Publication . Guerra, João; Schmidt, Luísa; Carlos Brito, Luiz
This article evaluates the previous experiences of Local Agenda 21
(LA21) in Portugal and Brazil, in order to identify factors hindering
implementation and how its legacy might contribute to a localized
Agenda 2030. Grounded on comparative analysis of LA21 applied
research, it includes questionnaire surveys and a review of reports
and action plans, in addition to statements collected from informal
interviews with national authorities. LA21 outcomes seem to have
been adversely affected by structural constraints arising from economic
difficulties, andmore specifically from inherited centralist traditions
of local governance. Despite the fact that aspects such as
community engagement in decision-making and the safeguarding of
the local commons have been on the LA21 agenda ever since the Earth
Summit (1992), our results show that actual achievements in these
areas aremeager.Nevertheless, LA21 planted the seeds of participative,
bottom-up, and transformative development in local communities.
