Abstract
Although it is now over two decades since the Brundtland Commission report (1987) put sustainable development on the political map, concern continues in Canada that the federal government is failing to adequately implement its own commitments to tackling the ecological challenges posed by rapid urban expansion. Our analysis identifies a number of road blocks, missed opportunities and mistakes that have limited progress and many of these are traced back to the failure of national government to empower local municipal governments, as advocated by Brundtland and subsequent international initiatives, in particular ‘Agenda 21’ which we revisit in some detail as a basis for analysis. As well as reviewing the federal government’s role in Canada, the paper explores the potential for more sustainable urban growth in the context of broader reforms.
Highlights
In late 2007, the authors took part in a conference in Ottawa Facing Forward-Looking Back, which invited participants to reflect on the progress made with respect to sustainable development in the two decades since the launch of the Brundtland Commission and its subsequent report (1987)
In this paper we examine what expectations were established in the international community with respect to making cities more sustainable and what actions were and were not taken in Canada as a result
Agenda 21 called on all countries to “strengthen the capacities of their local governing bodies to deal more effectively with the broad range of developmental and environmental challenges associated with rapid and sound urban growth through comprehensive approaches to planning that recognize the individual needs of cities and are based on ecologically sound urban design practices” (Agenda 21 1992, 7.20c, emphasis added)
Summary
In late 2007, the authors took part in a conference in Ottawa Facing Forward-Looking Back, which invited participants to reflect on the progress made with respect to sustainable development in the two decades since the launch of the Brundtland Commission and its subsequent report (1987).
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