The EEAC Network and GIZ co-organised an interactive workshop at the United Nations Global Festival of Action 2019 focusing on multi-stakeholder partnerships (MSPs). More than 70 participants from all over the globe raised and debated such questions as How can we actually make partnerships work? and When is forming partnerships a suitable approach, and when not?
EEAC and GIZ succeeded in organizing a workshop which allowed participants to share practical experience, knowledge and tips, to make new connections, to create opportunities for new partnerships and to improve existing ones. Both organizations stressed that the supportive nature of the session made it possible to share and discuss not only best practices but also ‘failures’.
This year’s Global Festival of Action also provided a dynamic and interactive setting for showcasing the latest innovations, tools and approaches to SDG advocacy and SDG action. It brought together leaders in national and local government, international organisations, and civil society as well as activists, young advocates and representatives of the creative industry and private sector, all seeking to scale up the impact of their work and strategise joint actions while motivating new organisations and individuals to join the movement and take action on the SDGs.
In the report “Towards our common digital future”, the WBGU makes it clear that sustainability strategies and concepts need to be fundamentally further developed in the age of digitalization. Only if digital change and the Transformation towards Sustainability are synchronized can we succeed in advancing climate and Earth-system protection and in making social progress in human development. Without creative political action, digital change will further accelerate resource and energy consumption, and exacerbate damage to the environment and the climate. It is therefore an urgent political task to create the conditions needed to place digitalization at the service of sustainable development. Read more
Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing policy-makers today, and Ireland’s record on climate action is widely accepted as being disappointing. Part of the explanation for this lies in the uncertainty about what action Ireland can and should take, and uncertainty about how acceptable any climate action will be to various groups in society. In this context of uncertainty, how a problem is framed can have a significant impact on subsequent decisions taken to address that problem. This NESC Secretariat paper examines if and how the framing (or reframing) of climate action can lead to more progress in this challenging area. Read More
Within the framework of the Athens Sustainability Outlook 2019, EEAC Member Councils continued their exchange on Sustainable Finance. Several councils gathered with experts from different European countries representing different stakeholder groups, -government, business, academia and opinion leaders in Athens on 4 and 5 April 2019. On behalf of the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) Yvonne Zwick gave a keynote (Speech text). In addition, also Nathalie Boucquey (Speech text) of the Federal Council for Sustainable Development Belgium (FRDO-CFDD) addressed the audience.
The conference included an important milestone, the announcement Turkey is about to become the third country with a national Sustainability Code. The Turkish Sustainability Code, the result of a cooperation between the German Sustainability Code by RNE and the Turkish Center for Sustainable Production Research and Design (SÜRATAM), was announced at the Sustainability Outlook 2019 conference in Athens on 5th April 2019.
The partnership between the Code and SÜRATAM shows that the contents of the Code are cross-border relevant and applicable. A look at the widely varying standards of sustainability reporting and the growing interest in standardization underlines that an instrument such as the Code, which focuses on materiality, commitment and transparency, can offer a good and feasible option to internationally promote sustainable business practices.
Commenting on the announcement, Yvonne Zwick, Head of the Sustainability Code Office and Deputy Secretary General at the German Council for Sustainable Development noted: “The team in Turkey is laying the foundation to kick start the disclosure of sustainability efforts from companies of all sizes in Turkey. We are delighted to witness the announcement of the Turkish Sustainability Code and welcome them to the Code family.”
The Sustainability Outlook 2019 was organized by QualityNet Foundation, Greece supported by the RNE.
The energy transition in the built environment represents the biggest post-war renovation of the Netherlands’ building stock. The measures will extend behind the front door of practically every building in the country. This challenge was the reason for the Dutch Council for the Environment and Infrastructure to present it’s report ‘Warmly Recommended: ‘Towards a low-CO2 heat supply in the built environment’. The report is written from the perspective of the citizen and makes specific recommendations on measures that can be taken to accelerate the energy transition. The Council has investigated what needs to be done for a successful transition. What can be done to provide the certainty that the stakeholders require and to ensure that everyone concerned can and will do what is needed? In this advisory report the Council discusses the freedom of choice of property owners, the public responsibility for infrastructure and the allocation of costs. Read More
The EEAC Network aims to enrich the advice that individual advisory bodies can give to their governments and parliaments, to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and policymaking and to connect the work of the (sub)national councils and the European policy level with regard to the environment and sustainable development. To achieve this aims, the board of the EEAC Network presents a Plan on an annual basis. The Plan includes a framework for action; a list of thematic areas of common interest; proposed exchange activities and a tentative agenda. Read More
In prelude to the public hearing on the European Commission’s Reflection Paper ‘Towards a Sustainable Europe by 2030′ as organized by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the Co-Chairs of the EEAC Working Group on Sustainable Development sent a message to the EESC rapporteurs. The letter includes the current observations among EEAC-Network member councils with regard to the Commission’s Reflection Paper and conclusions drawn by the Co-chairs. Read More
The German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) welcomes the decision of the State Secretaries’ Committee for Sustainable Development to concern itself with the topic of sustainable finance on 25 February 2019. In prelude to Committee’s meeting the RNE shared its recommendations to the State Secretaries’ Committee for Sustainable Development on the topic of sustainable finance. Read More
As part of a fitness check, the European Commission is currently evaluating the Water Framework Directive. In its open letter to Environment Commissioner Vella, the SRU stresses the value of the directive for water protection, but emphasizes the need to strengthen the implementation of the directive. Water protection issues and financing of conservation measures should also be taken into account in the negotiations on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy. Read More
The ambition to live well within the boundaries of our planet is an increasingly deep-rooted desire among a growing number of Europeans. Thousands of students are dedicating themselves to expressing serious concerns about the ecological crisis and climate change, and these concerns are clearly shared broadly by other participants in society. And concerned citizens are not alone. Their outcry is publicly supported by a vast group of scientists from across the globe. The support of citizens, scientists, entrepreneurs and organized civil society will be essential for embarking on an unprecedented journey of systemic transformation. And this is a journey that the European Union must undertake in order to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
This societal support should be leveraged to create new partnerships and alliances. Through partnerships we achieve more: more impact, greater sustainability, increased value to all. This is why, at the 27th EEAC Annual Conference partnerships for sustainable development (SDG 17) will be the main lens through which we will engage with challenges such as the energy transition, fresh water, and the preservation and sustainable use of our seas and oceans. Read More
