Local Agenda 21 in Japan: Transforming local environmental governance
- 1 February 2002
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Informa UK Limited in Local Environment
- Vol. 7 (1), 49-67
- https://doi.org/10.1080/13549830220115411
Abstract
Has Local Agenda 21 (LA21) made a difference to the structures and policy processes underlying Japanese local environmental governance? This paper presents the findings of surveys undertaken by a number of organisations and evaluates Japanese experience with LA21-triggered patterns of community engagement in policy development. It shows that Japanese LA21 systems remain narrowly defined, focusing on global environmental issues or functioning as deliberative extensions to existing mandatory environmental plans. Recent innovations in smaller local authorities, however, reveal that the direction of change is positive, particularly with regard to inter-organisational networking, collaboration and community-based issue identification. The main constraints in Japan include the failure to create self-sustaining community consultation processes and the difficulty of moving from agenda building to meaningful action. BRENDAN BARRET & MIKOTO USUI, La Agenda Local 21 en Japón: transformando el gobierno ambiental local . Ha hecho la Agenda Local 21 (LA21) una diferencia a los procesos estructurales y políticos que delinean el gobierno ambiental local de Japón? Este documento presenta los resultados de inspecciones tomadas por un número de organizaciones y evalúa la experiencia Japonesa con patrones desencadenados por LA21 de compromiso comunitario en el desarrollo de la política. Esto muestra que los sistemas de la Agenda Local 21 se mantienen restringidamente definidos, enfocando aspectos ambientales globales o funcionando como extensiones deliberativas de planes mandatarios ya existentes. Recientes innovaciones en autoridades locales más pequeñas revelan, sinembargo, que la dirección de cambio es positiva, particularmente pensando en la transmision inter - organizacional, colaboración e identificación de aspectos comunitarios. Las mayores coacciones en Japón incluyen el fracaso de crear procesos de consultoría comunitaria de sostenimiento propio y la dificultad de pasar de la construcción de la agenda a la acción significativa.Keywords
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