In an era governed by economic crisis, deep recession and lack of funds, the perspective of sustainable development drives local government to a more focused and constant effort to adapt to their daily requirements no...In an era governed by economic crisis, deep recession and lack of funds, the perspective of sustainable development drives local government to a more focused and constant effort to adapt to their daily requirements not only in respect to the central state but also towards the growing needs of the local society. As the need for planning actions in accordance with the principles of sustainable energy remains urgent, municipalities continue to envision and to respond to their role in helping to create a better future for generations to come. Thereupon the vision of the Municipality of Hersonissos, as firstly recorded in its Business Plan for 2011-2014, was, and still is, its' development in an Economic, Tourist and Cultural pole by adopting and applying the basic principles of sustainable development. At the same time the Municipality's rigid vision, planning, and evaluation, oriented by environmental protection, highlighted the need for networking on European level as although cities are different, their problems are often common. Thus on April 18, 2011, the Municipality of Hersonissos, joined the European Union initiative "Covenant of Mayors" [1] with the common aim of the fight against climate change. This article presents the significant initiatives taken in this direction in the last decade and their results not only on economical level but also along their social impact. It also aims to point out a municipality's vital role in knowledge and technology diffusion within the local society as sustainable energy development can be deployed not only by the private sector but also by the public.展开更多
文摘In an era governed by economic crisis, deep recession and lack of funds, the perspective of sustainable development drives local government to a more focused and constant effort to adapt to their daily requirements not only in respect to the central state but also towards the growing needs of the local society. As the need for planning actions in accordance with the principles of sustainable energy remains urgent, municipalities continue to envision and to respond to their role in helping to create a better future for generations to come. Thereupon the vision of the Municipality of Hersonissos, as firstly recorded in its Business Plan for 2011-2014, was, and still is, its' development in an Economic, Tourist and Cultural pole by adopting and applying the basic principles of sustainable development. At the same time the Municipality's rigid vision, planning, and evaluation, oriented by environmental protection, highlighted the need for networking on European level as although cities are different, their problems are often common. Thus on April 18, 2011, the Municipality of Hersonissos, joined the European Union initiative "Covenant of Mayors" [1] with the common aim of the fight against climate change. This article presents the significant initiatives taken in this direction in the last decade and their results not only on economical level but also along their social impact. It also aims to point out a municipality's vital role in knowledge and technology diffusion within the local society as sustainable energy development can be deployed not only by the private sector but also by the public.