TASK 5 : LOCAL AGENDA 21 Name : Mohamad Jaykhan bi n Ahlan Matric no : A128493 Question: You are given a task by the

mayor of your hometown to evaluate and give suggestion on how to plan the town in accordance with Local Agenda 21. Write a brief report on your evaluation and suggestion.

Answer : The concept of local sustainability need to be implemented when planning a town in accordance to Local Agenda 21. Local sustainability means that an area is designed, built and operates in a way that uses energy and natural resources efficiently and equitably, for both present and future generations of humans and other species. Local Agenda 21 can be defined as a local-government-led, community-wide and participatory effort to establish a comprehensive action strategy for environmental protection, economic prosperity and community well-being in the local jurisdiction or area. This requires the integration of planning and action across economic, social and environmental spheres. Key elements are full community conditions, target setting for achieving specific goals, monitoring and reporting. There are six key elements that we are going to use in planning the town. This elements is adopted from the Local Agenda 21 itself. The six elements are : a) Managing and improving the local authority own environmental performance. b) Integrating sustainable development aims into the local authority policies and activities. c) Awareness raising and education. d) Consulting and involving the general public. e) Partnership. f) Measuring monitoring and reporting on progress towards sustainability.

The first element, Managing and improving the local authority own environmental performance would require corporate commitment. The non-government body need to support the local

authority to become more environment friendly. The government staff also need to be send to training and awareness program so they will be more aware to their responsibility as the government officer as the front line to build a more environmental friendly community in the city. Environmental management systems also must be introduce so the system around the town is more sustainable and more budget should be channeled to the environmental management of the city. Policy across the sectors from industrial to tourism also should be integrated so that the enforcement of the law is easier and more efficient.

The second elements, integrating sustainable development aims into the local authority policies and activities. This is close related to the first element but it would contain more detailed steps on how to implement the first element. Some of the policies that need to be implemented by the local authority are green housekeeping, land use planning, transport policies and programmes, economic development, health strategies and others. This policies need to be turned into more sustainable concept for example the transport policies and programmes, the local authority should encouraged people to use the public transport. The first thing that need to be done is to change the community perception towards the public transportation. The local public transportation system need to be upgraded so it would be more comfortable, less delay time and work efficiently. The roads also need to be upgraded so it would include a lane exclusive for the public transportation only. This will make the traveling time of public transportation more efficient.

The next elements is awareness raising and education. This is one of the most important elements that need to be done but also one of the hardest. It is difficult task to change the habit of grown up people. Hence, the awareness and education should be targeted to the children. It is important to instill the habit of environmental aware to the children since they are the future of our country.

The fourth elements is consulting and involving the general public. It is the duty of the town planner, engineer and the environmentalist to consult and give advice to the community about the importance of sustainability. These professional needs to be more proactive in giving the community the knowledge about the importance of sustainability.

The fifth elements are partnerships. The local authority needs to made partnerships with nongovernment organizations(NGO) on the effort to make the town more sustainable. Policy from the local authority and publicity from the NGO would make the effort more efficient.