Das Projekt "Sustainable development of european cities and regions: A concept for local and regional actors" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Trier, Trierer Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Umwelt-, Regional- und Strukturforschung durchgeführt. Objective: To develop the basic tools in the form of a set of generic guidelines in support of a strategy towards sustainability in any well defined region. General Information/Objectives: To develop the basic tools in the form of a set of generic guidelines in support of a strategy towards sustainability in any well defined region. DESCRIPTION: The project will provide urban and regional planners with an analytical tool to identify the potential benefits, likely problems and most suitable sectors for sustainable development in their own region. Planning instruments will be identified and developed with the aim of providing regional authorities with a range of options for action, including recommendations concerning the implementation of these planning instruments. The research design is as follows: The project starts with an evaluation of different theoretical approaches to sustainable development that may contribute to addressing the specific problems of cities and regions in the three countries studied. This is followed by an assessment of a series of practical projects that are intended to address specific problems of urban and regional areas. Based on this analysis, a bottom-up approach for the empirical analysis of sustainability of cities and regions is developed together with the suitable instruments on its implementation in different regional contexts. Case studies will be carried out in three regions: Trier (Germany), Feldbach (Austria), and Rhodes (Greece) and for each of these regions the project will develop policy instruments and sustainability strategies. The work will also include an analysis of barriers and incentives which affect strategies for regional sustainable development, at the EU-level and at other administrative levels. The findings are presented in a manual containing the set of generic guidelines which could assist other regions in carrying out similar analyses. Prime Contractor: Instituut voor Europees Milieubeleid - Brussel VZW; Brussel; Belgium.