Danish consensus-seeking approach

The tradition of a decentralised public administration, public participation in spatial planning, and the Danish consensus-seeking approach, has provided a favourable landscape for this experimentation culture. New partners were found for a number of environmental areas that were not under the rules of formal environmental acts and regulations. They formed the basis for a change in citizen’s participation for more active involvement in LA21 projects, and NGOs and authorities became engaged in more comprehensive and constructive efforts to re-build cities and infrastructures. Resource accounting, quality of city-life and environmental “goods” became a positive focus, instead of protecting the environment through restrictions on “bad” activities.

Commitment for Sustainable Development

The Danish politics for sustainable living has been enhanced by the Rio process since 1992, encountered Local Agenda 21, a new regime of voluntary approaches to stimulate commitment for Sustainable Development. There have been quite impressive and intensive campaigns, strategic programs and sector initiatives under the Local Agenda 21 umbrella for local action on sustainable development in Scandinavia since 1994. In fact, the Nordic Countries are according to studies and surveys estimated to be stronger on LA21 politics than the rest of Europe.

Day 1: Policy, experimentation and communication

Morning:

Meeting with researchers concerning citizen’s awareness. In Denmark we have witnessed waste, energy and climate campaigns for different target groups such as school children, households, and farmers; public participation by call-in rules and procedures in spatial planning and Environmental Impact Assessment. Meeting with environmental sociologist Jesper Holm, biologist Prof. Peder Agger, Prof. Henning Schroll and political scientist Søren Lund. Place: Roskilde University.

Afternoon:

Meeting with Information bureau on Environment and Health about creating environment and health awareness through strategic information communication. They will discuss issues as: Who are using the info web page? Why are most current focus areas intimacy products, chemistry and devices for children?; How are campaigns launched, and which type of political controversies are at stake? Place: Roskilde harbor.

 

Day 2: Nature interpretation and awareness rising

Morning:	Meeting with the green guide and nature interpreter, and NGO member from Danish Society for Nature Preservation Stig Nøhr on mobilizing citizens’ awareness through campaigns, nature walks, local committee activities, and training programs etc. Place: Møn island.
Afternoon:	Meeting with representatives from a consumer organization, The Danish Consumer Council, an environmentally concerned retail chain COOP, a door-selling organic retail chain Årstiderne and the NGO Økologisk Landsforening, a consumer-producer organisation for enhancing organic food culture.

 

Day 3: Local awareness strategy

Morning:	Meeting with Næstved or Køge Municipality and local Agenda 21 groups concerning municipal strategy for awareness rising. At these communities we may learn from comprehensive campaigns for energy savings, renovation, car sharing, organic food consumption, urban greening, organic gardening etc.
Afternoon:	Visits to local awareness activities in Næstved, Køge or Roskilde. Presentation of Region Zealand Local Agenda 21 regional strategy by Bjarne Rasmussen, LA21 Coordinator, Sorø.

Day 4: Education

All day:

Visit schools and projects at different levels concerning environmental education in Denmark: nature school at Røsnæs, forest kindergarten in Maribo, or master educations in environmental and energy planning at Roskilde University.