Major Group: Local Authorities
Thank you Madam Chairman. Thank you also to the honourable panellists for their insightful
presentations.
With over half of the world's population already living in cities, effective implementation of CSD
decisions is dependent upon local action.
In the CSD 17 shared vision document the role of urban areas in improving food security is
acknowledged. ICLEI ? Local Governments for Sustainability has since then launched a program
for local authorities to directly address this issue ? which the distinguished panellist Thomas Forster
mentioned in his presentation. ICLEI is also implementing relevant programs in the areas of
biodiversity and climate. Work remains to be done to build international, regional, national and
subnational networks on urban-rural linkages.
With regards to sustainable consumption and production, waste and transport, local authorities have
a clear vision of the framework needed to enable local solutions.
We need to focus on sustainable procurement in cities. Cities have the potential to popularise and
normalise sustainable procurement principles due to the density and high consumption rates of
urban areas. Cities can play an important role in creating more awareness of the cost and benefits of
sustainable procurement and promoting a cradle-to-cradle approach.
Local authorities have the potential to guide behavioural change on waste management. As the
global population continues to grow and flock to urban areas, local authorities will need to become
more actively engaged in waste management policies. Local authorities are heavily involved in the
way household waste is handled; they will therefore play a vital role in guiding changes in the
waste-related behaviour of individuals. The international community should facilitate an
environment wherein local authorities are empowered to conduct environmentally sound waste
management practices.
We must work together to reduce the demand for urban travel. Urban spaces must be planned in a
way which allows a reduction in travel distance and time. This means discouraging urban sprawl
and improving pedestrian, bicycle and public transit infrastructures. In addition, a shift to more
sustainable modes of urban travel is necessary. To bring about such a shift, numerous measures can
be implemented. One option is the introduction pricing policies targeting car users, which reflect
health and environmental costs of car use. Uniting local and national levels in spatial and transport
planning would be beneficial. Increasing diesel tax rates would discourage freight shipping and
encourage fuel efficient transport such as trains. Finally, we must improve public transit and
promote and provide incentives for non-motorized transportation such as walking and cycling.
We remain committed to our common objective - sustainable development - and to working
together towards effective implementation.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
presentations.
With over half of the world's population already living in cities, effective implementation of CSD
decisions is dependent upon local action.
In the CSD 17 shared vision document the role of urban areas in improving food security is
acknowledged. ICLEI ? Local Governments for Sustainability has since then launched a program
for local authorities to directly address this issue ? which the distinguished panellist Thomas Forster
mentioned in his presentation. ICLEI is also implementing relevant programs in the areas of
biodiversity and climate. Work remains to be done to build international, regional, national and
subnational networks on urban-rural linkages.
With regards to sustainable consumption and production, waste and transport, local authorities have
a clear vision of the framework needed to enable local solutions.
We need to focus on sustainable procurement in cities. Cities have the potential to popularise and
normalise sustainable procurement principles due to the density and high consumption rates of
urban areas. Cities can play an important role in creating more awareness of the cost and benefits of
sustainable procurement and promoting a cradle-to-cradle approach.
Local authorities have the potential to guide behavioural change on waste management. As the
global population continues to grow and flock to urban areas, local authorities will need to become
more actively engaged in waste management policies. Local authorities are heavily involved in the
way household waste is handled; they will therefore play a vital role in guiding changes in the
waste-related behaviour of individuals. The international community should facilitate an
environment wherein local authorities are empowered to conduct environmentally sound waste
management practices.
We must work together to reduce the demand for urban travel. Urban spaces must be planned in a
way which allows a reduction in travel distance and time. This means discouraging urban sprawl
and improving pedestrian, bicycle and public transit infrastructures. In addition, a shift to more
sustainable modes of urban travel is necessary. To bring about such a shift, numerous measures can
be implemented. One option is the introduction pricing policies targeting car users, which reflect
health and environmental costs of car use. Uniting local and national levels in spatial and transport
planning would be beneficial. Increasing diesel tax rates would discourage freight shipping and
encourage fuel efficient transport such as trains. Finally, we must improve public transit and
promote and provide incentives for non-motorized transportation such as walking and cycling.
We remain committed to our common objective - sustainable development - and to working
together towards effective implementation.
Thank you, Madam Chair.