Rheinfelden:
Cross-border Local Agenda 21 between Switzerland and Germany
Rheinfelden:
| |
| Country: | a) Western Europe | ,b) Germany | ,b) Switzerland |
| Language: | |
| Type: | Resolution, 1 |
| Area: | City/Town, 20,000-100,000 |
| Actors: | Local government, NGO |
| Funding: | Local government, National government, European Union |
| Topics: | Environmental education |
| Information and public participation | |
| Objectives: | Improve access to information |
| Increase public awareness | |
| Instruments: | Integrated planning approach |
| Public participation |
Rheinfelden, Switzerland and Rheinfelden, Germany, two towns that sit across the Rhine River from each other, embarked in 1999 on a cross-border Local Agenda 21 (LA 21). Inspired by the Agenda 21 Initiative that was launched in 1992 at the United Nations Conference for Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Rheinfelden communities took on the challenge of identifying a common vision for regional future development. This was to be done through an open and democratic process, with the general objective of defining an appropriate version of sustainable development, meaning a balanced consideration of economic, social and ecological perspectives and goals. This LA 21 effort is considered noteworthy for the following reasons:
LA 21 activities began in the German Rheinfelden in 1998, and by early Spring of 1999 the two sister towns were ready to begin with their cooperative planning processes, in what they refer to as "Our Path into the 21st Century." Following are some of the main goals and aspects of this unique LA 21 that involves communities on both sides of an international border:
Initial organizational preparations lasted from Autumn 1998 until Spring 1999. By the Spring of 1999, the town councils on both sides of the river had adopted resolutions in support of the LA 21, and Phase 1 then went until Summer 2000, and involved the development of goals and project ideas. Phase 2 is planned to go until Summer 2001, involving the creation of a catalogue of steps to be taken. Finally, Phase 3 will have to do with the implementation of the range of concepts, hopefully getting started by the end of 2001.
The LA 21 effort has been coordinated by the Langenbruck Ökozentrum (Ecocenter) on the Swiss side and by the Tübingen environmental research institute (ufit) on the German side. A total of six staff from these organisations have worked out of the Agenda-Bureau that is at home in the German Rheinfelden town. An LA 21 Advisory Board has been formed that includes the mayors as well as appointed project leaders of both towns, and representatives from the German Ministry of Environment and Transportation in Baden Württemberg, the Swiss Federal Agency for Environment, Forests and Land (BUWAL), and the ICLEI European Office. Fourteen people altogether coming from both towns have been given special training to serve as moderators for the various working groups and other meetings.
As many as 200 citizens have participated in the activities, with perhaps 100 of these being active on a regular basis. Citizen involvement was made possible through the framework of nine different working groups, in the coordination meetings, or as moderators.
An Interim Report was adopted by the more than 60 participants who attended the Agenda-Meeting in May, 2000.
A set of visions for the future development of the two towns has been drafted, including general goals concerning participation and responsibilities, and specific goals for each of the following thematic areas:
The working groups met from 5 to 7 times during Phase 1, and altogether articulated a couple hundred Project Ideas. The groups had on average about 10 participants.
Three working groups dealt with cross-border topics: 1. Education Without Borders; 2. Modern Mobility; 3. Rheinfelden - A Part of the World.
Three groups in each of the two towns dealt with the following themes: 1. Working and Living in the Region; 2. Urban Development and Urban Identity; 3. Living Together in Rheinfelden.
This Round Table in the German Rheinfelden developed a range of goals and project ideas dealing with the downtown. Specific proposals were made for the pedestrian area under the overall theme of a "Green and Family-friendly Shopping Town of Rheinfelden/Baden."
A Futures Conference was organized in March 2000 that engaged the Youth Parliament in Baden for a weekend. Financed by the State Office for Political Education, this Conference led to the development of a number of practical project ideas. Visions dealt with transportation alternatives, places for youth activities, communication and information and downtown issues.
The participating children discussed issues regarding the strengthening of the rights of children, the need for more green in the city, the need for more trash cans and the need for more books in the library. Ideas were also generated concerning play grounds and sport fields, pedestrian and bicycle paths and other transportation improvements.
Rheinfelden LA 21 organizers have invested considerable resources into public relations efforts. Support has been received from both the local and regional press, a bi-national Internet Homepage has been created, and activities have been further advertised in the area through the circulation of flyers.
While hundreds of ideas have been generated through the working groups and many other gatherings, about 60 ideas, grouped into six categories, have been selected for further discussion and development. The Ideas encompass everything from locally specific to cross-border initiatives. Some are short-term and others are proposals concerning the future. The Ideas are both small and large in scope and expense, and some require a local Council Resolution while others can immediately be carried out by citizens.
Project Ideas are related to one of the following six categories:
Cross-Border
1. Education, 2. Transportation and 3. A Part of the World
T own Specific
1. Working and Living, 2. Urban Development and 3. Living Together in Rheinfelden.
The total budget for Phase I was 170,000 DM.
