The role and transformation of local governments in the context of sustainable urbanization

Cities appear as areas where people maintain their economic, social and cultural relations and develop according to certain living standards. Especially since the past centuries, significant decreases have been observed in both the life of living things and the quality of life, with the intense intervention of humans in nature and their use in line with economic development goals. Cities are the most basic residential areas that are affected by these obvious negative effects on the ecosystem. At this point, the sustainability of cities, improvement of living spaces and ensuring environmental, social and economic continuity gain importance. The search for solutions on national and international platforms to ensure urban sustainability and "Local Agenda 21" are the best examples that demonstrate this importance. On a global scale, in order to meet local needs in terms of the effectiveness of sustainability in cities and to ensure the continuity of local needs, the issue of increasing the authority and responsibilities of local governments, which are the closest authorities to the local people, and increasing the role of local governments by supporting them is gaining importance. Increasing the cooperation-based approaches of central governments with local governments and non-governmental organizations and strengthening the governance mechanism not only theoretically but also in practice will contribute to the effectiveness of sustainability in all dimensions, to support environmental and ecological protection and development, to urban sustainable improvement and to positive transformations in the quality of life.