Policies for sustainbale development in Europe: methods, tools and experiencesbyPierfrancesco FigheraFormez Centro di formazione studipfighera@formez.it;

The commitment to sustainable development

Sustainable development means that the needs of the present generation should be met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Bruntland Report and UN Agenda 21).

SD is an overarching objective of the European Union set out in the Treaty, governing all the Union’s policies and activities. It is about safeguarding the earth's capacity to support life in all its diversity and is based on the principles of democracy, gender equality, solidarity, the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights, including freedom and equal opportunities for all. It aims at the continuous improvement of the quality of life and well-being on Earth for present and future generations.

To that end it promotes a dynamic economy with full employment and a high level of education, health protection, social and territorial cohesion and environmental protection in a peaceful and secure world, respecting cultural diversity.

Towards a more sustainable Europe

1995

Integration of environmental

concerns into other policy fields

1997

Amsterdam Treaty (art.2 -

art. 6)

1998

Cardiff Process

1999

European Council Helsinki

European Commission is asked to develop a comprehensive and long term

strategy for Sustainable Development

1996

2000

Lisbon Process

2002 2003 20042001 2005

European Council of Götebörg

EU Sustainable Development Strategy (2001)

Global dimension; targeting environmental priorities; climate change; sustainable transport; public health; natural resources; internalize environmental costs

European Council of Barcelona

(external dimension)

Review process

•COM(2005) 37: initial stocktaking and future orientations

•COM(2005) 218: guiding principles for Sustainable Development

•COM(2005) 658: a platform for action

Towards a more sustainable Europe

Key challenges1. Climate change and clean energy2. Sustainable transports3. Sustainable consumption and production4. Conservation and management of natural resources5. Public health6. Social inclusion, demography and migration7. Global povery and sustainable development challenges

Cross-cutting issues1. Education and training2. Research and development3. Financing and economic instruments4. Communication, mobilising actors

New EU Strategy for Sustainable Development

European Council 15-16 June 2006

Adoption of the Renewed Strategy for Sustainable Development

Key ObjectivesEnvironmental Protection

Social equity and cohesionEconomic Prosperity

Meeting our international responsibilities

1. Promotion and protection of fundamental rights

2. Solidarity within and between generations

3. Open and democratic society

4. Involvement of citizens

5. Involvement of business and social partners

6. Policy coherence and governance7. Policy integration8. Use of best available technologies9. Precautionary principle10. Make polluters pay principle

Policy guiding principles

Towards a new EU SDS

2006

EU SDS

2008 2009 20102007 2011

Governance process of the EU SDS

European Council (December) Progress Report on EU SDS

implementation

Member States Country Reports

Measuring progress towards a more sustainable Europe

(Eurostat)

National Focal Points

Country Reports

EU SDS Progress Report

Reviewing the EU SDS

Governance of EU SDS

The integrate approach – horizontal integration

The integrate approach - vertical integration

National levelNSDSs

Regional level RSDSs

Global levelAgenda 21

Sub-regional level Local Agenda 21

Botto

m-u

p

Top

-dow

n

“MAKING USE OF SYNERGIES BETWEEN THE EU SDS AND THE LISBON STRATEGY FOR GROWTH AND

JOBS (Lisbon Strategy)”

The EU SDS and the Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs complement each other

The EU SDS forms the overall framework within which the Lisbon Strategy provides the motor of a more dynamic economy

Does competitiveness need more attention than SD issues?

Competitiveness Council

Sustainable Development Council?

The approach of renewed Strategy

A first analysis of EU SDS 2006 - Strenghts…

• More comprehensive document compared to Gothenburg Strategy;

• Clearer governance and implementation provisions;

• Key challenges include operational objectives and targets;

• Aims at balancing economic, social and environmental objectives (horizontal integration);

• Addresses policy coherence on all political levels (vertical integration);

• Improved system of progress reporting;

• SDS coordinators appointed in each Member State

• EU SDS is important paradigm for civil society and a policy driver at national and sub-national level

Operational objectives and targetsKyoto Protocol commitments of the EU-15 and most EU-25 to targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2008 – 2012, whereby the EU-15 target is for an 8% reduction in emissions compared to 1990 levels. Aiming for a global surface average temperature not to rise by more than 2ºC compared to the pre-industrial level

Energy policy should be consistent with the objectives of security of supply, competitiveness and environmental sustainability, in the spirit of the Energy Policy for Europe launched in March 2006 by the European Council. Energy policy is crucialwhen tackling the challenge of climate change.

