Project descriptionName of the case study ÖKOSTADT 2000 Evaluation Description of context The Issue related program “ÖKOSTADT 2000 (Ecocity 2000) is the deployment of Agenda 21, the central document of the UNCED conference in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, I Graz. This program sees itself as a comprehensive action plan for the transition into the 21st century. Description of project - background The idea of the issue related program consists of achieving a new quality in municipal environmental policy. The classical concepts of environmental policy are to be extended. The objectives which are sometimes considered difficult to achieve cannot be reached by creating unobtainable conditions, e.g. prescribing emission limits or banning certain substances. What is necessary is to develop creative processes on a local scale to ensure that progress towards targets is made. These processes are to promote activities strengthening the municipal eco-system, to help quickly identify processes upsetting this eco-system and to eliminate these processes wherever possible. Both decision-makers in the Municipal Authorities and the citizens of the city are to be involved into these endeavours. The project was initiated by the municipality of Graz. Description of project - objectives/aims The objectives of the program are efficiency in use of water and energy, to use renewable resources if possible, to minimise emissions but also to include concerns of human health and the observance of environmental standards and preserving animal and plant life in all its diversity of species – and to assess all these objectives by evaluation the program regularly.
One of the vehicles to promote the objectives of the program was to set up different project. One of them is ÖKOPROFIT. By awarding the Company Title "ÖKOPROFIT Company of Graz", the environmental performance of successful ÖKOPROFIT Companies is honoured, and the ecological competition in Graz is promoted.
Description of project - time interval and stages The project was started in 1999 with an update on progress planned to take place in 2004. Description of project - financing The "Eco-Team of Graz" which evaluated the program is headed by the Department of Environmental Protection of the City of Graz and is made up of one representative of the Technical University of Graz, the "Karl-Franzens Universität Graz" (Graz University) as well as the Environmental Protection Coordinator of the City of Graz and the Environmental Protection Representative of Graz, the Head of the Department of Health, the Head of the Department of City Development and City Preservation, one representative of the "Wirtschaftshof" the Environmental Attorney of the Province of Styria, the Environmental Coordinator of the Province of Styria, the Head of the Specialised Department of the Styrian Provincial Government and one representative of each of the environmental organisations of Graz.
The department of Environmental Protection of the City of Graz, the municipality of Graz was financing the program.
Description of project - other sectors involved Health, transport, city development What tools were used to assess sustainability? ÖKOSTADT 2000 More information
Click here for a full description (pdf) |