Environment Group

"The Porsgrunn Challenge" is a declaration adopted by the NSC Executive Committee at its meeting on October 28th 1998. "The Porsgrunn Challenge" was originally proposed at the NSC Environment Group's Annual Meeting in Porsgrunn, Norway, on September 12th 1998. "The Porsgrunn Challenge" should be seen as a foundation for sustainability work undertaken by all NSC member regions.

THE NORTH SEA COMMISSION - THE PORSGRUNN CHALLENGE

Recognising the Rio Earth Summit (1992) and in accord with the Valencia Charter (1995) and the Goteborg Resolution (1997) the North Sea Commission acknowledges the key role of Regional Authorities in the implementation of sustainable development and the Agenda 21 process. The North Sea Commission considers that its members should set an example with regard to their own activities. The North Sea Commission therefore requires each member to undertake the following steps:

• Make sustainable development a central and explicit objective.
• Implement policies that integrate social, economic and environmental objectives.
• Implement management structures that encourage the integration of service delivery.
• Undertake training so that all staff and politicians are involved in achieving sustainability objectives.
• Maximise the support and involvement of citizens in the decision making and policy implementation processes.
• Create partnerships to implement development policies.
• Minimise the consumption of resources.
• Encourage through its purchasing power the use of sustainable products and processes.
• Address mental and physical health requirements.
• Audit progress on making its own activities and its area more sustainable and publish the results in an annual report.
• Undertake co-operation with organisations external to its area to encourage good practice and co-ordinated action at a European level.

 In implementing this Challenge the North Sea Commission acknowledges that:

• changes will not occur automatically
• positive action will be required to change behaviour

Thus it is the intention of the North Sea Commission to undertake a regular sustainability stocktake of its members to ensure the implementation of The Porsgrunn Challenge.

Porsgrunn

September 1998