This document also detailed a role for cities and counties. The definition of sustainability used in Agenda 21 is based on the Declaration on Environment and Development, also adopted at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Since the Earth Summit, local governments around the world have been undertaking Local Agenda 21 efforts. Currently, more than 1,800 local authorities in 64 countries are working with their communities to prepare Local Agenda 21 action plans. Local Agenda 21 U.S. is working with state and national associations of local government decision-makers to make the Local Agenda 21 process a routine component of municipal activities.
Local sustainability includes a great many different themes and systems.
This means almost every local government department or agency could be involved in sustainability efforts. It is true that many local governments in the United States already operate using principles, processes and practices that advance sustainability. Since much of the work on defining and implementing sustainability has been done through international collaboration, certain elements that are seen as innovative in one region are commonplace elsewhere. Sustainability recognizes that our economy is a particular subsystem of the ecosystem. This means that sustainability requires increased coordination of policies and activities, broadened stakeholder involvement, and most significantly a concern for the long-term impacts of our decisions.