Istanbul Manifesto
Implementing the Urban Environment Agenda
We, representatives of cities working toward sustainable growth and development at the local level and representatives of international programmes supporting the cities in this work, have reviewed our efforts and achievements in environmental planning and management. We welcome Habitat II as a timely opportunity to mobilise additional support for implementing the urban environment agenda at the local level and we have therefore issued this Manifesto as a call to action for all of those concerned with sustainable development of human settlements.
Systematic review of city experiences has produced compelling evidence of the impressive range of initiatives and accomplishments in local urban environment management world-wide, and of the resources and expertise which have been mobilized; therefore, we recommend that the following approaches be widely applied, supported, and further developed:
- Improve Environmental Information and Technical Expertise
As a starting point, organize environmental information into a city environmental profile, involving all those whose cooperation is required in environmental planning and management. This will identify stakeholders, and stimulate their interest and participation. The profile, an evolving document, is the first step in an ongoing process. Systematically identify stakeholders in the private, public, NGO, CBO and popular sectors so that there is full participation of all interest groups. Set priorities among environmental issues through broad agreement among the stakeholders so that issues affecting quality of life, especially of disadvantaged groups, can be addressed expeditiously. Address cross-sectoral and cross-institutional implications and responsibilities squarely when elaborating and clarifying agreed priority issues.
- Improve Environmental Strategies and Decision-Making
Through a broad-based process focus strategies and decision-making on clearly defined issues. Consider available implementation options, including their financial, economic, technical, legal, social, and physical dimensions during strategy formulation. Involve all relevant stakeholders in analysing issues and policy options, and developing strategies. This consensus building across technical, political, social, and economic interests will help develop a sense of ownership and commitment amongst the stakeholders, leading to better implementation and follow-up. Consider EPM strategies within the existing framework for urban development and plan implementation, to foster inter-agency collaboration for joint action.
- Improve Effective Implementation of Environmental Strategies
Improve effective implementation of environmental strategies through measures such as the following: application of the full range of implementation capabilities (e.g. regulations, economic incentives, investment programmes, and public information campaigns); through packages of mutually supportive interventions; continuing involvement and consensus of all stakeholders; main streaming of environmental responsibilities; agreement on action plans for implementation within a coherent strategic framework that has wide acceptance and political support; and through regular monitoring, evaluation and feedback of implementation results.
- Enhance Institutional and Participatory Capacities
Build capacities system-wide, involving all sectors of society, through a long-term and continuing process. Institutionalize broad-based participation in decision-making through a firm legal framework. To this end, strengthen existing institutions and mechanisms for cross-sectoral and inter-institutional coordination, rather than creating new ones. Enhance institutional capabilities through information, education/training and communication efforts at all levels. Establish measurable and time-based indicators to monitor and evaluate institutional and participatory capacities. Disseminate monitoring results to all concerned, for a transparent review and adjustment of EPM.
- Make More Efficient Use of Scarce Resources for Effecting Change
Make optimal use of existing local and international resources through an approach that is participatory, transparent, and intersectoral. Focus on local, community based activities that are replicable. Share experiences through demonstration projects and through appropriate networking at the local, regional and national levels. Improve cooperation between existing programmes and projects.
In addition we have reviewed the experience of international programmes in supporting the cities' work toward sustainable growth and development, and found also compelling evidence of a variety of effective strategies for supporting cities in implementing their environment agenda; therefore, we recommend that the following approaches be broadly applied and further developed:
- Support Environmental Planning and Management Demonstrations
Support EPM demonstrations at both the city-wide strategic level, and at the neighbourhood level. Key features of the strategic level are, first, to incorporate EPM into the existing city management systems; second, to actively involve the private sector and public interest groups in the formulation of environmental plans; and third, to establish an ongoing information monitoring system open to the public and useful to project and management objectives. At the neighbourhood level, initiatives should emerge from expressed community needs and leadership of representative community organisations. This two-pronged approach will strengthen municipal capacity to plan and manage, will make effective linkages between community action and local government operations and services, and will demonstrate immediate benefits of the EPM approach to city residents. Four important principles should guide both levels of activity. First, initiatives should be locally defined and cities and local communities should be firmly in control of the direction and content of assistance offered by external agencies. Secondly, external inputs should be in scale with local capabilities and the activities be used to build local capacities. Thirdly, any demonstration projects should emphasize institutional and financial sustainability. Finally, any initiatives, while creative and innovative, should be easily understood and offer clear benefits.
