SDO Work Program 2015-2018

European Economic and Social Committee Sustainable Development Observatory

Brussels, 2 December 2016 Update of activities October 2016

SDO work programme 2015–2018

Overarching objective: Advancing the sustainable development policy

Using the momentum of the adoption of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development comprising a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs – see appendix), the overarching objective of the SDO work in the period October 2015–March 2018 should be to promote Sustainable Development as a key European policy driver and game changer. The SDO should help ensure that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is implemented in Europe to its full potential, as it believes that the 2030 Agenda is the framework for European citizens to "Live well within ecological limits".

The following work priorities should address transformational changes required in order to achieve sustainable development in Europe:

A new EC initiative "Next steps for a sustainable European future"

In its 2016 work programme the Commission announced a new initiative "Next steps for a sustainable European future". This initiative aims to set out a new approach to ensure Europe's economic growth and social and environmental sustainability beyond the 2020 timeframe, taking into account the Europe 2020 review and the internal and external implementation of the United Nation SDGs. This initiative is a unique opportunity to rekindle the policy concept of sustainable development in European policy making and strategic planning. The Commission will launch a public consultation in order to prepare this initiative. The SDO will actively engage in this discussion, cooperating with European sustainable development networks and acting as a hub for the civil society debate.

Activities:

 Building upon its contribution to the preparation of the Commission initiative - "Next steps for a sustainable European future" - with an exploratory opinion and two conferences the SDO will have to assess the published Commission initiative and draw conclusions about further steps. Furthermore with the own-initiative opinion SC/047, which has been jointly initiated by the boards of the SDO and the Europe 2020 SC, the EESC will provide in 2017 a perspective for long-term transition processes towards a new economic model and a Sustainable Europe 2030/2050.

EESC-2015-05264-00-05-TCD-TRA (EN) 1/67 Participatory governance for Sustainable Development

The SDO will advocate for the integration of SDGs in the review of the Europe 2020 strategy and the European Semester and for the creation, in a participatory and inclusive process, of a balanced long- term strategy for a sustainable Europe in a globalised world by 2030.

An important practical objective and project of the SDO in this mandate is the establishment of a European Sustainable Development Forum, as outlined in the NAT/663 information report. The SDO will make every effort to mobilise the European Commission and CSOs around this objective. It will contribute to this process by proposing new methods to achieve an effective outreach to and participation of the European civil society including the citizens. SDO members should participate in the UN HLPF in summer 2016 and 2017 and contribute to the discussion on participatory governance models for the UN 2030 Agenda.

To achieve this objective, the SDO will reinforce its strategic partnerships with EU institutions and UN bodies and enhance its networks with civil society organisations at European level, but also with national and global networks. The SDO will also have to consider the importance of communication and education in order to create ownership of it in civil society.

Activities:

 Based on the proposal made in the exploratory opinion NAT/678 on the creation of a European Sustainable Development Forum (SDF), this Forum should be practically set up in partnership with the Commission and major stakeholder groups. It is envisaged to hold a first SDF meeting in the 1st half of 2017.

Climate policy

The implementation of the outcome of the Paris summit on climate change (COP21) will be an important challenge and work priority for the coming years. As in the previous term the SDO will pay particular attention to the civil society role in climate action, building coalitions with stakeholders, in particular the territorial authorities, mainstreaming climate considerations into all EU policies and promoting the transition towards a low carbon economy based on inter alia renewable energies and sustainable agriculture (The impacts of climate change on crops, water and the control of diseases should be considered). Emphasis will also be placed on adapting climate change adaptation with particular focus on the land use sector (Land Use Change and Forestry or LULUCF) in view of the upcoming effort-sharing decision.

The Commission will propose a new Renewable Energy Package in 2016-2017 (REFIT). This will include a new policy for sustainable biomass and biofuels as well as legislation to ensure that the 2030 EU target is met cost-effectively. The Committee opinion should be prepared in cooperation between the TEN Section and the SDO, building on the recent opinions and the RED study and taking into consideration the work on greening the economy.

In July 2016 the EESC adopted an opinion Building a coalition of civil society and subnational authorities to deliver commitments of the Paris Agreement (Rapporteurs: Ribbe/Caño Aguilar, NAT/684). Moreover, this is the focus of the current climate-related work of the four co-pilots of the international Coalition on Multi-level and Multi-stakeholder Governance: EESC, CoR, OECD and Comité 21. This Coalition aims to facilitate dialogue and multi-stakeholder partnerships as a means of accelerated, more efficient and inclusive implementation of the Paris Agreement. Moreover, it aims to define obstacles and problems encountered by non-state and sub-national actors and propose conditions for success. It will also reflect on the elements of a comprehensive framework that aligns non-state and governmental actions over the long term, helping to meet the objectives of low-carbon and climate-resilient development. The four partners organised a dedicated side event at MEDCOP Climate (Tangier, Morocco, 18-19 July) and officially launched the first Forum of the Coalition at the Climate Chance Summit (Nantes, France, 26-28 September).

In addition, on 5 October 2016, a participatory conference on "Designing the framework for bottom- up climate action" took place at the EESC, focusing on how to scale up local climate action. A lot of recommendations arose from this conference.

