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PR I NCI PLE S POLIT IC S
A call to action
This pocket guide is a ‘signpost’ towards
the Guidance Manual on Sustainable Urban
Management, created by the Liveable Cities
project (2004–2007). > http://www.livablecities.org
Both are based on the knowledge, practical
experience and expertise of over one hundred
experts on Sustainable Urban Management
from cities, ministries and research institutes
all over Europe.
Our guidance is framed around seven elements
that are central to liveable cities and towns:
1 P R I N C I PLE S
The essential aspects of sustainable
development and urban management that
are required for liveable cities
2 P O LI T I C S
The nature of political involvement and
commitment that is required to support
liveable cities
3 PA RT N E R S H I P
The governance models and responsibility
agreements for working with stakeholders
that are needed for liveable cities
4 P RO C E S S E S
For agreeing visions and objectives for
managing and monitoring the delivery of
actions for liveable cities
5 P O LI C I E S
Meeting local needs, respecting local
traditions, satisfying national and
European regulations
6 PL A N S
The role and integration of spatial,
thematic, Agenda 21 and other plans
7 P RO G R A M M E S
Of action to achieve the agreed objectives
for liveable cities
Detailed guidance on the role of each of the
P’s in Sustainable Urban Management can be
found in the guidance manual.
“Let’s be clear about one thing:
cities need ‘elbow room’, to strike
the right balance between what European
and national legislation demands and what
is needed to solve local land-use problems
– the liveability of our cities is at stake –
let the cities decide local tailor made solutions.”
Pieter van Geel
The Netherlands State Secretary for Housing
Spatial Planning and the Environment
Sustainable Urban Management is based
on sustainable development principles and
addresses key urban area problems. It translates
city wide ambitions into locally relevant and
understood actions that make a difference!
Sustainable Urban Management balances
‘Environmental protection’, ‘Social equity and
cohesion’, and ‘Economic prosperity’ through
> The promotion and protection of
fundamental human rights
> Solidarity within and between generations
> Promotions of open and democratic society
> Involving of citizens
> Involving business and stakeholders
> Policy coherence
> Policy integration
> Using best available knowledge
> Making the polluters pay
“Good buildings and urban spaces must
not only be beautiful, well designed and
durable, they must also meet the environmental
challenges we are facing today.
And it is unacceptable if buildings have
a poor indoor climate or if the materials are
damaging to the health of those working
with them.”
Klaus Bondam
Mayor for Technical and Environment
City of Copenhagen
“Managing our urban areas in more
sustainable ways is a challenge to our
traditional way of planning cities and towns
– we must rise to this challenges by finding
new ways of working,
new partnerships and new plans.”
Venelin Todorov
Vice Mayor Bourgas Bulgaria
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PA RTN E R S H I P PROCE S S E S
Local political leaders are the champions of
liveable cities. Their ambitions provide the
foundation for Sustainable Urban Management
partnerships, processes, plans, policies and
programmes. But managing urban areas more
sustainably means remembering ‘If not me, who?
If not now, when?’, and remember;
> Big picture / Make connections to the
wider regional, national or global context,
demonstrate long term thinking and dispel
the myth about social, economic and
environmental trade-offs.
> Technically correct / Use robust evidence,
real tangible facts and be transparent
around claims for potential benefits and
negative consequences of inaction.
> Cool / Be exciting, actively engage and
inspire people without being patronising,
not afraid to be bold and visionary.
> Belong / Emphasise that this work is part
of a massive global change, encourage
stakeholders to make a positive contribution.
> Only stories work / Use compelling tales,
anecdotes and examples of successful
efforts to grab and hold people’s attention
and help them relate logically and
emotionally to the visions and objectives.
> Optimism / Stress the fact that the vision
of liveable cities is achievable, don’t burden
people with too much guilt, and instead
promote the ‘triumph of the possible’.
> Glory button / Make people feel good, use
liveability as a way to promote people’s
sense of self-esteem.
> Change is for all / This is not a restricted
agenda, confined to, middle class
professionals. It is an all encompassing,
all inclusive challenge to be owned and
delivered by everyone collectively.
