Agenda 21  (Page 2/2)

The aim of Durban’s Local Agenda 21 is the development of a system of environmental management that will support this city in its development as a city, but would also be sustainable in terms of the environment. This requires that new policy (with adjustments of direction and new ideals), institutions (such as committees or divisions) and procedures (ways of working) are planned. It also

requires monitoring (i.e. supervision and testing), revision and improvement of performance so that the environment remains preserved as stipulated in the sustainable aims.

During the Earth deliberations that took place in June 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, a global plan of action for sustainable development was compiled. This plan of action is known as Agenda 21 . The aim of Agenda 21 is to create principles and programmes to bring about changes in the relationship between development and the impact of development on the Earth’s natural resources. This means that plans are made to ensure that development is carefully controlled so that the earth, nature, the resources and the quality of people’s lives are not destroyed. Sustainable development therefore includes social, economic and environmental aspects. (Exchange ideas about the meaning of these terms and give examples. Find out how these ideas compare with your teacher’s explanation.)

The aim was to apply the action plan internationally at local government level. In 1994/95 - as part of the RDP in South Africa (do you recognise this abbreviation?), the three largest metropolitan (urban) areas (Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban) applied this programme. The programme acted like a catalyst to set activities going right through the country. Cities and towns such as Kimberley, Port Elizabeth, Pietermaritzburg and East London later put into practice their own Agenda 21 ideas. Provinces such as KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo launched their own initiatives.

a) Write down a definition of Agenda 21 . (Explain what it is how it came about and what its purpose is in your own words.)

Agenda 21 is __________

b) What is meant by Local Agenda 21 ? (Clue: words such as ‘own’ and ‘local’ may help.)

c) Write down the principles of Local Agenda 21 .

d) Divide into four groups. Each group must concentrate on one of the principles.

In a short paragraph, write down what the principle that was allocated to your group means, e.g. what does ‘people-centred development’ mean? Give examples.

Place yourself in the position of a consultant to the town councils of Johannesburg, Cape Town or Kimberley. Develop ideas for the implementation or execution of your principle at local level. Write down your ideas and prepare a presentation that must be considered by the town council. Write a covering letter in which you indicate the central ideas of the presentation that is attached. Set out your ideas clearly and provide practical examples that may contain sketches and perhaps a map of the city.

(The RDP is part of this process. Try and obtain pamphlets from the town council that may be of help in your presentation. Ask people who live with you if they know what RDP stands for and find out what the equivalent in Afrikaans is – or in any other language.)

Assessment

Memorandum

ACTIVITY 1:

1. It is a world wide plan of action to ensure sustainable development.

• It is a wide reaching plan of action that is applied
• on GLOBAL level
• NATIONAL level
• LOCAL level
• by organisations and governments
• who are in affiliation with the United Nations
• applied in all areas where human activities have an impact on the environment

It was launched in June 1992 during the Earth deliberations in Rio de Janeiro.

The purpose of Agenda 21 was to create principles and programmes to establish

a better balance between development and the natural resources of the Earth.

These principles and programmes are implemented and applied internationally

and on local management level.

The purpose is to empower Local Government (Municipalities and Metropolitan Boards) to compile and manage their own Agenda 21 program according to their own local requirements.

1. People-centred development: : It focuses on the training and empowerment of people.

Provide basic needs : The purpose is to supply basic facilities and services to all people.

Integrated planning and development : Instead of a sector-based approach it focuses on the development of the whole area and its people and not only on certain aspects or people.

Sustainable development : It focused on the conservation of the environment and its resources despite development.