ABSTRACT
Between the publication of the Brundtland Report in 1987 and the Rio Earth summit in 1992, there was a sudden and considerable growth of interest in environmental issues and how sustainable development could be applied, amongst some local authorities in Britain (Ward, 1993). This was the period of Friends of the Earth’s Environment Charter; the launch of the Environment Cities programme; and the appointment of the first Environmental Co-ordinators. So by Rio, a small but significant number of pioneering authorities had done a lot of work on how to apply the themes inherent in sustainable development within their areas. However, this was mainly at an enthusiastic, exploring stage. Little real evaluation was attempted.
