Let us build cities for life: the national campaign of Local Agenda 21s inPeru

In March 1996, representatives from several Peruvian cities, grassroots org anizations and NGOs, together with scientists and staff from universities a nd local government authorities, decided to establish a national forum to p romote the development and implementation of Agenda 21 in cities in Peru. T his came to be called the "Cities for Life" Forum which, today, brings toge ther representatives from 41 institutions in 18 cities. This paper describe s the origin and early development of the Forum - and its vision, strategie s and work to date. It seeks to show how this Forum developed beyond what w as initially a conventional project which depended upon technical assistanc e and the initiatives of a local NGO into a network of many different actor s from many urban centres in Peru who, together; form an autonomous and ind ependent entity. The Forum has encouraged and supported its members in deve loping and implementing local environmental action plans and in learning fr om each other's experiences. The paper also outlines the main environmental problems in Peru's urban areas and the unsupportive national framework: wi thin which urban authorities and other urban actors strive to address envir onmental problems.