An appreciation of our dependence on the environment has been growing over the last 30 years. Concern grew as environmental disasters became more frequent until, in the late 1980s, campaigners and scientists convinced international organisations and government leaders that steps to address the problems must be taken urgently. Reckless consumption threatens to leave future generations without resources. Destruction of the environment and pollution threaten the fragile balance of the eco-system. In spite of this reckless consumption, millions of people in the world are going without even basic needs being met. In 1987 a World Commission on Environment and Development took place. It introduced the concept of "sustainable development" defined as: "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". It means using resources wisely and making our economies and communities work in harmony with, rather than at the expense of, the environment.

Soon after the World Commission, preparations began for the "Earth Summit" - the UN Conference on Environment and Development which was held in Rio in 1992. Nations attending set out an agenda for the 21st Century.

Agenda 21 is a real attempt to specify what actions are needed throughout the world to reconcile economic and social development with environmental concerns. Agenda 21 shows how environmental problems and solutions are interdependent with social and economic problems - poverty, health, trade, debt, consumption and population. It makes recommendations on conserving and managing resources, emphasises the importance of involving people, especially disadvantaged groups, in seeking solutions and examines how the proposals can be implemented.

Agenda 21 calls on all local authorities to prepare a "local Agenda 21" - a strategy for how to achieve sustainable development in their area and for establishing partnerships to do this. We have many problems to overcome if we are to achieve sustainable development. Poverty, unemployment, dereliction, homelessness and crime threaten robust and vibrant community.

This strategy aims to tackle these problems. It looks at how we can make better use of the resources available to us and leave plenty for future generations. It looks at how we can build a community which allows everyone a decent quality of life and the opportunity to participate in the decisions which affect our future. The strategy will inform our regeneration strategies, shape our service delivery priorities, help rebuild our communities and, by involving people, renew our democracy.

The principles of sustainable development are:

• The equal distribution of resources within and between generations
• The maintenance of a minimum environmental stock for future generations
• The provision of free and equal access to all environmental data
• The accounting of the full and true environmental cost of all activities
• Those responsible for an environmental threat should pay for its prevention or cure
• The participation and sharing of decision-making powers with everyone
• The right for everyone to enjoy a clean and healthy environment, now and in the future
• Environmental problems should be prevented rather than cured
• Any activity is assumed to be environmentally damaging unless proved otherwise

A sad note: It's a horrifying reality that while the world's governments signed Agenda 21 back in 1992, committing themselves to environmental initiatives at local government level, none of the local councils we rang last month had even heard of Agenda 21. In fact one council member was quite indignant, thinking that we wanted information on their meeting agendas! Our challenge for '97 is clearly to rectify this lack of knowledge!