An Environmental Plan for the New City of Toronto: How to Make It ...

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and Environmental Policy respectively. As the documents are complementary and equally important, both were reviewed for this report. The Environmental Policy is based on the four principles of the Natural Step. 2.7.1 Framework/Structure What type of plan is it Who has ownership of it Is it flexible, understandable The 10 issues of the Environmental Policy focus on the need for cooperation between and participation from all sectors (government, public, agencies, business) in order to achieve a better environment, while emphasizing specific outcomes such as energy use (City of Goteborg, 1996). The lack of specific sustainable development strategies in the Environmental Policy is replaced by an emphasis on process and on reporting the success in the communities which contribute to the goals of the policies (Salsberg, 1998). Towards a Healthy City identifies the vision and strategic directions towards a healthier city. It is complemented by a Public Health Policy (1998) which is a set of guiding principles used by city departments to translate the plan into specific actions (Salsberg, 1998). Both documents are understandable, written in simple, engaging language and are supported by a number of Local Agenda 21 programs for schools and neighbourhood remediation (Healthy Cities Project, 1997b). 2.7.2 Process: Plan Development What was the motivation for undertaking the plan How was the community involved With the restructuring of the municipal government to include a Public Health Commission and Environmental Commission in 1994, it became possible to address health and environmental issues at a city scale (City of Goteborg 1997). Considerable effort was made to involve the community through surveys, focus groups (over 250 active stakeholders were consulted) and public outreach projects at the neighbourhood scale 'to bring the fine words spoken at Rio down to the local level' (City of Goteborg, 1997). 2.7.3 Implementation How has the plan been translated into action What are the political and administrative mechanisms What real change has occurred as a result of the plan What were the barriers to preparing / implementing this plan 25
The Environmental Policy is to apply to all city committees, administrative units, companies and employees. It is intended that environmental consideration should be a natural part of daily operations in all areas; everyone within the municipality of Goteborg should participate in environment support efforts. Implementation of both the environment and health policies is to occur through the action plans of each of the 21 local planning districts (Hallbert, pers.com.). Implementation is also to be achieved through application of an environmental management system (EMS) to the activities of the city its committees, boards and local districts (City of Goteborg 1996b). As a result of these two documents, there has been real change in the focus and awareness of environmental and sustainability issues on the part of the community, politicians and staff, although changing the attitude of staff has been the most challenging (Hallbert, pers.com.). ‘The outdoor environment is our most resource intensive sphere of operations…..The commitment of the people of Goteborg is impressive. It is also essential if we are to achieve anything. It is not possible to create an environmentally-orientated society through legislation. In the long run, the way people live is the decisive factor, no matter which way the wind blows.’ (Environmental Protection Office, Goteborg), 2.7.4 Key elements of Success Community ownership: easy to read, engaging simple language; involvement of community at grassroots level with many individual programs for community development in schools and neighbourhoods. The palette of different sustainability frameworks work together to provide depth broaden the focus. Corporate ownership: strategies apply as much to corporate practice as to policies governing community; both documents make an effort to apply to employees, as in the commitment to apply an environmental management system to the City’s operations. 26
Page 1 and 2: An Environmental Plan for the New C
Page 3 and 4: Executive Summary The new Environme
Page 5 and 6: address implications for applicatio
Page 7 and 8: The United Nations defines sustaina
Page 9 and 10: the principles of the Natural Step
Page 11 and 12: to engage people in a discussion of
Page 13 and 14: commitment to “follow the princip
Page 15 and 16: Political commitment is everything
Page 17 and 18: 2.3.4 Key elements of Success Poli
Page 19 and 20: 2.4.3 Implementation The Comprehens
Page 21 and 22: 2.5.2 Process: Plan Development The
Page 23 and 24: 2.5.4 Key elements of Success Poli
Page 25: how developing/implementing long te
Page 29 and 30: criteria were identification of a p
Page 31 and 32: towards sustainability. As actions
Page 33 and 34: is not legally binding, but is an i
Page 35 and 36: 4 CONCLUSIONS 34
Page 37 and 38: 17. Ravetz, Joe, City-Region 2020:
Page 39 and 40: Appendix 1 Interview Questions 1. W

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