Activities:

 participation in the UNFCCC COP22. – co-organisation of two side events and participation in a third one organised by the Moroccan Economic Social and Environmental Council.  Activities of the Coalition on Multi-level multi-stakeholder governance throughout 2017, with a possible event in the spring at the UNFCCC Bonn session and possibly supported by a study. The study would substantially support the work of the Coalition by providing data on existing multi-stakeholder partnerships on climate and analysis of obstacles and conditions for success of an effective multi-stakeholder and multi-level governance cooperation. It would propose elements of a toolbox for multi-stakeholder climate partnerships as enablers of accelerated implementation of concrete actions (scaling, replicating, extending). The results of the study would be used by the Coalition to support the creation of multi- level/multi-stakeholder platforms dedicated to climate and sustainable development globally, as well as to engage in a discussion process with the state actors (national governments, international organisations) on creating an enabling framework for connecting bottom-up and top-down approaches.  Follow-up after the conference on "Designing the framework for bottom-up climate action" with a specific focus on the conclusions drawn up from the participants' contributions, including: creating data library of local climate initiatives, seeking an ambassador (or ambassadors) of civil society climate initiatives, launching a scientific study analysing the existing multi-stakeholder partnerships on climate as well as the obstacles and conditions for their success, investigating with other EU Institutions a possibility of a communications platform, continuing to work on elements of the governance framework linking bottom-up and top-down approaches on climate.

Greening and decarbonising the economy

The SDO should continue its work on greening and decarbonising the economy as an essential element of the transformation towards a sustainable economy. SDO work should build upon the opinions on the greening of the economy and on market-based instruments as well as the RED study. The circular economy will be the focus of political attention after the presentation by the Commission of its revised policy package in early December 2015. The EESC opinion should be drawn up in cooperation with the SDO, taking into account all phases of the product life. As mentioned above,

EESC-2015-05264-00-05-TCD-TRA (EN) 3/67 another area will be the promotion of the low carbon economy in the follow-up of COP21. Other important aspects to be considered are: innovation in mobility and transport, and urban development as well as an improved protection of biodiversity and the role of functioning eco-system services.

Particular attention should be given to the aspects of businesses' investment into low carbon and circular economy solutions and the creation of employment and decent work as well as to the role of civil society in the shift towards sustainable consumption, which is a Sustainable Development Goal where Europe still has considerable room for improvement and could use the potential of the single market in order to achieve this objective.

The SDO will also critically monitor further developments regarding the Environmental Fiscal Reform and the European Semester when they have the potential to green the economy; new initiatives launched in the context of the Climate COP 21 to phase out fossil fuel subsidies could also be considered.

Activities:

 Possibly: launch of a European Circular Economy Platform in the 1st quarter of 2017 in close cooperation with the European Commission and continuing over the next years. The Own-initiative opinion SC/047 will elaborate more in-depth recommendations about the transition to an inclusive green economy in the long-term. Possibly: Follow-up with activities in EU Member States  Possibly: Activities on finance/financial instruments and sustainable development, in particular focusing on the review of the MFF and Environmental Fiscal Reform

Sustainable societies – the social dimension of sustainable development

In the general political debate sustainable development is frequently identified with the protection of the environment. However, the actual objective of the sustainability concept is balanced economic, social and environmental development. The socio-economic dimension is also reflected in SDSs of EU Member States and in the SDGs which are on people, planet and prosperity and include objectives on ending poverty, ensuring healthy lives, inclusive education and achieving gender equality and on inclusive economic growth, employment and decent work for all.

Sustainability policies in this area are centred on the principles of equity and future justice, including intra- and inter-generational justice. The SDO will aim at creating awareness within the Committee about the practical implications of SDGs in the socio-economic sector and how their implementation could strengthen the social coherence in the EU.

Activities:

 Based on the integration of the social dimension of sustainable development in the NAT/693 opinion on Sustainable Development this approach will have to be further elaborated in the OIO opinion SC/047; a joint meeting with the LMO focussing on the just transition to the low carbon economy will be held in December 2017:  Cooperation with external organisations in this sector, such as ETUC, Solidar, the World Future Council and the European Youth Forum will be strengthened, in particular via the Sustainable Development Forum and other measures.

Mainstreaming Sustainable Development into the Committee's work

Due to its horizontal, cross-cutting nature, an approach based on sustainable development and the 2030 Agenda will only have an effect if well integrated into all relevant policy areas and the work of all sections/observatories, the CCMI and the Europe 2020 SC of the Committee. Already under the previous mandate, the SDO made efforts to mainstream the sustainable development approach into the preparation of opinions from all sections of the Committee and the work of the EU 2020 SC, in particular by inviting rapporteurs to discuss their draft opinions with the SDO. However, these efforts have had only a limited effect. The SDO will have to think about and practice new approaches for SD mainstreaming.

Activities:

 Activities communicating key issues of the UN 2030 Agenda to all sections and other EESC bodies through outreach activities of the SDO president and the activities of SDO members in EESC sections, study groups and other bodies as well as the discussion of draft opinions will be continued;  invite, on a regular basis, section presidents to SDO meetings, in addition to presenting SDO work in all sections by SDO president and vice-presidents;  entrust SDO members with the responsibility to act as ambassadors for sustainable development in all their Committee work;  discussion in the SDO of draft opinions from all sections on subjects with high relevance to the implementation of SDGs, including outside stakeholders with expertise on the relevant topic.

EESC-2015-05264-00-05-TCD-TRA (EN) 5/67 Appendix

Sustainable Development Goals Outcome document of the UN summit 25-27 September 2015 Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development1

Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts* Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development

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1 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/7891Transforming%20Our%20World.pdf.