Bursa, Turkey
"Local Agenda 21 - Bursa"
Abstract
Chapter 28 of the Agenda 21 document forged at the Rio Conference in 1992 clearly states that public participation and public information are essential components forsustainable development, and therefore for anyLocal Agenda 21 process. Bursa's Local Agenda 21 is an example of what results may be achieved when political committment and leadership are provided by the municipal authority.
Objectives
The objectives of "Local Agenda 21-Bursa" are:
- to provide the citizens of Bursa with basic human needs, rights and opportunities and to ensure the establishment and institutionalization of sustainable development and urban management practice;
- and to ensure the development of participatory mechanisms, decentralized decision-making practice, community empowerment, and collaborative relationships with other local actors in the process of creating and implementing a local action plan for Bursa.
Present Stage of Development
In June 1996, a Local Agenda 21 Directorate was established within the Metropolitan Municipality. Subsequently, formal links were established between "Local Agenda 21-Bursa" and the 2020 Bursa Master Plan (under preparation). Preparatory activities are currently continuing in a participatory manner.
Background Information
Due to increasing immigration, Bursa has in recent years come face to face with a variety of environmental problems, including irregular urbanization, and air and water pollution. Local authorities understood that, to solve these problems, it was necessary to raise the awareness of the people and to support participatory processes for finding solutions together with the city government.
In 1995, the metropolitan municipality established the City Consultative Assembly to discuss urgent environmental and urban issues. Its members are former mayors and governors, municipality council members, formal establishment representatives, university representatives, professionals, and NGO's.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Bursa pursued international support for local environmental studies and action planning models that introduced the ideas that led to the eventual creation of the Local Agenda 21 in Bursa.
Following the endorsement of "Local Agenda 21 - Bursa" in late 1995, the Metropolitan Council decided in favor of the membership of Bursa in the International Coalition of Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI).
Implementation
Strategy
The primary instruments for implementing "Local Agenda 21 - Bursa" included the following:
- The "City Consultative Assembly" was established in early 1995. Meeting once every two months, the Assembly has proved to be a very effective mechanism for decentralized decision-making, and discussing the problems of the city at a democratic platform.
- To increase public participation and information, in 1994 the Municipality initiated a network of neighborhood offices, referred to as SEDAM. These offices currently function in close cooperation with the elected Neighborhood Heads in the localities, providing community education (English lessons with computer), handicrafts and skills training services, family consultation, consumer protection, "public kitchens" providing free meals for the poor, youth social and cultural services, library facilities, exhibition halls and theaters, services for the disabled, legal advice, etc.
- As an indispensable aspect of developing and implementing local action plans as well as physical development plans, the Municipality has recently initiated the preparation of an Urban Information System
- As another primary implementation tool, the Municipality has merged the long-term physical planning of the city, namely "Bursa 2020", with the "Local Agenda 21-Bursa" process, relying heavily on developing the plan in a participatory manner, and in accordance with the principles of sustainable development.
Activities
At the national governmental level, Turkey undersigned the Agenda 21 document in Rio in 1992, committing itself, with other world countries, to enabling the development of Local Agenda 21 Action Plans. The Mayor of Bursa became fully acquainted with these issues in November 1995 during the Mediterranean Local Agenda 21 Conference, and subsequently initiated studies for implementing a Local Agenda process in Bursa.
At the beginning of the process, the already existing "Committee of Environmental Volunteers" -chosen from the City Consultative Assembly and "The Environmental Committee of Metropolitan City Council"- formed the basic structure. Then District Mayors , BUSKÝ (Bursa Water and Sewerage Administration) , "Metropolitan Municipality Environmental Department" and volunteer citizens came together in co-operation to form what became known as "The Council of Local Agenda 21." The General Secretariat for Local Agenda 21 was formed by a Secretary General and three deputies. The first Assembly of the Council was held in February 1996 with 600 participants. From this assembly, 15 working groups were established from 270 volunteers. Eight of these groups are now active, and the other groups will start their preparations at the end of 1996.
Each group formed a Steering Committee, which meets twice per month. Their aim is to form action plans for solving problems that have been identified, and also to implement them.
Since the initiation of "Local Agenda 21-Bursa" the following activities and projects have been undertaken:
- An awareness-raising campaign was launched to augment public awareness on urban and environmental issues.
- Citizens of Bursa were informed about "Local Agenda 21" though various means.
- A total of 15 Working Groups were formed from amongst volunteering citizens and representatives of local agencies.
- Representatives and participants form local agencies and community organizations were involved in the preparation of action plans.
- The Metropolitan Council approved the establishment of a Local Agenda 21 Directorate within the municipal organization.
- A Secretary General was designated from among the Metropolitan Council members for coordinating and undertaking the activities pertaining to "Local Agenda 21 - Bursa".
- A study tour was organized on the World Environment Day, during which over 800 participants were informed about environmental projects and activities in the city.
- A protest movement was organized, through which voluntary groups and citizens prevented the chopping down of some rare species of trees in the forestry area.
Some examples of the activities undertaken by the Working Groups are as follows:
- The "Climate Change and Environment" Working Group determined 23 preventive measures to cope with air pollution and submitted them to the Provincial Environmental Board. The majority of these measures were endorsed, and will be implemented next winter (1996-1997).
- The "Culture, Art and Environment" Working Group organized a number of open air performances, competitions and exhibitions for introducing LA 21 - Bursa to the citizens and also for implementing the cultural and traditional activities.
- The "Land Use and Environment" Working Group, together with the Chamber of Agricultural Engineers, organized a public meeting in an important agricultural area to explain to the farmers and villagers the significance of land use and water resources management.
- The "Education and Environment" Working Group contributed to the education of children on environmental issues via the training of over 72 school teachers by university professors on raising the awareness of the children on environment and also Local Agenda 21 process.
Partners
The partners involved in developing the "Local Agenda 21-Bursa" process included the decision-making organs of the local authorities in Bursa, including the Metropolitan Mayor and Council, the District Municipality Mayors and Councils, relevant units in the municipal organizational structure (including the Metropolitan Municipality Environmental Department and the Local Agenda 21 Directorate), the heads of the neighborhood administrations, Chambers of Profession, representatives of a wide spectrum of NGOs, former mayors, university professors, and other volunteers and citizens of Bursa.
The City Consultative Assembly is the primary mechanism for bringing the partners together into a close working relationship. Although the Assembly is not a formal decision-making body and therefore its decisions are not binding, the Municipality strictly follows through on these decisions. In this respect, there is an ever-growing interest on the side of the partners to participate, since they are aware of the impact of their initiatives and are not alienated during the process. In general, this partnership has apparently been beneficial for virtually all parties involved.
Financing & Resources Used
All financial support has been provided by the Metropolitan Municipality.
Barriers and Conflict
Because of the large number of working groups (15), there was a lack of communication between the groups at the beginning of the process. A superior committee was therefore formed, consisting of the chairpersons of the working groups.
Lessons Learned
One of the primary problems at the beginning of the process was the lack of introductory information, readily available to the public. It was therefore decided to reach people by distributing information through the press and other media..
Additional Information
Contact
Asli Çinar
Bursa Local Agenda 21 General Secretariat
Atatürk Cad. Uçak Sk. no. 1
TR 16020 Bursa
Fax: +90 224 / 234 48 90
Acknowledgement
This case was written and provided by the Bursa Local Agenda 21 General Secretariat as part of the 'Local Sustainability' European Good Practice Information Service pilot project (1996).
|