Ecologically Sustainable Development

What is Sustainability?

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future generations.

Agenda 21 is an action plan, signed by 172 national governments in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit and aims to begin a global partnership for sustainable development. Local Agenda 21 is for local government as many of the problems and solutions being addressed by LA21 have their roots in local activities.

Marrickville Council developed its first LA21 Strategy in 1997, and has since committed to a Local Action 21 Plan to meet its sustainability objectives. Actions from the plan are incorporated into Council's annual management plan and reported on in the State of the Environment Report.

Why are Agenda 21 and Sustainability important?

"The world has a choice. We can all continue to waste energy and resources. Global warming will accelerate. Our environment will worsen. People's health, prosperity, peace and security will be threatened. We will all suffer.

Or we can all work with one another to have a better environment. By addressing social, economic and environmental problems together, we can help our world to develop in a sustainable way. We will have a better quality of life. We will all benefit."

-UK Environment Agency 2001

Remember the catch cry: Think Globally... Act Locally