The main goal of the EAP is to establish realistic and cost-effective methods for improving the environment. Taking a step further down the ladder, the Local Environmental Action Plans, or LEAPs, are seen by some as the best and possibly the only way to put the "action" into the process.

  While developing LEAPs is still in its infancy, the most visible result identified in several communities was the strengthened identity of the inhabitants with their towns or villages. "Individuals are discovering for the first time that they can actually participate in planning the future of their own municipality," says Tomas Hak, who led REC's work on the project. "LEAP offers a truly democratic way of handling local affairs. From creating a vision for the community, to selecting priorities, to implementation of programs, the public is given a chance to shape its own future."

  Public meetings and discussions which are key to developing LEAPs have also contributed to a general rise in public environmental awareness and the increased participation by citizens may help to strengthen resistance to the ever-present threat of government tendencies toward re-centralization.

  The case studies also point out many general problems and needs in the process, such as unclear roles for municipalities, local and national authorities, lack of information on the condition of the environment, and low leadership capacity at the local level. In addition, while many of the CEE countries are applying a more integrated approach to the economy and the environment, at the local level economic hardship has clearly pushed the environment to the "back burner."

  Several recommendations for future development of LEAPs include establishing a process for evaluating the status of the environment based on local circumstances and the impact of LEAPs, strengthening the implementation plans, and integrating LEAPs with environmental strategies at the national level.