Hempel (1999) defines a sustainable community as «a community in which economic vitality, ecological integrity, civic democracy, and social well-being are linked in complementary fashion, thereby fostering a high quality of life and a strong sense of reciprocal obligation among its members» (p. 184). The definition emphasizes the complementarity of two main aspects in the development of sustainable communities: civic and environmental. The aim of this paper is to integrate the two research branches focusing on civic and pro environmental engagement, in order to identify which processes lead to people’s action coherently with the concept of sustainability. Results give rise to implications for projects, whose aim is new generations’ engagement in the development of sustainable communities.
Keywords: Adolescence, development, community, sustainability, participation, engagement
Jel Code: I31, I38, Z13