Local Agenda 21

For Generations Ahead - including Plymouth's sustainability handbook

What is For Generations Ahead all about?

The earth summit in 1992

In June 1992, the Worlds leaders met in Rio de Janeiro to discuss the future of the Planet. One of the global agreements they signed at this conference was called Agenda 21 plan to tackle the Worlds environmental problems well in to the 21st century.

In 2002 we are celebrating 10 years since the adoption of Agenda 21. Find out more about whats going on worldwide at the Earth Summit website.

Sustainable development

Agenda 21 is based in the principles of a process called sustainable development. Put simply, this means living today with tomorrow in mind. By linking economic, social and environmental solutions, Agenda 21 aims to conserve the environment, to ensure that the resources we rely on are used carefully and to improve the quality of life for us all.

From global to local

Following the Earth Summit, local authorities all over the World were encouraged to lead their communities in developing their own Local Agenda 21 (LA21) Plans.local versions of the global plan. Without the help of local people, Local Agenda 21 Plans cannot be written.

The national picture

The United Kingdoms National Strategy for Sustainable Development was published in 1999. Four key sustainability objectives have been adopted together with 15 Headline Indicators to monitor progress.

The Government runs a sustainable development information website and, if you want to know whats happening at a regional level visit the Our South West website.

Local Agenda 21 in Plymouth

Plymouth City Council agreed to a Local Agenda 21 Plan in 1993. Since then, over 8000 people have taken part in developing the document. Plymouths Local Agenda 21 Plan is called For Generations Ahead.

Working in partnership

Like many other plans and strategies in Plymouth, For Generations Ahead is based on partnerships between local people and local organisations. The final Plan was carefully reviewed to ensure that it could complement and support Plymouths most important city-wide strategy Pathfinder.

Sustainability principles from the Local Agenda 21 Plan have now been adopted by Plymouths Local Strategic Partnership, Plymouth 2020, and are being used to guide the development of Plymouths Community Strategy a successor to Pathfinder.

Care has also been taken to ensure that the Plan can support the Councils Best Value process (through a sustainability checklist) and the future sustainability of new proposals, strategies and projects (through sustainability appraisals).

Plymouth City Council's role in leading For Generations Ahead is set out in the Councils Environmental Policy and Action Plan, a five-year programme that is reviewed every year.

What's in the plan?

The Plan sets out the result of a five-year consultation programme with over 8000 people. It contains:

• 18 locally agreed principles for the future sustainability of Plymouth
• 57 themed objectives for sustainability (our checklist)
• 50 key actions identified through the consultation
• 42 local sustainability indicators to measure progress
• 125 existing targets drawn from citywide plans, policies and strategies
• Suggested improvements and proposals for action
• Contact details for local partnerships and organisations

What happens now?

• The Local Agenda 21 Plan is being used to advise on the balance between environmental, economic and social priorities in Plymouth. It helps to raise awareness and it will help to monitor progress.
• The priorities, targets and indicators will be reviewed once a year.
• The whole Local Agenda 21 Plan will be reviewed once every five years

See Plymouths Sustainability Indicators.

Plymouths sustainability principles for generations ahead

We want to live and work in a city where:

• we live in a quality, sustainable environment
• everyone is treated honestly and fairly
• everybody is fully included at all times discrimination no longer exists
• communities are kept informed so that their views count from the start
• communities are valued and fully involved in decision making. Their views are neither ignored, nor taken for granted
• local people have every opportunity to create and maintain a wealthy and prosperous city
• poverty has been eliminated
• investment and technology are encouraged with the minimum of impact on the environment
• our landscapes, seascapes, green spaces and wildlife are valued, protected and conserved and not lost to concrete and tarmac
• our heritage is valued as an asset and development reflects the pride and character of Plymouths people
• our location in the South West is used to the best possible advantage without damaging or depleting the assets of the surrounding environment
• good quality shelter, food, water, health care and warmth are recognised as basic human rights
• services in the city are available to everyone who needs them
• everyone has access to a good education
• the need to travel is greatly reduced and all travel is easy, safe, quick and affordable
• we reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible of our waste
• energy and other resources, such as water, are affordable, are used wisely and are fully protected from pollution and waste
• Plymouth is a healthy, dynamic, prosperous and thriving city a great place to be

[Back to top]