Workshop on Encouraging Local Initiatives Towards Sustainable Consumption Patterns

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE (ECE) Workshop on Encouraging Local Initiatives Towards Sustainable Consumption Patterns (2-4 February 1998, Vienna, Austria) LOCAL INITIATIVES IN AUSTRIA TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION PATTERNS: PURCHASE OF CONSUMER GOODS AND RELATED SERVICES National review submitted by the Federal Ministry for Environment, Youth and Family1 Austria UNITED NATIONS Geneva, 1997 1 Division Transport, Mobility, Regional Planning and Noise. Project management and compilation: Ms. G. Langschwert. Authors: Mr. D. Kanatschnig, Mr. H. Retzl and Mr. L. Schmidt. This document has been reproduced without editing. ECE/ENHS/NONE/1997/ GE.97 - The present paper supplements the introductory report by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Environment, Youth and Family on „Regional Approaches to Restructuring Consumer Patterns and Socio-economic Effects of These Approaches“. On the basis of selected case studies described hereunder, a future-oriented segment of the Austrian path toward implementation of sustainable consumption styles is documented. The considerations are centred around two topical areas: local supply and traffic prevention or reduction of its effects. The introductory report and the review of national case studies have been prepared with a purpose to promote the development of internationally valid approaches for restructuring consumption patterns and for the establishment of rules for these modification processes, beyond national frontiers. I. The activity "pro-local supply" Raising awareness of the population is most important in order to direct lifestyles toward sustainable development. These considerations result in the activity "pro-local supply", with the aim of initiating the realization of sustainable lifestyle through concrete awareness raising. 1. Concept, state of realization, experience "Pro-local supply" is a practical model from Upper Austria specially developed for realization at municipal level. Predominant target is preservation of quality of life in locations or municipalities and demonstration of the importance of responsible behaviour on the spot. Other targets comprise keeping purchasing power in the location and thereby strengthening financial power of municipalities, and promoting regional economy. The activity is about the awareness of the interdependence of proximity, supply and quality of life. In this context, local supply means comprehensive proximity of education, jobs for apprentices, work, family, health care, production and sale of foodstuffs etc. Basic concept is self organization with minimized external factors. Triggering a process of self organization locally results in individual responsibility and individual initiative. The activity enables citizens of all age groups to participate and thus promotes local identity. The activity starts with compiling a list of subjects of quality of life in the respective municipality by the citizens themselves. Thereby, characteristics of everyday life in the location and current (positive or negative) developments can be traced. Subsequently, a year of discussion about quality of life and the meaning of "proximity" should comprise monthly activities and emphasis on the spheres of school, agriculture, trade etc. and, above all, joint activities of the various spheres. A project team consisting of three to five citizens who are specially trained at the beginning of the activity, bears main responsibility for organizing and coordinating the activities. Municipalities have a maximum of eight supervision days by external project leaders at their disposal per year. In addition, municipalities receive various media and materials for awareness raising and advertising the project. These comprise, inter alia, painting sheets for schools and kindergartens, series of slides and overhead foils for presentations, adverts, beermats and games for raising publicity. Furthermore, a logo - the local supply point - was created for the activity "pro-local supply", which is also awarded to enterprises and clubs as a special prize for active participation in the project. The message is conveyed by the fictitious family Clever. It is depicted as leading motive in various advertising media. Images of individual family members in a simple way convey the contents and advantages of local supply in short statements or thoughts. Individual (fictitious) family members represent various age groups and life stages with their differing requirements and needs. 2. State of realization Started in 1995 in several Upper Austrian municipalities, the project is now (as of October 1997) being carried out in more than fifty pilot municipalities in five federal provinces. Starting from these pilot projects, the activity should spread to neighbouring municipalities and so forth. Pilot municipalities involved so far are rural municipalities with an average of 2 500 to 3 500 inhabitants. But successful participation of several larger municipalities with about 10 000 inhabitants shows that the concept "pro-local supply" is appropriate for this size as well. 3. Effects of the project The project supports the establishment of region integrated local supply, which can be called the core of regional economic development. In this context it must be stressed that region integrated local supply is not the total of several places of merchandise sale, but a whole network or system of producers, processing enterprises and various regional marketing forms (direct farm sale, supply to enterprise canteens, hospitals, gastronomy enterprises, markets, foodstuffs retail traders etc.) all the way to the consumers within a region. This concept of local supply differs substantially from the concept of ordinary local supply on the basis of "long distance products". Preference of proximity in all spheres of life causes increased quality of life and strengthens economic structure within the municipality and the region. Enterprises of local supply are among the most important elements of infrastructure. Their preservation means significant simplification of essential everyday tasks. People with restricted mobility (the elderly, mothers with children, handicapped and the young) are no longer dependent on time and mobility of others. Closer contact between consumer and producer leads to supply being geared to local needs and the quality of foodstuffs increasing due to shorter transport distances and more freshness. Local suppliers such as grocers and restaurants preserve important places of information exchange and communication in the municipalities. Active awareness raising and involvement of all groups of the population within the framework of the activity "pro-local supply", means that new forms of cooperation are being initiated (among agriculture, gastronomy, tourism, trade and schools, etc.) Responsible purchase of domestic or regional products keeps purchasing power and net output within the municipality or region. Extra income thus goes into the coffers of municipalities, resulting in more independence from external financing. These revenues are 3 now available for, e.g., infrastructural measures; the municipality remains interesting for investors, property does not decrease in value. This boost of local economy and the creation of new perspectives for the future mitigates the current problem of enterprise succession especially in foodstuffs retail trade and in agriculture. Additionally, jobs and places for apprentices can be preserved and created in various branches , resulting in decreased commuting and decreased burden on conurbations. Shopping locally and regional supply make journeys unnecessary or shorter. The ensuing reduction of air and noise emission levels has positive ecological effects. With diversified production of agricultural goods in the region itself, oriented toward demand and possibilities, an ecologically equally diversified cultural landscape can be preserved as a result of appropriate utilization. This is of great significance both for the preservation of a stable natural balance and for local recreation of the population. Moreover, a region with functioning local supply and intact cultural landscape can be better marketed for tourism. Tourism in turn creates jobs and income for the municipality or region. Although the project is working on municipal level, high awareness of regional and supra-regional interdependence is created. By multiplying the idea in as many municipalities as possible, not only each municipality, but the whole region can be involved. In this process, exchange of experience and the start of inter-communal cooperation and coordination are important. The project "pro-local supply" shows that modification toward sustainable lifestyle does not necessary entail renunciation but can provide a positive impetus for regional economy, quality of life and the environment. 4. Model municipality Bad Goisern The above effects of the activity "pro-local supply" are evident in the example Bad Goisern after two years in the form of concrete results. In 1995, Bad Goisern was among four pilot municipalities in Upper Austria in which the project was launched. The municipality has 7 000 inhabitants, is a spa and site of 134 enterprises. What is noteworthy is the active club life of Bad Goisern with a total of 140 clubs and 7 brass music bands. While Bad Goisern's structure is functioning and local supply is working, surrounding municipalities show negative trends such as decreasing supply, increasing commuting and out-migration of the young. The municipality wants to prevent

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