European Regional Science Association
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European Regional Science Association
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The abstract for paper number 48:
Thiemo W. Eser, TAURUS Institute at the University of Trier, Trier, Germany
The role of the sub-national level in the national sustainability strategies of the federal states of Austria, Germany and Switzerland
The Johannesburg Summit in September 2002 called for the presentation of national sustainability strategies. The formulation of these strategies was formerly agreed in the Agenda 21 at the UN Conference in Rio de Janeiro in the year 1992 and should be presented at this Rio plus 10 conference. With a closer look at the sustainability strategies it becomes obvious that the implementation of the national strategy is a comprehensive task, which involves governmental levels and all stakeholders in a country.
Theories of federalism indicate that an optimal distribution of talks and competences exists between governmental levels. An optimal allocation of tasks applies also to the sustainability with reference to the economic, environmental and social dimensions as well as the question of governance.
In a first step the paper develops a model for the evaluation of the allocation of the appropriate policy level. In the second step the model is applied to the distribution of tasks proposed in the national sustainability strategies of the countries investigated. The comparison of the three countries’ strategies shows that, in general, the national strategy of each country focuses on measures, which can be addresses on the national level (national-level strategy). However, the national level is not the appropriate level in all cases. Furthermore, although following different strategies the access points of the strategies for other governmental levels are not clearly defined. Taking into account that the sustainability demands a comprehensive and integrative approach the investigated strategies appear to be fragmented. In terms of the consideration of an appropriate policy level in the implementation of the strategy the Austria example still proves the best approach. Accordingly in Austria also the lower level was relatively best represented in the preparation of the strategy.
Unfortunately full paper has not been submitted.