The City of Prague and Local Agenda 21
(the text below is based on the chapter Sustainable development of cities and settlements, Local Agenda 21 and sustainable development and related issues published in yearbooks Prague Environment 2005 and Prague Environment 2004)
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LA 21 originates from Chapter 28 of the document Agenda 21 “Local authorities’ initiatives in support of Agenda 21 “, which was adopted by the UN Conference on the Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro (UNCED), 1992. |
THE CITY OF PRAGUE AND LOCAL AGENDA 21
At present there is no Local Agenda 21 process at the whole City of Prague level.
Now the only City District Prague 7 stands officially at the LA 21, in 1999–2002 a project of LA 21 was carried out in the City District Prague 15. Some other City Districts have dealt with issues of LA 21.
Partial activities has been carried in City Districts 11, 12, and 13. Detailed information can be found at the websites of respective City Districts.
City District Prague 7
The City District Prague 7 has officially declared its works within the process of LA 21 in November 2003 by the adopting of the resolution on the “Memorandum of the CD Prague 7 – project Local Agenda 21”. Education and awareness on sustainable development and LA 21 were among the first activities within the project framework, both for leading officers and representatives of the City District (in cooperation with the Czech Environmental Institute, currently CENIA) and the public (c. a. Komunita 21).
In the second half of 2004 a pilot project on public participation called “One place in Prague 7”was implemented in the cooperation with the Institute for Environmental Policy, g. b. c. and a German partner MobiLocal 21. It was aimed at getting the public involved into the discussion on the planned recovery of Řezáč Square. In October 2004 following to preparatory information and promotional activities meetings with citizens were held, which outcome is the assignment for the architectural design and plan of changes, which citizens wish to be made in relation to the recovery and use of the square. Their implementation is planned for the first half of 2006.
In December 2004, in cooperation with the European Academy for Urban Environment (EA UE), the workshop “Public participation in municipal development” was held, which presented experience in LA 21 of Prague, Berlin, and other European cities.
Other LA 21 project of the project “We also live in between the houses” concerning the recovery of internal areas of the block U Průhonu. This project was implemented in cooperation to the Centre for Community Planning of Central Bohemia in the first half of 2005. Its outcome is a set of themes and requirements for the locality administration and its use; an architectural design of the area renewal is a part thereof as well. The implementation shall be launched in spring 2006.
Nowadays a sociological survey is prepared aimed at issues of the CD Prague 7 (“Let us say what Prague we wish to live in”). The survey shall be carried out since November 2005 and out puts shall be available in the first half of 2006.
On 25 May 2005 there was the Student Assembly established in Prague 7 with the objective to set up cooperation of pupils and students of Prague 7 with bodies of self-government of the CD Prague 7, management of children organisations, interest associations, etc. The first project thereof was the “Summer Card”, the main theme for the school year 2005/2006 is sustainable mobility – support to pedestrian transport.
Activities related to LA 21 in Prague 7 are accompanied with the logo of LA 21 of Prague 7 and the slogan of “Prague 7 – Place for Living”. At the Internet pages of Prague 7 (www.praha7.cz) there is a section dedicated to LA 21 projects in Prague 7.
- database of current LA21 projects in the Czech Republic (operated by the Czech Environmental Information Agency):
www.ma21.cz, ma21.cenia.net