LAND Project: Local Authorities Network for Sustainable Development

〡Project duration: 2021- 2024

Partners: 

• ANCI UMBRIA
• Trasimeno Servizi Ambientali
• Unione dei Comuni Terre dell’Olio e del Sagrantino
• Assisi Municipality
• Autorità Igienico-sanitaria dell’Umbria
• Water and Integrated Water Authority in Umbria
• FELCOS Umbria ANCI UMBRIA

〡Funded by: Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS)

This project aims to support the role of Palestinian LGUs to set up comprehensive and sustainable local development strategies and policies, Particularly concentrating on environmental protection, restoration and evaluation, thus considering the Palestinian context, which is yet extremely weak, fragmented and with great economic and social inequalities within it, because of the difficult geopolitical situation, the territorial fragmentation due to the presence of Israeli settlements and international isolation. The project aims to transfer the experiences and good practices between Palestinian LGUs and their counterparts in the Umbria Region - Italy, which will mark the beginning of an institutional cooperation between them.

The project has two specific objectives: 

• Strengthen the capacity of Palestinian LGUs to plan and manage joint environmental services with the aim of reducing waste, regenerating green spaces, and supporting circular economy initiatives.
• Promote awareness-raising and participation of the local communities involved in supporting local and national strategies for environmental sustainability.

〡 Target clusters

• Western Ramallah cluster – Beit Liqya and Ni’lin (14 LGUs)

Bait Liqya municipality; Ni’lin municipality; Al-Midya village council; Beit Sira village council; Budrus village council; Dier Qaddis village council; Kharbatha Bani Harith village council; Qibya village council; Saffa village council; Shabtin village council; Shuqba village council; Kharbatha al-Misbah village council; At-Tira village council; and Beit Ur at-Foqa village council.

• Southern Nablus cluster – Beita and Huwwara (seven LGUs)

Beita municipality; Huwwara municipality; Awarta village council; Burin village council; Odala village council; Osarin village council; and Yatma village council.

Results, interventions and activities:

Result 01: LGUs are better able to plan and implement processes of participatory governance and intermunicipal management of environmental services

Main objective 1.1: Strengthen the ability of LGUs to manage environmental and sanitation services in the clusters

〡Intervention 1: Organized orientation and training sessions for LGUs in the Southern Nablus cluster to provide capacity development in organic waste management.

Main objective 1.2: Inter-cluster participatory environmental planning

Interventions and activities:

〡Intervention 1: Held engagement sessions with the heads of targeted LGUs to promote participatory planning and develop first drafts of inter-cluster environmental plans.

〡Intervention 2: Revised the first draft of the inter-cluster environmental plan and compile project proposals for implementation in 2025.

Result 02: Initiatives to reduce solid waste, rehabilitate public spaces and experiment circular economy projects (e.g., waste recycling) have been implemented

Main objective: Implemented intermunicipal environmental plans and circular economy actions to improve LGU service delivery

Interventions and activities:

〡Intervention 1: Conducted a study on organic waste management and develop the compost facility in the Southern Nablus cluster.

〡Intervention 2: Developed project proposals for organic waste management in the Southern Nablus cluster as well as interventions in support of circular economy in the Western Ramallah cluster, including a tyre recycling facility for implementation in 2025.

〡Intervention 3: Developed project proposals for the rehabilitation of open green spaces in both clusters.

〡Intervention 4: Developed proposals for interventions to support improving the urban environment and scaling up environmental service provision by targeted LGUs through formulating proposals for the procurement of containers for organic waste separation as a pilot model in some cluster neighbourhoods and schools. Engaging communities, plans were also devised for voluntary activities to increase the vegetation cover and promote cleanliness of open public spaces.

Result 03: Raised awareness of, and increased public participation of citizens, especially among young people, in environmental issues and initiatives promoted by LGUs in target areas.

Main objective 3.1: Increase public awareness and encourage voluntary work to improve hygiene 

Interventions and activities:

〡Intervention 1: Implemented environmental awareness raising activities among the youth in eight target schools in eight partner LGUs. In addition to establishing eight environmental clubs, 94 students were targeted. Activities included cleaning campaigns, tree planting, recycling, and sensitisation shows to raise environmental awareness, improve the school environment, and strengthen community engagement.

Main objective 3.2: Increase awareness of project activities and results

Interventions and activities:

〡Intervention 1: Launched a social media campaign to share the experience of awareness activities at schools.

〡Intervention 2: Produced a promotional video on the project, objectives and activities.