This ESDNewsletter informs you about the following topics and activities on SD in Europe:
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The ESDN Quarterly Report December 2007 gives a comprehensive overview of objectives and indicators of sustainable development (SD) in Europe. It first introduces objectives and indicators as key ingredients of strategic processes in general, and of SD strategies in particular. The report then summarizes key findings of a study that was commissioned by Eurostat in early 2007. The empirical findings show to what degree SD objectives and indicators employed across Europe are coherent with those at the EU level. Overall, it highlights that objectives are more coherent than indicators, and that the two strategy features are not always closely linked within a strategy process.
Based on the study commissioned by Eurostat and the ESDN Quarterly Report summarised above, we have expanded the Country Profiles with a new category on “SD indicators and monitoring”. It gives an overview of monitoring SD with indicators across Europe. Besides the actual SDIs used in some countries (listed in a pdf), links to progress and indicator reports are also provided. Lists of SD objectives can be found for some countries in the “Basic information” category of the country profiles.
By highlighting new entries in the country profiles at the ESDN homepage, this part of the ESDNewsletter provides a regular update on the governance of SD across Europe.
All national progress reports on the
implementation of the EU SDS available:
The progress reports of all the 27 EU Member States on the implementation of
the renewed EU SDS have been added to the Country Profiles in the category “vertical
integration”. They can also be downloaded at http://ec.europa.eu/sustainable/news/index_en.htm#report_2007_en.
European Commission: Progress report on EU SDS published
On 22 October 2007, the European Commission published the first progress
report on the implementation of the renewed EU SDS. The progress report
and the Commission staff working document can be downloaded at http://ec.europa.eu/sustainable/news/index_en.htm#report_2007_en.
Eurostat: 2nd Monitoring Report on EU SDS published and new
website on SD launched
Eurostat recently published the 2nd
Monitoring Report on the EU SDS.
The new report updates and adapts the 2005 edition and revises the set
of EU SDIs. Following this revision, a new website was launched on 11
December that is dedicated to the set of EU SDIs (http://www.ec.europa.eu/eurostat/sustainabledevelopment).
Finland: Implementation guidelines and NSDS
Progress Report
In October 2007, the Finnish National Commission on SD approved a set
of SD guidelines for implementation in the public sector. The guidelines
consist of three elements: commitment of the administration to include
SD into organisational strategies; implementation of SD practices in
administrative routines and working environments; and assessment and
follow-up of the measures. In December 2007, a comprehensive Progress
Report on the implementation of the NSDS was submitted to the FNCSD.
In addition to sectoral implementation reports, a set of key SDIs was
also updated and published. The progress report is currently only available
in Finnish and can be downloaded at www.ymparisto.fi/sustainabledevelopment.
Germany: Stakeholder dialogue for NSDS Progress
Report 2008 launched
Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel, launched the stakeholder dialogue
for the 2008 Progress Report of the German NSDS at the annual conference
of the German Council for SD in November 2007. A background paper, including
the structure of the report, can be downloaded
here (in German). The first consultation phase will run until 31 January 2008.
A second phase is planned for May/June 2008. The Progress Report will
be published in October 2008.
Scotland: Economic strategy, spending plans and national performance
measurement
The Scottish Government published its new Economic Strategy on 13 November
2007 and the day after its Budget and Spending Review for the next three
years. The Economic Strategy defines objectives for increasing sustainable
economic growth. To deliver these objectives, the new National Performance
Framework outlines specific targets (e.g. to cut GHG emissions by 2008)
and includes economic, social and environmental indicators. More information
can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Economy/Scotlands-Economy.
Serbia: Public debate on draft NSDS and launch
of website
A public debate on the draft NSDS has been launched in late September
2007, prominently involving the Serbian Deputy Prime Minister. This also
included a “road show” in which the NSDS was presented to various stakeholder
groups in 21 cities and local communities, reaching in total about 3,000
people. After being discussed in the Government, it is also intended
that the NSDS is approved by the Serbian Parliament in Spring 2008. A
newly established
website includes the draft NSDS in English and further background information.
Switzerland: Best practice examples and other
new documents
Several interesting documents have recently been published on the website
of the Federal Office for Spatial Development: First, two best practice
guides on communicating SD and sustainable public procurement. They can
be downloaded
here.
Second, guidelines
for the evaluation of SD criteria in projects on the level of cantons
and municipalities have been released.
In 2007, the ESDN has launched a thematic Workshop Series that facilitates an informal exchange of experiences among ESDN Members.
The 1st ESDN Workshop on SD indicators took place in Cascais/Portugal on 29-30 November 2007. It was hosted by the ESDN in cooperation with the Portuguese EU Presidency. For a documentation of the Workshop, including a summary report, please click here.
RIMAS contracted for two more years to operate the ESDN
Office
We are happy to announce that RIMAS at the Vienna University of Economics
and Business Administration will continue to operate the ESDN Office.
The contract financed by the ESDN
Steering Group has been renewed for
the period 2008-2009.
ESDN Conference 2008 in Paris:
30 June – 1 July 2008
Next year’s ESDN Conference will be hosted by France in Paris. It will
focus on Sustainable Consumption and Production. We invite all ESDN Members
and Associated Partners to safe the date. For an overview of previous
ESDN Conferences, click
here.
If you want to give us feedback on this newsletter, please click here.
We wish you a peaceful Christmas and all the best for 2008!
The ESDN Office Team at the Research Institute for Managing Sustainability
Reinhard Steurer
Gerald Berger
Markus Hametner
Ursula Kopp
Andre Martinuzzi
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