Tunisian environmental policy has so far been characterised by the steady evolution of the institutional framework and by the drafting of a national agenda on sustainable development. Shortcomings persist, however, with regard to implementing the challenging programmes. Furthermore, interinstitutional cooperation and coordination in the environmental domain remains inefficient between national and regional environmental administrations, governmental organisations, governorates, municipalities, non-governmental organisations and the private sector.

Cooperation between regional and local stakeholders, and between regional environmental administrations and their subordinate offices are to be improved. The guiding principle of sustainable development is to be more fully integrated into the regions’ development process.

•	Regional environmental planning: Supporting stakeholders in integrating environmental factors into regional development planning through a systematic, participatory planning approach.
•	Environmental reporting: Support is provided in drafting and editing regional environmental status reports.
•	Environmental monitoring: Supporting the monitoring of environmental change by developing regional environmental indicators.

For the first time, environmental problems were discussed in a decentralised and multisectoral way in Tunisia’s 24 governorates. More than 1,000 key persons from government, industry and civil society participated in the planning process that took place in March and April 2004. Examples that were as close as possible to actual practice were used to familiarise participants with the principle of sustainable development. A particularly lasting impression was made by the relaxed and open working atmosphere and the active involvement of those present in the planning of concrete joint strategies. Moreover, the position of the regional environment directors was considerably strengthened. The environmental strategies drafted in the 24 governorates provide an excellent foundation to further link environmental protection with regional development planning. Since the most important decisionmakers in the governorates have internalised the principle of sustainable development, it will be part of future regional development planning. Finally, on the basis of the environmental strategies, environmental action plans were drafted for each governorate in 2005 and will be integrated into Tunisia’s Eleventh Development Plan (2006-2011).