Sustainable development is one of the concepts of local development. The aim of
the monograph is to introduce and discuss the theoretical basis of this development
at the local level and to show its expressions and practical activities in the econo-
mic, social, and ecological spheres, with a particular focus on two internal develop-
ment factors – tourism and education.
The first chapter presents the theoretical foundations of local development.
The most commonly encountered development concepts, including sustainable
development, are discussed. The actors involved in generating development,
including the local community and local authorities, were described. The second
chapter was devoted to the determinants of local development, which can accelerate,
slow down or even prevent it. The third chapter presents the main components of
sustainable development. The assumptions and progress in the implementation of
the 2030 Agenda (Transforming Our World: The United Nations 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development) are discussed. This is followed by an overview of the
possibilities for implementing and measuring the implementation of this document
at the local level. The fourth chapter shows – referring to Agenda 2030 – the EU
strategy entitled: European Green Deal (EGD), assuming climate neutrality for EU
Member States by 2050. Taking into account the EGD, areas for transformation
of the local economy are presented, i.e.: energy, transport, and municipal waste
management.
Chapter five characterises the local community as a subject and object of local
development. It describes the possibilities of community activation through the
cooperation of three sectors: administration, business, and NGOs. The LEADER
initiative, a programme to improve the social situation in rural areas, was presented
as a case study. The sixth chapter is devoted to tourism, which is one of the most
important factors in local development, having a positive (direct and indirect) impact
on the local economy. Education, in turn, is an indirect development factor. High
quality and accessibility of public education is a factor supporting development. It
also addresses the issue of the adequacy of income to the range of educational tasks
performed. Chapter eight, on the other hand, analyses educational expenditure in
182 Abstract
the context of sustainable development. They are presented by budget and non-
-budget in relation to the educational tasks performed by communes, districts, and
cities with the rights of districts.
The spatial scope of the analyses contained in the monograph covers Poland.
The subjective scope includes local government units, i.e. municipal and district level.