> We need more heroes / Celebrate the icons;
the leading pioneers the everyday folk doing
extraordinary things and show that people
can aspire to be and act like them.
> Personal circle / Show that liveability starts
right within their own personal circle of
influence and includes everything from the
mundane daily tasks of normal life through
to where you go on holiday and what you
do all day at work.
“Creating liveable cities and towns must be
the number one priority for society!
That means you and me… doing something,
here and now!”
Barbara Janke
Leader of Bristol
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POLICI E S
A culture of partnership working is needed to
manage urban areas in a sustainable way; all the
people who are affected are involved in taking
decisions and action. Municipal departments,
officers, and politicians collaborate and
cooperate not only with each other but also with
neighbouring and related municipalities. Where
cities must make the ‘first move’ to work with
and involve stakeholders; establishing the
culture of partnership working, stimulating
dialogue, collaborating and cooperating and
most importantly setting up the vital infra-
structure for communicating and joint working
between partners. Successful partnerships
depend on stakeholders’ sharing ambitions,
priorities and resources.
The Netherlands ‘City & Environment’
approach and The United Kingdoms ‘Local Area
Agreements’ provide best practice examples:
partnership infrastructure needed for the
different levels of public administrations and
urban stakeholders to agree local environmental
standards and targets. Both models forge
a balance between national rules and local
democracy to provide liveable cities and towns.
“If everyone is prepared to compromise,
both in the little and large things in life
that we can reach a balance
in the way we care for our city.”
Massimo Cacciari
Mayor of Venice
Managing urban areas in a more sustainable
ways is not a masterplanning exercise, but a
continuous process of ‘debating, deciding,
and doing’, where effective communication and
coordination between partners is essential.
The Eco-management and Audit Scheme,
The Aalborg Commitments, Green accounts and
Eco-budgeting can all help to keep the process
of managing urban areas ‘on track’ and
delivering ambitions. Cities use many tools
to understand and manage the complex
changes taking place in urban areas; Strategic,
Environmental and Health ‘Impact Assessments’,
and ‘Sustainability Appraisals’ all play a vital
role. The continuous process of research,
evaluation and monitoring helps to understand
the reasons for success and failure. It also
helps avoid making the same mistakes again
understand and mange risk, and to choose the
right plan, policy and programme.
DCMR (Environmental Protection Agency) is
the executive authority of the local and regional
authorities operating in Rijnmond; the larger
‘Port of Rotterdam’ area (Netherlands).
The authority monitors changes to the local
environment and the successes and failures of
environmental polices. It regulates the environ-
mental impact of over 20,000 companies across
the metropolitan region and helps to coordinate
the process of managing one of Europe’s most
environmentally challenging areas.
“There is no more time to be lost in
the battle against climate change.
We need new leadership in this area and
we must blaze our own trail.”
Ivo Opstelten
Mayor of Rotterdam
Managing urban areas in more sustainable ways
involves balancing the impacts of economic,
social and environmental policies. The guidance
manual includes essential – ‘not to be missed’ –
policies and helps to explain how to review
existing policies to understand the ‘gap’ between
existing and ideal polices. (Gap analysis).
The manual also uses case studies to illustrate
policies (and plans and programmes) that are
working in other cities. Sustainable Urban
Management challenges the perspective of
traditional urban policies to take a ‘future
perspective’; for polices to be more concerned
about the quality of life and liveability of cities
and towns – now and in the future. Also to
recognise that minimum environmental
standards are exactly that! – they are only the
starting point for adopting visionary, creative
and imaginative policies that your grandchildren
will thank you for!
Copenhagen and Lille Métropole decided that
sustainable urban management will be at the
heart of their ‘future orientated’ policies for the
city. Both Agenda 21 plans are full of visionary
policies with opportunities for stakeholders
to share in taking action!
“To bolster the implementation of
sustainable development in Aalborg,
the City Council has set up the new municipal
department for Health and Sustainable
Development.
The department will be responsible for
coordination and the effective involvement
of citizens and other stakeholders with regard
to sustainable urban management.”
Henning G. Jensen
Mayor of Aalborg