- Support City Networking for the Sharing of Know-how
Use major opportunities offered by city networks for promoting urban sustainability and for implementing the urban environment agenda. City networks are effective because cities face common challenges and expectations, especially in the area of environment. Support technical exchanges and transfers of expertise from peer to peer (cities to cities) as they are politically more acceptable, institutionally more viable and economically more efficient. Networking also empowers cities by enhancing institutional and political capacities. Through networking, influence decision-making processes at national and international levels and increase access to various resources which will nurture the autonomy of local governments. Networks at all levels are demand-driven. Irrespective of available funding, networks are sustainable as long as neighbourhoods, cities, programmes, etc, wish to network. As cities recognize the opportunities and benefits of networking at all levels, national governments should endow cities with the authority to implement local initiatives for networking with other cities. City networking needs facilitation, resources and training.
- Provide Specialised Expertise and Information for EPM
Enhance and develop local capacities by providing access to existing specialized expertise within cities and within international programmes, and by organizing and pooling the resulting knowledge. Such pools of specialised knowledge should be owned by their users, so that they are operationally relevant and can be used efficiently. To this end, build partnerships and consultation processes within the international community and between international programmes and cities for the appropriate use of specialized expertise; identify or develop 'packages' of specialized expertise applicable to common settings and issues; use the best available means to provide local access to expertise, e.g. the Internet; and network at global, regional, national and local levels to share expanding collective know-how as widely as possible.
- Support EPM-Relevant Applied Research and Development
There is a need for good quality information and methodologies to support environmental planning and management. A substantial, though under-utilized, body of relevant research exists. Therefore, design and funding of need-based research programmes which are based on partnerships between ongoing global and local efforts are required; policy makers and local communities should be involved in research and should receive access to research results; the scientific community should commit itself to address operational priority needs; and decision-makers should commission scientific research relevant to implementing the urban environment agenda.
While recognising that the initiative and most of the responsibilities for implementing the urban environment agenda will come from the cities themselves, we acknowledge the important role of international support. Therefore, we commit ourselves, in our respective capacities, to firmly support application and further development of these approaches, which are derived from many years of practical experience of collaboration between cities and international programmes.
We recommend that existing support programmes, such as those participating in this meeting, be strengthened and supported in their ongoing work with the cities, and that new programmes and initiatives be carefully designed in order to most effectively complement and reinforce existing ones.
We recommend that these approaches be given full consideration in the finalisation of the Global Plan of Action and in the formulation of its implementation modalities.
To build upon the momentum already gained through this Special Meeting, and to provide a firm basis for strengthening and expanding our future joint activities, we recommend that we continue this dialogue between cities and programmes and further develop these ideas in future meetings in support of our commitment to implementing the urban environment agenda.
We request that the organisers of this Special Meeting, city representatives and their respective national delegations, NGOs, local governments, and other associated groups use all of their respective channels to bring this Manifesto into the various discussion and negotiation arenas of Habitat II and to promote its message into the conclusions and recommendations of the City Summit.
Finally, we request that the organisers and participants of this Special Meeting take all appropriate steps to ensure the widest possible circulation of and publicity for this Manifesto of key local and international actors in implementation of the urban environment agenda.
Drafted and adopted by 200 participants representing more than 70 cities and over 20 international support programmes in Istanbul, Turkey, 1 June 1996, on the eve of the City Summit (list on file with the Sustainable Cities Programme, UNCHS/UNEP Nairobi, Fax +254 2 624264)
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