Rheinfelden engaged in cross-border Local Agenda 21

Rheinfelden (Germany) is engaged with the Swiss city of Rheinfelden located across the Rhine River on a cross-border Local Agenda 21 (LA21) process.

The communities used the LA21 planning process to identify a common vision for future regional development.

This was done through an open and democratic process, with the general objective of defining an appropriate vision of sustainable development.

A vision for the future development of the two towns was drafted, including general goals concerning participation and responsibilities, all around the following themes:

• Rheinfelden – Different Lifestyles
• Working in Rheinfelden – Space for Innovation
• Rheinfelden – Living Together with Diversity
• Mobile in Rheinfelden – Modern and Environmentally and Socially Just
• Education – Future-Oriented
• Rheinfelden – A Part of the World

While hundreds of ideas were generated through working groups and many other gatherings, 60 ideas were selected for further discussion and development.

ICLEI’s Local Agenda 21 (LA21) Campaign promotes a participatory, long-term, strategic planning process that supports local governance by identifying local sustainability priorities and mobilizing local governments and their citizens to implement long-term action plans that address these sustainable priorities. Using the LA21 approach of participatory sustainable development planning, ICLEI aims to assist local

authorities to move beyond general sustainable development planning and to apply this approach in tackling areas of priority concern. For more information, please visit www.iclei.org/la21.

Rheinfelden is one of 22 local governments in Germany that are currently Members of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability.  For more information on ICLEI and its activities in Europe, please visit www.iclei.org/europe.

Source:  “Rheinfelden:  Cross-border Local Agenda 21 between Switzerland and Germany”, at www.eaue.de.