprivnica – Town on the Move” which involved a broad range of stakeholders to expand the bicycle-friendly infrastructure.

As all these examples illustrate, it is important to establish public campaigns, commitment and understanding to implement effective tools for behaviour change.