Urban Eco-Auditing and Local Authorities in Europe

The study defines the conceptual framework for the emerging field of urban eco-auditing in Europe. It is a first European review of procedure auditing the environmental performance of cities and municipalities. Urban eco-auditing originated ouť of financial auditing and land use surveys and plans. It has to be systematic, period ic, objective, documented, detached and independent, in order to contribute substantially to the improvement of the urban environment. The review covers eco-auditing practices by local authorities in the U K, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden. The study includes three in-depth case-studies of eco-auditing practices in Sundsvall (Sweden), K:rklees (UK) and Igualada (Spain). The author Barry Pearce (Cambridge University) draws lessons and messages essential for local authorities interested in investing in environmental auditing.