Type: Specialist article Date 25 February 2013 Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities (RFSC)

During the French Council Presidency, the ministers decided on 25 November 2008 to develop a reference framework promoting the sustainable development of cities and applying the Leipzig Charter in cities (Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities RFSC).The Framework serves to spread integrated urban development approaches in Europe and to provide all stakeholders involved with a tool helping them to assess urban development objectives, methods and measures in the context of the Leipzig Charter and sustainable development.

The Reference Framework is a web application and mainly addresses local stakeholders. It will include the following modules:

• city characteristics
• developing sustainable development strategies
• checking and assessing integrated approaches
• fokusing on deprived neighbourhoods
• monitoring
• finding "peer cities" based on selected criteria

The Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities has been tested by 66 European cities and revised. It has been put online on 28 January 2013 and can be used free of charge by cities as an instrument for self-evaluation. Registration on the homepage will be necessary to use the application.

For further information on the structure and organisation of the Reference Framework and on the cities participating in the test phase, please see “Publications” (on the right).

Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities (RFSC)

Publications

RFSC Information Leaflet
Download (PDF, 238 KB, File meets accessibility standards)

RFSC List of Cities
Download (PDF, 193 KB, File meets accessibility standards)

Links

RFSC website
Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities (RFSC)