Involving citizens in sustainable development: evidence of new forms of participation in the Danish Agenda 21 schemes

This article examines how local authorities can engage citizens in sustainable development. Both in the scientific and political debates, it is widely acknowledged that sustainable development cannot simply be imposed top-down. Instead, citizens need to see themselves not only as part of the problem, but also as part of the solution if the transition to more sustainable lifestyles should be achieved. Based on theories of ecological modernisation, the article claims that we are witnessing some new and more deliberative forms of enacting local environmental policies. The Danish Agenda 21 centres are examined as an example of an innovative and a more participatory approach of promoting sustainable development at a local level. The article concludes that the centres have a broader outreach than traditional local environmental policies. This is achieved by coupling sustainable development to other policy areas and by tailoring participation to diverse target groups.