Sustainable development in four Swedish communities priorities, responsibility, empowerment

The aims were to identify sustainable development priorities and perceived responsibility of sustainable development issues. Differences in opinions between politicians, officials, environmental representatives and the public in four Swedish municipalities were analysed. Sustainable development issues were perceived as more important on the global level than on the municipal and family levels. Among the most important issues on both the global and family levels were clean air, fresh water, and health, whereas decision-making, co-operation, and participation were considered most important on the municipal level. The highest responsibility for sustainable development issues was placed on governments and global organizations and the lowest on the individual. The public felt less individual responsibility and less possibility to influence than did the other groups. The correlation between importance and responsible on municipal and world levels was high but low on the individual level. The responsibility for the most important issue on the family level (clean air) was placed on governments and global organizations. An attitude change is needed to increase responsibility for issues ranked low on individual responsibility. To further raise the awareness of global sustainable development issues, an increased concentration on locally based international co-operation projects is suggested. © 2006 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.