A commenter asks, "What is ICLEI and why is Encinitas a member of this international organization?" Encinitas is one of a small minority of 1200 municipalities worldwide that has signed on to ICLEI.
ICLEI was founded at the UN in 1990. One of the founders was notorious central planner (and quixotic 1992 Presidential candidate) Mayor Larry Agran of Irvine.
ICLEI has connections to "Agenda 21," which is a UN push to impose international rules on local development. Doesn't Encinitas have enough over-development mandates from the state of California? Do we really need Euro-weenie bureaucrats telling us to over-develop El Camino Real as well?
Why, you may still ask, is Encinitas a member of ICLEI? Well, in 2010, all five council members voted to join ICLEI and send them our money because of global warming. If we pack everyone into high-rise apartments on El Camino Real, people will stop driving cars... or so the thinking goes, apparently.
Why did you take down the post about Jonathan Horn of the UT's news article about the Hall property?
ReplyDeleteIt's still there:
ReplyDeletelink
Come on, W.C., sustainability is about a lot more than high density development along El Camino. It includes protection of parkland and beaches, support for transportation alternatives (like biking!), and the creation of pedestrian friendly infrastructure. The notion that the Smart Growth movement is inherently linked to the UN's Agenda 21 has no basis in fact.
ReplyDeleteNo basis in fact? Of course it's directly connected - you're an attorney but you haven't learned to do research? or just haven't tried because you think you know already. There are plenty of places to go to confirm this connection -how about one being from their own website:
Delete"Building Sustainable Cities
The movement from Local Agenda 21 to Local Action 21 ushers local governments from general sustainable development planning to working with local stakeholders address inter-related challenges to poverty and sustainability. ICLEI seeks to build Sustainable Communities and Cities by enabling local governments achieve justice, security, resilience, viable economies, and healthy environments. The four initiatives are: (a) Resilient Communities and Cities, (b) Just and Peaceful Communities, (c) Viable Local Economies, and (d) Eco-efficient Cities.
Five years since the Johannesburg Summit in 2002, ICLEI has made progress in modules development, tools assessment, promotions, and research. These are undertaken by the World Secretariat, in coordination with the International Training Centre.
Keep the Local Agenda/Local Action 21 Campaign moving. ICLEI invites investments in research, events and policy and program dialogues for modules development and deployment (e.g., pilot projects, distance training) on the four initiatives to build sustainable communities and cities."
Quote from Marco ...
Delete"The notion that the Smart Growth movement is inherently linked to the UN's Agenda 21 has no basis in fact."
I read your statement again and realized you didn't say that ICLEI is not linked to UN Agenda 21, you said that the Smart Growth movement is not linked to it - but since I don't see anyplace where WC said anything about the Smart Growth movement, apparently I am not understanding what point you were making.
Makes sense to me for WC to question how much thought and research and defining of desired goals and outreach for community input was done prior to making the decision to join ICLEI, and pondering if perhaps agreed-upon goals could be accomplished and/or better accomplished without joining and questioning if research might have shown that the money being given to ICLEI could be better spent elsewhere in working toward goals.
Anyway, sorry if I was "undiplomatic" in my original comments, I need to remind myself to re-read posts before replying :-).
You know me, Marco. Just trying to be provocative.
ReplyDeleteI would be curious what we get out of ICLEI though. Why can't we have our own sustainability program without sending money to the UN?
ICLEI is international with contact offices in Bonn, Germany for those elected officials from the USA who want to take the future city leaders training courses. Costs Euro $11,000 (taxpayer dollars, of course). What do ordinary citizens in Encinitas get out of ICLEI?
ReplyDeleteAny city staff or council person that takes this so called training...should be tarred, feathered and run out of town on a rail.
ReplyDeletePS- Shakespeare was right....
Too bad that the Council voted to approve the ICLEI shepherded Encinitas Climate Action Plan without doing an EIR. Originally, it was to be part of the draft general plan. It wasn't included. Instead it was placed on the
ReplyDeleteMarch 9, 2011 Council agenda as a stand-alone document.