Local Government and Sustainable Development

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings have, ever since 1995 and the creation of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, CLGF, given high level recognition to the role of local government in helping to realise Commonwealth political and development goals. The 2013 Commonwealth Charter accordingly incorporates the 2005 Aberdeen Agenda, the Commonwealth Principles on Good Practice for Local Democracy and Good Governance.[1]

At the 2007 Commonwealth Local Government Conference held in Auckland, Professor Jeffrey Sachs highlighted the importance of local government in implementing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Subsequent years saw an increased focus on the key role of both local and regional (or State) government in sustainable development and climate change in particular, it being realised that national level strategies were insufficient on their own. In addition, there has been a new emphasis on the global impact of urbanisation and on cities as drivers of economic change… click below for the full policy brief.