Global and Local Agendas: The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact and Innovative Sustainable Food Policies in Euro-Latin American Cities

Diego Martín,Rosa De La Fuente

doi:10.3390/land11020202

Abstract

This paper analyzes the relationship between the construction of international agendas and new sustainable local policies. Specifically, it analyzes the framework of sustainable food policy building at global and local scales. In this sense, we explore the international agreement called the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, and its influence on the development of local and global sustainable food-related policies through different innovative methods. To this end, the process of building the international alliance of local governments for the development of sustainable food systems is analyzed first, and secondly, its locations are investigated through the public actions and programs in three cities of the Euro-Latin American region: Madrid, Quito, and Valencia. Two conclusions are clear after our qualitative study: on one hand, local policies are designed and implemented through a double strategy: the substantive construction of the policy and its inclusion in the global agenda. On the other hand, both dimensions are fundamental and reinforce each other, specifically in the case of urban sustainable food policy.

Highlights

Faculty of Political Sciences and Sociology, Campus de Somosaguas s/n, Complutense University of Madrid, Abstract: This paper analyzes the relationship between the construction of international agendas and new sustainable local policies
The progressive internationalization of local governments has been broadly studied, highlighting the relevance of the international agendas of local governments mostly around three main activities: (a) demanding the recognition of local governments as political actors in the international arena [4,5,6]; (b) assuming collective political commitments through the building of international networks, associations, and alliances of local governments [7,8,9]; and (c) designing and implementing new decentralized development cooperation projects among cities, transmitting knowledge and transferring public programs inspired by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development [10,11,12,13]
We have selected three cases from the Ibero-American context, because we considered that this area has had a relevant role during the political building of local governments, networks, and statements regarding sustainable food security

Summary

Introduction

Faculty of Political Sciences and Sociology, Campus de Somosaguas s/n, Complutense University of Madrid, Abstract: This paper analyzes the relationship between the construction of international agendas and new sustainable local policies. The progressive internationalization of local governments has been broadly studied, highlighting the relevance of the international agendas of local governments mostly around three main activities: (a) demanding the recognition of local governments as political actors in the international arena [4,5,6]; (b) assuming collective political commitments through the building of international networks, associations, and alliances of local governments [7,8,9]; and (c) designing and implementing new decentralized development cooperation projects among cities, transmitting knowledge and transferring public programs inspired by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development [10,11,12,13] Those strategies and activities have been accomplished following the new multilateral framework of development sponsored by United Nations conferences and programs since. Change (Cop21), the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in 2015 and later, and the New Urban Agenda in 2016, among others [14]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion