Abstract
The 1990s can be characterized by the emergence of at least three trends. First sustainable development has become the mantra that should underpin all decision making. Second the delivery of public goods and services is increasingly based on a partnership between the public, private and voluntary sectors. Third, and perhaps most recently, there has been the re‐emergence of the regional level of governance. Much has been written about the way partnerships are necessary to deliver sustainable development at the local and national levels of government, but there is less known or understood about the intermediate tier of governance. In this paper we wish to explore these general trends before focusing on a regional partnership that has as its core aim the delivery of sustainable development in the North West of England. The region was the first to develop a multi‐sectoral partnership agency promoting sustainable development. Launched in 1996, Sustainability North West is a unique cross‐ and multi‐sectoral regional agency designed to deliver sustainable development. This paper will consider the origins and structure of the organization and its achievements in the first few years of activity, and evaluate its applicability to other regional contexts. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment