Many of these redeveloped markets have fallen into disuse, with serious adverse effects on informal livelihoods. In the 1996 Istanbul Declaration, national governments explicitly recognized “local governments as our closest partners, and as essential in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda.” In the area of sustainable development, as environmental concerns started getting mainstreamed into the development agenda, the role of local governments was again deemed as crucial when it comes to identifying local sustainability priorities and implementing attendant long-term action plans.