ABSTRACT
Sweden is often referred to as a forerunner in implementing Agenda 21, a reputation which the official overview of Local Agenda activities would seem to confirm. At the beginning of 1996, all 288 Swedish municipalities claimed to have started a Local Agenda 21 process. 1 The LA21 challenge has indeed implied a new and rather dynamic movement in Swedish municipalities. In this review of the Swedish experience thus far, we will analyse what sustainable development means in the practical work of local government and how the municipalities have interpreted the concept of Agenda 21. The contribution also highlights a particular aspect of Agenda 21 which we view as particularly important, namely its relevance to school education. In Sweden, Agenda 21 has been taken seriously by school authorities at both the central and local levels. An in-depth case study of LA21 activity in the schools shows how environmental consciousness can be raised among children and youth and what the results of such environmental education might imply for the community at large.
