REFERENCE FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE CITIES

The Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities (RFSC) is an online toolkit for local European authorities that are involved in or are willing to start a process of integrated and sustainable urban development. The main objective of the toolkit is to assist cities in developing integrated territorial development strategies, enhancing the dialogue within a city, with peer cities and other stakeholders tackling the same issues all across Europe.

Based on a simple 3 step approach consisting of prioritising objectives, identifying actions choosing indicators to define a monitoring system, the toolkit offers practical support to:
• Develop an integrated urban strategy or project which takes into account all fields of sustainable urban development (spatial, governance, economic, social and environmental);
• Assess the ongoing strategies or projects in a given city against the European vision of Sustainable Cities based on the principles of the Leipzig Charter
• Develop a local strategy to implement the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Monitor the progress of a strategy over a certain period of time.

Moreover, the toolkit offers access to different forms of exchange and support (training sessions, peer learning with other cities, showcase catalogue).

The toolkit was designed by and for cities, and can be used at various scales - from the neighbourhood level to the wider metropolitan level. It is free of charge and does not require any specific commitment from the cities. It is now available in 17 languages.
The RFSC is managed by the French Ministry of Housing and Sustainable Homes, The Council of European Municipalities and Regions, the CEREMA, a public body in support of national and local authorities in the field of sustainable development, and the French network of planning agencies (FNAU).
Further Information about the RFSC can be obtained from http://rfsc.eu/