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1. Local Targets 21 –
Target setting and monitoring for
Local sustainability
Dr Kate Theobald
Northumbria University
Informed Cities Forum
15th April 2010
23/04/2010 ©Sustainable Cities Research Institute 1

2. What is Local Targets 21?
User-friendly on-line tool in 7 EU languages
Product of the STATUS European project
In line with key policy areas of UTS and Aalborg
Commitments
Developed with local governments
Assists local governments in:
- Selecting targets for local sustainability
- Setting targets
- Monitoring targets
23/04/2010 ©Sustainable Cities Research Institute 2

3. How does the Tool work?
10 sets of indicators with indicative targets
Local authorities can browse all the indicators
Enter baseline data against indicators
Once form submitted, feedback report is
produced
Data can be updated as often as required
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4. What are the benefits to local authorities?
Provides a framework for local authorities to
assess progress with local sustainability
Participating local authorities find out about
targets set by others in Europe
Tool is supported by detailed Guidance on
Selecting, Setting and Achieving Targets
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5. Role of local authorities in the project
Two workshops: first was developing tool
content (20 LGs), and second was testing the
system in English (10 LGs)
Opportunities to comment on the feedback
reports from the workshops
Early piloting/testing of the tool by a small
number of local authorities
Advisory Panel including national local
government organisations asked to consider
promotion/take-up of the Tool
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6. Dissemination activities to local
governments (during and after project)
Presentation at Italian LA21 Cordinamento 2006
Presentation at ICLEI World Congress 2006 and
Seville Conference 2007
Publication of Slovakian local sustainability
indicators based directly on Local Targets 21
indicators
Promotion by local government networks
Establishment of Local Sustainability website to
host Local Targets 21 Cities Research Institute
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7. Other proposed dissemination channels
Independent networks
LA21 networks
Via specific officials in each city
Other projects (eg Liveable Cities/Managing
Urban Europe)
European Commission channels
Media, eg via national environment ministries
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8. Barriers in co-operating with local
governments
Political sensitivity (sharing data on targets)
Lack of support by national local government
organisations
Lack of time/competition with other tools
Not seen as sufficiently relevant to national
contexts
Technical problems
Tool only in 7 languages so limited use
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9. Advantages and opportunities
Working with a local governments from different
national countries
Exploring the national contexts and local
specificities regarding sustainability indicators
and targets
Developing contacts with individuals, for future
collaboration
Understanding the local policy processes and
constraints associated with adopting
sustainability tools
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10. Use of the Tool since completion
Limited number of local authorities have used
the Tool
Interest expressed from a small number of local
authorities
Where local authorities have used the Tool once,
then tend to not follow this up
Possibility that local authorities have used the
Guidance and set of indicators as a framework but
not actually used the on-line tool
Keeping content up to date is an issue
23/04/2010 ©Sustainable Cities Research Institute 10

11. LOCAL TARGETS 21 WEBSITE
www.localtargets21.org
23/04/2010 ©Sustainable Cities Research Institute 11