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What is the Victorian Local Sustainability Accord
The Victorian Local Sustainability Accord is a landmark partnership agreement between the Victorian State Government and local governments on environmental sustainability. A full version of the Accord publication can be downoladed below:
Victorian Local Sustainability Accord (PDF - 1.5 Mb)
The Accord aims to strengthen cooperative efforts between state and local governments in the delivery of both local and state sustainability objectives of Our Environment, Our Future: Victoria’s Environmental Sustainability Framework. It will also provide a mechanism for resolving issues of responsibility and for improving communication between state and local government sectors.
In summary, the Accord aims to:
- Enhance support for strategic projects
- Strengthen inter-governmental dialogue
- Build the capacity of local governments, individually and through regional arrangements.
- a process for dialogue between the Victorian Government and each individual local government designed to lead to a Local Environmental Sustainability Priority Statement. This will enable recognition of the unique character and local priorities for each local government
- a formal strategic direction for Victorian Government commitments to local government through the Sustainability Fund, linking the Fund more strategically to local capacity issues and the delivery of agreed local sustainability objectives
- an opportunity for regional consideration of local priorities and issues through various networks such as the Regional Managers Forums established by the Department for Victorian Communities, regional greenhouse alliances and other regional networks. In addition, the Accord establishes a link between Local Environmental Sustainability Priority Statements and proposed regional environmental sustainability strategies under Our Environment Our Future: Victoria’s Environmental Sustainability Framework
- a state-wide Local Sustainability Advisory Committee to engage the Minister for Environment and Climate Change and resolve issues between local governments and the State Government
- strategic learning and information exchange networks, which build on and support existing successful networks. Key elements will include the development of best practice guidelines for local sustainability planning, web-based information exchange, showcase forums and training programs that draw on the lessons from successful local environmental sustainability projects.