Rapid growth in urbanisation and industrialisation in low- and middle-income nations brings about deterioration in the environmental status of the urban centres. There has been an urgency in recent years in managing environmental degradation and reducing its impact on health, productivity and the quality of life. This book is the outcome of an international conference held in Kolkata (Calcutta) in November 2001. It provides insights into the environmental problems plaguing the urban areas from a cross-country perspective, and discusses the management and implementation of environmental policies by local municipalities and civil society organisations, as well as participation by communities.

Contributors to the book are involved in different agencies, providing perspectives that reinforce the significance of partnerships between local government and the community in urban environmental management for sustainable development. The book has two parts;. Part I describes urban environment management and the role of local government, NGOs and community initiatives, stressing the importance of the grass-root democracy for the sustainable urban settlements in the future. Part II consists of a number of case studies which illustrate a range of circumstances that can affect environment management. These include discussions of environmental improvement for the urban poor in Andhra Pradesh, the role of community in solid waste management in Dhaka, and the influence of the political context on community participation in Sri Lanka.