Achievement and problems of Local Agenda 21: Through typifying the actions in Germany

"Agenda 21" which made up of over 1,000 actions to realize "Rio Declaration on Environment and Development" was adopted in the Earth Summit in 1992. Agenda 21 required to establish "Local Agenda 21" for local authorities with communication of many sectors. After the Earth Summit, a lot of local authorities made up Local agenda 21 all over the world. Local Agenda 21 should have three elements, one is aiming to realize sustainable society, another is action plan with long-term perspective, and the other is draw-ing up them based on citizens' participation. I considered the achievement and problems of Local Agenda 21 through studying the situations and processes of Local Agenda 21 in Germany especially for Munich, Dessau, and Berlin. It was found that it was possible to classify promotion systems of projects and operating frameworks into three types. In case of Munich, citizens play central roles in making up the action plans and implementing projects. In case of Dessau, agenda projects were settled adjusting NGO's and local government's projects in existence. In case of Berlin, citizens designed action plans as Local Agenda 21. The action plans were made adjust-ment with local government and they should be received congressional approval. Local agenda 21 in Germany faced difficult problems and grew stagnant now because of budget problems, conflict with congress, and citizens' tiredness of keeping motivation. Moving immediately from planning into action is essential for Local Agenda 21 and for sustainable society.