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Project title

GaLwAy 21 ? Implementing the principles and practices of sustainable development in Galway City Council

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG)

Lead Applicant

Michael O'Cinneide

Project Abstract

Difficulties associated with giving practical effect to the abstract concept of sustainable development have generated much debate and have stimulated a good deal of research on the challenging task of assessing progress towards that goal. Despite its increasingly high profile in international national and local policies it is argued that the concept is in danger of moving from a stage of ambiguity to clichi without ever having passed through a stage of meaningfulness or comprehensibility (Kelly et al. 2004). Sustainable development is fundamentally linked with integration of ecological economic and social considerations at all geographic scales from global to local. To do so it is apparent that core requirements and general rules must be accompanied by context specific elaborations (Kemp et al. 2005). This means that there is scope for and indeed a requirement for various locally derived sustainable development options (Fahy and i Cinniide 2008a). The need for more effective tools to both develop and assess sustainable development was one of the major themes identified as a priority under the EUis Sixth Framework for European Environmental Policy to 2010. The development of practical tools for the application of a local process of sustainable development represents a major challenge. This final report documents the findings of a research project which aimed to give practical effect to the concept of sustainable development by developing tools to assess progress toward sustainable development ideals and applying resultant methodologies at the local scale in Ireland. Using the case study of Galway City Council and employing deliberative tools for public participation such as focus groups and workshops the project sought to improve the City Councilis consultation processes by developing new methods of public participation including the involvement of underrepresented groups for example youth. An essential part of this project was to inform local authorities in Ireland regarding effective approaches to public involvement in decision-making and developing and implementing improved environmental policies.

Grant Approved

�250,091.34

Research Hub

Sustainability

Research Theme

Socio-Economic Considerations

Start Date

01/01/2005

Initial Projected Completion Date

n/a