The Local Agenda 21 Planning Guide - Democrats Against UN ...

The Local Agenda 21 Planning Guide
Information dissemination can reinforce people’s action commitments, but it is only one element in a successful feedback system. It
does little good to inform households that they are using their private automobiles too much when the municipality is, at the same
time, providing financial incentives to use automobiles, such as free employee parking, rather than public transportation.
Therefore, the second important requirement of feedback is the establishment of clear incentives and rewards for desirable behaviors
and clear disincentives for undesirable behaviors. Incentives can include rewards ranging from public recognition to financial
rewards or rebates. Disincentives can range from simple notification of problems to the imposition of fines and regulations. The
ICLEI publication Economic Instruments to Improve Environmental Performance: A Guide for Local Governments (1996) provides
an introduction to the use of economic tools or “market mechanisms” to provide positive and negative feedback.
The third key element of feedback is regularity and consistency. If feedback is not regular and consistent, people lose confidence that
their actions will be appropriate, will be noticed, and will be rewarded. An effective program will establish a regular, consistent
system for providing information, will consistently and fairly apply incentives and disincentives, and will provide channels for
people to communicate their responses or actions to other parties.
The Global Action Plan program’s EcoTeam methodology described in Case #18 provides an outstanding example of a system for
performance feedback that is improving environmental conditions in communities throughout the world.
Regularity and consistency are essential qualities in a successful feedback system.
BOX F:
Performance Indicators—The Oregon Benchmarks Program
The Oregon Benchmarks process of the state of Oregon, USA, began in the late 1980s, and has by now become a model for a
number or stale level programs elsewhere in the United States (e.g. Minnesota, Montana, and Kansas).
Under the Benchmark Program, key performance targets (“benchmarks”) and related indicators are identified by major stakeholders
through a public consultation exercise. These targets and indicators include both the biophysical environment and social and
economic development issues. The program provides not only historical and current values
Identifying Partners for the Policy Group
http://www.idrc.ca/openebooks/448-2/ (143 of 180)18/10/2010 12:47:23 AM