- Title
- Devolving sustainability policy to local government: a case study of Newcastle
- Creator
- McKay, Darren; Rauscher, Ray
- Relation
- Journal of Australian Political Economy Issue 59, p. 74-94
- Relation
- http://www.jape.org
- Publisher
- University of Sydney, Faculty of Economics and Business
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2007
- Description
- Over the 'last decade there has been increased expectation that local governments around the world will accommodate principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) in their urban policies. This has provided the support for many neo liberal governments, preoccupied with fiscal constraint, to devolve sustainability strategies to the local level. This article explores the implementation of ESD by local government within the context of higher tiers of government withdrawing fiom the broader vision of the Australian sustainability strategy that had been established in 1992. A case study of Newcastle is used to demonstrate the folly in requiring unsupported local governments to implement ESD strategies, no matter how enthusiastic they may be. The article begins by exploring the background to the devolution of ESD to local government, including discussion of the influence of international agreements and Commonwealth and State government legislation. Secondly, it outlines Newcastle Council's initiatives on ESD, in particular its ambitious programs of the late 1990s. These programs are then critiqued, noting that some failed to live up to the expectations of the initial vision. Finally, the lessons learnt from the Newcastle ESD program are considered, leading to discussion of how ESD policies may be better implemented through local government, even with shortcomings of support from higher tiers of government.
- Subject
- Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD); urban policies; sustainability strategy; government
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/803946
- Identifier
- uon:6527
- Identifier
- ISSN:0156-5826
- Language
- eng
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