Our founders, Sarah James and Torbjörn Laht, have conducted ecomunicipality workshops, trainings, and presentations together since 2004. Workshops and presentations they gave in Ashland, WI, Madison, WI, Minneapolis, MN, Vandergrift, PA, and Philadelphia, PA, inspired and motivated ecomunicipality initiatives that have emerged in the Chequamegon Bay region of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, Duluth, MN, Vandergrift, PA, and Lawrence Township, NJ. In 2007-2008, they led trainings sponsored by the Tufts University Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning, the American Planning Association’s Environment, Natural Resources, & Energy Division, and the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Planning Association, bringing together sustainability practitioners from around the country to learn how to design and lead local ecomunicipality processes to become a sustainable community. In 2009-2010, they worked with a Mexican national agency to "mainstream sustainable development" in an initiative sponsored by the World Bank, and are currently starting a multi-eco-municipality project in Chile.
The following is a list of municipal clients for whom Sarah James or Torbjörn Lahti have led or co-led ecomunicipality trainings, and/or bottom-up, participatory planning processes similar to the bottom-up ecomunicipality strategy. Their combined 40+ years of experience includes work with almost 200 municipalities.
Sarah James
Hanover, NH
Town of Concord, MA
Lawrence Township, NJ
Town of Lancaster, MA
City of Portsmouth, NH
Town of Rochester, MA
City of Somersworth, NH
Town of Shelter Island, NY
Town of Derry, NH
Town of Bellingham, MA
Town of Ossipee, NH
Town of Londonderry, NH
Town of Tamworth, NH
Town of Great Barrington, MA
Towns of Albany & Madison, NH
City of Concord, NH
Town of Westport, MA
Town of Westwood, MA
Town of Peterborough, NH
Other municipal clients include:
Town of Charlestown, NH
Town of Mashpee, MA
Town of Allagash, ME
City of Chelsea, MA
Town of Fort Fairfield, ME
Town of Uxbridge, MA
City of Gloucester, MA
City of Redding, CA
Town of Hamilton, MA
Town of Lyme, NH
Town of Hanson, MA
Town of Chatham, MA
Town of Wolfeboro, NH
Sarah James was awarded the
2007 Dale Prize for excellence
in planning and for her contributions
to ecological planning.
Torbjörn Lahti
Smedjebacken
Kungälv
Varberg
Laholm
Kävlinge
Bromölla
Ystad
Hässleholm
Eksjö
Aneby
Robertsfors
Sundsvall
Umeå
Sollefteå
Sorsele
Luleå
Kalix
Övertorneå
Boden
Kiruna
Norsjö
Malå
Timrå
Östersund
Berg
Hällefors
Institute For Eco-Municipality
Education & Assistance
We offer training, education, coaching and workshops to individuals, groups, communities and municipalities.
Bhutan is spearheading the development of a new economics paradigm with sustainability and happiness at its core to replace the conventional GDP and economic model which has helped to bring about so much resource depletion, environmental degradation, and social inequity. Bhutan has introduced a UN resolution to create such a new model. Toward this end, Bhutan’s Prime Minister has called for a summit of international experts to join sponsoring countries in developing this model, new cost accounting measures and financial strategies. IEMEA has been invited to participate in this upcoming summit.
Since the 1970s, Bhutan has been first in the world in using a GNH index – Gross National Happiness index – as a contrast to the conventional GDP economic measure. The GNH has nine topical areas measured by 72 core indicators. GNH serves as a guide to Bhutan’s five-year national planning process and all the instruments that guide the economic and development plans of the country. The GNH topical areas include physical, mental and spiritual health; time-balance; social and community vitality; cultural vitality; education; living standards; good governance; and ecological vitality. Bhutan’s Prime Minister describes the meeting as follows.
“The UN General Assembly resolution A/65/L.86, introduced by Bhutan with support from 68 Member States, and unanimously adopted by the UN, called for a “holistic approach to development” aimed at promoting sustainable happiness and wellbeing. It thrust on my small country the responsibility of initiating steps for the furtherance of this resolution. It is therefore planned that key representative leaders from developed and developing nations, along with leading economists, scientists, and civil society and spiritual leaders, come together to issue a clarion call at the UN on 2nd April for a sustainability-based economic development paradigm to replace the current system. To this end, it is hoped that the High-Level Meeting will call for the world’s best experts, based on the best available knowledge to work together over the next year to hammer out the details of the measures, accounts, and financial mechanisms required for a happiness-based economic model for the consideration of the international community. Such a model, or aspects of it would then be available for incorporation into national policies on a voluntary basis.”
Jigmi Y. Thinley, Prime Minister, Royal Government of BhutanSay something interesting about your business here.
IEMEA has been working with a group of municipalities, NGOs, businesses, and universities to create ecomunicipalities in Chile. Calera de Tango, pop. 18,000 and 30 km south of Santiago, may be the first. A group of municipalities in the Biobio region of Chile wants to become an eco-region based upon the eco-municipality approach. Work with universities includes developing a capacity center – ‘EcoMuna’ – to support the development of eco-municipalities throughout the country. IEMEA is also working to connect Swedish ‘green-tech’ and ‘clean-tech’ companies with Chilean counterparts to assist in Chilean sustainable development projects and earthquake recovery.
Gi A group of Chileans, including representatives from Calera de Tango and the Chilean national Department of the Environment, recently completed a nine-day Sustainable Sweden Tour led by Torbjörn Lahti of IEMEA. The Department of Environment is considering using the eco-municipality approach as part of the environmental certification process for municipalities. Sustainable development initiatives studies on the tour included sustainable approaches to dealing with waste – biogas generation, expanded recycling - and renewable energy projects. .
Sarah James, Co-Director of IEMEA, led a training workshop “Mainstreaming Green Practices in your Community” for National League of Cities municipal officials in Phoenix, AZ. The Leadership Training Institute is NLC’s learning and resource center on local government leadership.
The LTI provides high quality education and training seminars for local elected officials. IEMEA’s “Mainstreaming Green Practices” workshop was one of fifteen seminars chosen by LTI from over 200 seminar proposals.
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