In many countries, local authorities have been quick to identify opportunities for putting sustainability principles into practice—for example by setting up recycling programs, by promoting energy efficiency in homes and offices, or by staging "green commuter" events. A survey by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) reveals that more than 6,000 initiatives in over 100 countries have been set in motion under the Local Agenda 21 program [LA21]. Well over 100 systems for assessing progress at the community level have been identified by IISD.

Key Message - Community Sustainability Taken together, thousands of local initiatives add up to a substantial whole. And they prove that sustainable development can generate enthusiasm where it counts the most—at the level of ordinary people.

Hundreds of towns and cities have arranged themselves into loose coalitions focusing on particular aspects of sustainability. For example, the European Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign (ESCTC) has attracted 1,300 local authorities, representing more than 100 million people. The Cities for Climate Protection initiative has 500 members around the world, bringing together developed and developing nations. And the World Health Organization's Healthy Cities Program, whose aims are similar to those of LA21, is supported by 1,500 municipalities worldwide.

IISD is working on how to help citizens determine what constitutes sustainability in their own communities, and how citizens can act on their new knowledge. Much of our current work is being developed in our own "home" community of Winnipeg, Canada. More broadly, we are working with communities across the Prairies and in developing countries on local responses to climate change.