The German Rheinfelden contributed 80,000 DM to finance the first two years of the LA 21 process, and another 80,000 came from the European Interreg II Programm for the support of cross-border projects. The LA 21 effort is also supported by the Swiss Federal Agency for Environment, Forests and Land, through their funding program "Projects for a Sustainable Switzerland."
An accompanying research project, carried out by a Freiburg College, was funded with 50,000 DM by the Ministry for Environment and Transportation in Baden-Württemberg.
The coordination of efforts in both towns proved to be more difficult then expected, for example as the two communities have different holiday schedules, as well as different approaches to organizing and carrying out such projects. Still, the first phase has been successfully completed, and an Interim Report was published in September, 2000, dealing with progress to date.
It is expected, or hoped, that by June 2001 a "Sustainable Development Action Plan" will be adopted by both Rheinfelden towns. This step is planned to be marked with an "Agenda-Fest" on the Rhine Bridge (Rheinbrücke) that connects these two communities.
The future will show us just how sustainable the Rheinfelden visions are, and to begin with we will have to see what is actually implemented. As stated in the Interim Report: "Just how sustainable the proposed ideas and projects are will have to wait for the next generation(s) to decide."
It is worth mentioning that cooperation between the two Rheinfelden does have a longer history. For example, representatives from the local governments were already meeting regularly to exchange ideas and information, and people on both sides of the Rhine River have worked together over the years to coordinate annual Carneval celebrations.
The unique cross-border initiative has in any case attracted attention both far and wide, and the experiences have been presented at dozens of regional as well as international conferences.
Zwischenbericht zur "Grenzüberschreitenden Lokalen Agenda 21 beider Rheinfelden"
Interim Report "Cross-Border Local Agenda 21 for both Rheinfelden" (2000)
Stadt Rheinfelden (Baden), Stadt Rheinfelden (CH), Agenda-Büro beider Rheinfelden
Local Agenda 21 for both Rheinfelden
www.lokaleagenda21.ch
Local Agenda 21, Switzerland: Information Platform
www.agenda21local.ch
Ökozentrum Langenbruck (Ecocenter)
www.oekozentrum.ch
City of Rheinfelden, Germany Stadtverwaltung Rheinfelden (Baden)
www.rheinfelden-baden.de
| Name | : | Wipfler |
| Firstname | : | Mechthilde |
| Telefon | : | ++49 (0) 7623 719490 |
| Telefax | : | ++49 (0) 7623 719489 |
| Address | : | Agendabüro beider Rheinfelden |
| Altes Rathaus | ||
| Friedrichstrasse 6 | ||
| 79618 Rheinfelden | ||
| Germany |
| Name | : | Basler |
| Firstname | : | Andreas |
| Telefon | : | ++41 (0) 62 387 31 11 |
| Telefax | : | ++41 (0) 62 390 16 40 |
| Address | : | Oekozentrum Langenbruck |
| Fachgruppe Gemeindeentwicklung | ||
| Schwengistrasse 12 | ||
| CH - 4438 Langenbruck |
| Name | : | Bauer |
| Firstname | : | Helmut |
| Telefon | : | ++49 (0) 7623 719490 |
| Telefax | : | ++49 (0) 7623 719489 |
| Address | : | Agendabüro beider Rheinfelden |
| Altes Rathaus | ||
| Friedrichstrasse 6 | ||
| 79618 Rheinfelden | ||
| Germany |
| Name | : | Leichsenring |
| Firstname | : | Frank |
| Telefon | : | ++41 (0) 62 387 31 11 |
| Telefax | : | ++41 (0) 62 390 16 40 |
| Address | : | Oekozentrum Langenbruck |
| Fachgruppe Gemeindeentwicklung | ||
| Schwengistrasse 12 | ||
| CH - 4438 Langenbruck |
City of Rheinfelden, (Baden) Germany
City of Rheinfelden, Switzerland
The smaller town of Rheinfelden in Switzerland was founded in 1130, many hundreds of years before the town on the German side of the river. After enduring many conflicts over the millennia as something of a front-town between Austrian and French interests, the Swiss Rheinfelden joined the industrialized era with the development of its salt mines. The town went on to develop a number of spas that made use of the salt water, and until today is known for its rehabilitation centers and clinics.
The other Rheinfelden, sitting in the very southwestern corner of Germany, began as a settlement at the end of the 19th century, as buildings went up around the newly developed train station. The town was recognized in 1922 by the State of Baden, Germany. The growth of this town was greatly influenced by the construction in the late 1890s of the first hydro-electric power plant in Europe on the adjacent Rhine River. Following this came aluminum and chemical industries, and in recent decades more service-based businesses.
Population:
City of Rheinfelden, (Baden) Germany: 32,000
City of Rheinfelden, Switzerland: 10,000
Project was added at 10.09.2001
Project was changed at 10.09.2001