Update: Serving the science, society, policy interface for a better world

Serving the science, society, policy interface for a better world: An overview of Advisory Councils on the Environment and for Sustainable Development in Europe.

Implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development requires multi-layered decision making, multilevel coordination and cooperation with a multitude of stakeholders. In order to arrange an institutionalised gathering of these various stakeholders, it is broadly recognised that advisory councils on the environment and for sustainable development and similar bodies (hereafter ‘advisory councils’) play a significant role.

Advisory councils are – mostly – established by national or regional governments or parliaments. These councils offer independent advice to their respective national and regional governments and parliaments relating to the environment and sustainable development.

To provide interested parties with an updated overview of different advisory bodies on the environment and for sustainable development as st established in the European area, the European network of Advisory Councils on the Environment and for Sustainable Development (EEAC Network) drafted this overview study.

By means of this study, we hope to shed light on the different compositions, governance structures, tasks, mandates and working methods of advisory councils. This overview study is a living document, meaning that the study will be regularly updated. The document is based on open source data and is not intended to provide a complete and exhaustive overview of advisory councils. Rather, it should merely serve as a source of general information and inspiration. an overview of different advisory councils on the environment and for sustainable development as established in the European area

EU MSP sent letter to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

The members and observers – including the EEAC Network – of the EU Multi-Stakeholder Platform for the implementation of the SDGs sent a letter to Ms von der Leyen congratulating her on taking up her role as President of the European Commission.

In their letter, the Platform members and observers reiterated their call – shared by the European Council and Parliament – for an overarching Sustainable Europe 2030 strategy and implementation plan. In addition, members and observers of the Platform called upon the President of the European Commission to show political leadership in steering the whole-of-Commission approach towards sustainable development. To conclude, the members and observers called for the renewal of the platform’s mandate – expiring at the end of 2019 – to advise the Commission President.

The letter was signed by twenty-seven members and three observers and was sent to the office of the President of the European Commission on Tuesday, 17 December 2019.  Click here to read the full text of the letter.

Launch of the Sustainable Romania Project

The implementation and success of the 2030 Agenda also relies on the capacity of national policy-makers to formulate and set up their own agendas as well as their potential to foster connections with various stakeholders and to establish partnerships.

Romania has made important steps in the national implementation of the 2030 Agenda. In 2017 the Government established the Department of Sustainable Development which in 2018 revised the National Sustainable Development Strategy in accordance with the Agenda’s goals. The Department of Sustainable Development will continue to work closely with a wide range of stakeholders in order to implement in the next 3 years the project titled “Sustainable Romania Development of the strategic and institutional framework for the implementation of the National Sustainable Development Strategy of Romania 2030.

The main objective of the project is the implementation of the NSDS 2030 through the provision of an appropriate implementation framework, to increase institutional capacity of central authorities, to streamline communication and interinstitutional collaboration, ensure consistent monitoring of progress and integrate evidence-based public decisions.

The event aimed to launch the project and to facilitate the dissemination of information to relevant stakeholders regarding the objectives, the activities that will contribute to the achievement of the objectives and expected results of the project. The event also facilitated the exchange of best practices and knowledge in order to identify best directions to be followed for achieving the goals of the project. To this end both EEAC Chairman Arnau Queralt as well as representatives of the German Advisory Council for Sustainable Development were made a contribution.