Implementing the Urban Environment Agenda: Volume 1

THIS IS ONE of three volumes which together form the Environmental Planning and Management source book. Volume I is the main document, synthesizing and analyzing the practical experiences of cities and international programmes in urban environmental planning and management. After an introductory chapter on "Why improve the urban environment", Chapter 2 discusses how cities improve the urban environment, including how they develop the information base and how to involve stakeholders in this and in setting priorities; how they develop and implement environmental strategies; how they institutionalize environmental planning and management; and how they make better use of resources. Many examples are given of city-based actions to illustrate each point.

Chapter 3 describes various international programmes that support environmental planning and management, including the Sustainable Cities Programme (UN Centre for Human Settlements and the UN Environment Programme), the Metropolitan Environmental Improvement Programme (World Bank) and the Local Initiatives Facility for the Urban Environment (UN Development Programme). Chapter 4 discusses the growing interest from cities in learning from each other; this has developed through a series of international meetings and led to the formation of the Urban Environment Forum.

Volume II has short descriptions of city experiences and international support programmes. Thirty-two city experiences are included, along with descriptions of 21 international support programmes. Volume III contains the names and addresses of cities, international programmes, national organizations and individual members of the Urban Environment Forum. All three are available - see details below.