sustainable development observatory

8/10/2019 Sustainable Development Observatory

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European Economic and Social Committee

SustainableDevelopment

ObservatorySDO


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What is Sustainable Development?

According to a commonly used definition, SustainableDevelopment stands for meeting the needs of presentgenerations without jeopardizing the ability of futuregenerations to meet their own needs - in other words, abetter quality of life for everyone, now and for generationsto come.

The role of the SDO

The Sustainable Development Observatory (SDO) is a

cross-cutting body that aims to tackle the Sustainable

Development policies in a horizontal way. The Sustainable

Development Observatory (SDO) was set up by the EESC in

October 2006 in response to the mandate given to it by the

EU Sustainable Development Strategy. The SDO is composed

of 33 members drawn from a wide range of interests

represented in the EESC and operates within the remit of the

NAT section, the EESC's specialised section for environment

and agriculture.

The long-term objective for the SDO is to make the EESC acredible authority on Sustainable Development from a civil

society perspective, building on its close links to organised

civil society and its constructive working relations with the

European Commission, the Council and the European

Parliament.


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The tasks of the SDO

The main tasks of the SDO are to:

stimulate debate on sustainable development;

analyse sustainable development issues from a civil

society point of view, and;

share best practice.

EU Sustainable Development Strategy (EU SDS)

In the EUs June 2006 Sustainable Development Strategy,

the European Council asked the EESC to give input to the

biennial progress report on the implementation of the

Strategy. In 2007, the SDO issued an opinion on the first

progress report, asking the Member States to be more

ambitious and take more distinct actions, particularly in thefight against climate change and biodiversity loss. The SDO

will produce such a report every two years.

Growth can no longer be seen in purely quantitative terms;

rather, a new concept of growth is needed, which puts qualitative

objectives based on sustainability criteria first.

(SDO opinion on the progress report on the EU Sustainable Development

Strategy, NAT 348)


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Climate change

While the SDO is working on different fields of sustainability,

it is giving much focus to climate change policies. It is closely

following the negotiations in the framework of the UnitedNations and aims at introducing a civil society dimension to

the debate. It works on how to achieve the EUs climate

change targets in a cost-efficient and effective way and on

how to prepare for unavoidable climate changes within

Europe. The SDO also contributes to awareness-raising on

climate change through workshops and conferences.

Dialogue with civil society

The SDO aims at being a mediator between civil society

organizations and the EU institutions.

In order to carry out this task it organizes conferences and

seminars in cooperation with different organizations. In the past

year, it has, for example, organized a large conference

on Climate Change and a public hearing on civil society

participation in the EU Sustainable Development Strategy.

Climate change is a major test for our capacity for solidarity.The EESC underlines the importance of a continued Lisbon

Strategy that combines competitiveness, social cohesion, and

action against climate change.

(SDO Opinion on Climate Change and the Lisbon Strategy)


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What is the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)?

The EESC is a consultative body set up by the Rome Treaties in 1957. The EESCs main taskis to advise the three major European Institutions, the European Parliament, the Council of

the European Union and the European Commission, primarily by adopting Committee

opinions.

The Committee is made up of 344 members belonging to representative nationalorganisations of organised civil society in the European Union and divided into three

groups: the "Employers" group, the "Employees" group and the "Various Interests" group

(which includes farmers, the professions, environmentalists, consumers, and so on.).

The EESC enables representatives of economic, social, socio-occupational and civicorganisations to be an integral part of the policy and decision-making process at

European Union level.

For more information, go to: http://www.eesc.europa.eu

Mr Derek Osborn,

President of the SDO

(mandate 2006-2008)

Sustainable Development can be everything or nothing! The SDO

takes on this challenge and tries to identify the sustainability

aspects in each policy area. One part of our job is to ensure that the

EESC sends out a coherent message throughout all of its opinions

a sustainable one!

Vice-Presidents, Mr Ernst-Erik Ehnmark (left), Ms Ulla Sirkeinen (right)


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THE SDO SECRETARIAT

Annika Korzinek, Administrator Tel. (32-2) 546 80 65

Robert Kaukewitsch, Administrator Tel. (32-2) 282 23 66

Elisabeth Lorin, Assistant Tel. (32-2) 546 92 89

Email: [email protected]

The SDOs Website is at:http://www.eesc.europa.eu/sections/sdo/index_en.asp

European Economic and Social CommitteeVisits and publications Unit

For further information, please contact:[email protected]

Tel. (32-2) 546 96 04 Fax (32-2) 546 97 64

Rue Belliard 99 B-1040 Bruxelles

www.eesc.europa.eu

Catalogue No.: EESC-2008-03-EN

QE-30-08-341-EN-D

sustainable development observatory

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