The Power of Community Action: Creating the momentum to sustain just and peaceful communities

Abstract

Verdicts on the Johannesburg World Summit for Sustainable Development have, to say the least, been mixed. But one part of it, the Local Government section, revealed a story of real achievement. Session after session showed how, around the world, significant progress is being made in making cities more sustainable. One of the most important realisations was that true sustainability could only be achieved on the basis of just and peaceful communities. As Britain’s first Environment City and also one of its most socially diverse, Leicester is leading the way in this field. This article will set out some of the work being undertaken to achieve a just, peaceful and sustainable City, and will suggest an approach that develops the traditional model of sustainability in a new and creative direction. Leicester has a population of just under 300 000 people and is situated in the very centre of England. Following considerable inward migration, mainly in the 1970s, mainly from Africa and the Asian sub-continent, it is one of Britain’s most multi-ethnic, multicultural and multi-faith cities. Leicester faces many of the challenges already common to all cities, but also faces challenges which will become increasingly common in cities during the coming decades. Its basic industries—hosiery, knitwear and engineering—have suffered from the effects of economic globalisation. As a result, the City manifests severe inequalities, particularly in income, housing, education and health. The impact of conflicts, limited economic opportunities and, increasingly, global environmental degradation, are already being felt in Leicester. For instance, the past two years have seen the sudden migration of an entire new community into the City, something that has exposed the limited capacity of both local and national governments to respond to mass migration. Leicester’s politics and community relations do not just reflect local and even national issues: for instance, events in India and Pakistan impact directly on the City. It is for these reasons that sustaining a just and peaceful community is far more than an intellectual exercise: these are issues that all in Leicester face on a daily basis. They have to be at the heart of all work to achieve a sustainable City if serious progress in this direction is to be made. That is why, in Leicester, there is a general recognition that it will only be possible to move towards genuine sustainability by taking a truly holistic approach. Leicester has a long track record in working towards sustainability. For instance, the City was commended at the Rio Earth Summit. This is reflected in the Council’s work to build the natural capital of the City. A series of programmes of environmental measures have been introduced which are not just aimed at improving Leicester but also at reversing its