The handbook is a very useful instrument for those local authorities that are starting a Local Agenda 21 process. The volume starts from the European Conference on Sustainable Cities, happend in Aalborg in 1994, where a charter of the sustainable European cities has been signed by more than 250 local governments. This volume can be considered a real guide since it contains some practical ans useful informations and examples on how to strengthen the role of local authorieties in the environment management; to develop approriate policies, which have to deal most of all with the citizens’ participation; to apply efficintly the management instruments; to implement the role of municipalieties and of the local community in the environment management. To achieve such goals, municipialities are invited to implement Local Agenda 21 initiatives following the steps descibed in the handbook. This volume is significantly inovvative and the methodology contained is highly tranferable and can be applied not only in urban contexts, but also in mountain regions.