APLA Holds an Extensive Workshop on Developing Environmental and Social Policies for Local Authorities

As part of its ongoing efforts with local authorities to promote sustainable development practices, APLA organized a comprehensive workshop dedicated to discussing the development of environmental and social policies for local authorities. The workshop gathered 51 representatives from 25 municipalities, alongside officials from the Policy Units of the Ministry of Local Government and the Environment Quality Authority, within the framework of the project “Empowering Palestinian Communities to Utilize Sustainable Development Opportunities”, funded by the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel in Palestine).

This workshop builds on a cumulative process of engagement that APLA has been leading throughout the year, which revealed a clear need for developing standardized references and procedures to address environmental and social dimensions in local policies. The goal is to unify concepts and establish practical tools for risk management and enhancing community impact across local governments.

In her remarks, Eng. Ohood Enaia, APLA’s Programs and Policies Director, emphasized that “municipal performance today is not measured by the number of projects implemented, but by the institution’s ability to build sustainable policies that safeguard both people and place.” She stressed that the coming stage requires local authorities to view environmental and social considerations as integral components of management and decision-making systems — strengthening their role as drivers of sustainable development capable of achieving long-term institutional change rooted in environmental and social justice.

The workshop addressed several practical themes, focusing on strengthening the development of environmental and social policies in local authorities, and presented the methodology and structure of the Environmental and Social Policy Manual. The manual’s framework is divided into three main pillars: infrastructure, socio-economic aspects, and governance. Participants also reviewed a policy matrix, implementation models, and monitoring indicators, before engaging in a group exercise to formulate actionable policies based on the presented framework.

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