Adaptation to, and mitigation of, climate change should be integrated in all relevant European policies

By 2010 12% of energy consumption, on average, and 21% of electricity consumption, as a common but differentiated target, should be met by renewable sources, considering raising their share to 15% by 2015

By 2010 5,75% of transport fuel should consist of biofuels, as an indicative target, (Directive 2003/30/EC), considering raising their proportion to 8% by 2015

Reaching an overall saving of 9% of final energy consumption over 9 years until 2017as indicated by the Energy End-use Efficiency and Energy Services Directive

Climate Change and clean energy

Operational objectives and targetsDecoupling economic growth and the demand for transport with the aim of reducingenvironmental impacts.Achieving sustainable levels of transport energy use and reducing transport greenhousegas emissions.

Reducing pollutant emissions from transport to levels that minimise effects on humanhealth and/or the environment.

Achieving a balanced shift towards environment friendly transport modes to bring abouta sustainable transport and mobility system.

Reducing transport noise both at source and through mitigation measures to ensureoverall exposure levels minimise impacts on health.

Modernising the EU framework for public passenger transport services to encouragebetter efficiency and performance by 2010.

In line with the EU strategy on CO2 emissions from light duty vehicles, the average newcar fleet should achieve CO2 emissions of 140g/km (2008/09) and 120g/km (2012).

Halving road transport deaths by 2010 compared to 2000

Sustainable transport

Operational objectives and targetsPromoting sustainable consumption and production by addressing social and economicdevelopment within the carrying capacity of ecosystems and decoupling economicgrowth from environmental degradation.

Improving the environmental and social performance for products and processes andencouraging their uptake by business and consumers.

Aiming to achieve by 2010 an EU average level of Green Public Procurement (GPP)equal to that currently achieved by the best performing Member States.

The EU should seek to increase its global market share in the field of environmentaltechnologies and eco-innovations.

Sustainable consumption and

production

Operational objectives and targetsImproving resource efficiency to reduce the overall use of non renewable naturalresources and the related environmental impacts of raw materials use, thereby usingrenewable natural resources at a rate that does not exceed their regeneration capacity.

Gaining and maintaining a competitive advantage by improving resource efficiency,inter alia through the promotion of eco-efficient innovations.

Improving management and avoiding overexploitation of renewable natural resourcessuch as fisheries, biodiversity, water, air, soil and atmosphere, restoring degradedmarine ecosystems by 2015 in line with the Johannesburg Plan (2002) includingachievement of the Maximum Yield in Fisheries by 2015.

Halting the loss of biodiversity and contributing to a significant reduction in theworldwide rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.

Contributing effectively to achieving the four United Nations global objectives onforests by 2015.

Avoiding the generation of waste and enhancing efficient use of natural resources byapplying the concept of life-cycle thinking and promoting reuse and recycling.

Conservation and management of

natural resources

Operational objectives and targetsImproving protection against health threats by developing capacity to respond to themin a co-ordinated manner.

Further improving food and feed legislation, including review of food labelling.

Continuing to promote high animal health and welfare standards in the EU andinternationally.

Curbing the increase in lifestyle-related and chronic diseases, particularly among socioeconomicallydisadvantaged groups and areas.

Reducing health inequalities within and between Member States by addressing thewider determinants of health and appropriate health promotion and disease preventionstrategies. Actions should take into account international cooperation in fora like WHO,the Council of Europe, OECD and UNESCO.

Ensuring that by 2020 chemicals, including pesticides, are produced, handled and usedin ways that do not pose significant threats to human health and the environment…

Improving information on environmental pollution and adverse health impacts.

Improving mental health and tackling suicide risks.

Public Health

Operational objectives and targetsPursuing the EU objective that steps have to be taken to make a decisive impact on thereduction of the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion...

Ensuring a high level of social and territorial cohesion at EU level and in the MembersStates as well as respect for cultural diversity.

Supporting the Member States in their efforts to modernise social protection in view ofdemographic changes.

Significantly increasing the labour market participation of women and older workersaccording to set targets, as well as increasing employment of migrants by 2010.

Continuing developing an EU migration policy, accompanied by policies to strengthenthe integration of migrants and their families...

Reducing the negative effects of globalisation on workers and their families.

Promoting increased employment of young people. Intensifying efforts to reduce early school leaving to 10% and to ensure that at least 85% of 22 year olds should have completed upper secondary education…

Increasing the labour market participation of disabled persons.

Social inclusion, demography

and migration

Operational objectives and targetsMake significant progress towards meeting the commitments of the EU with regard to internationally agreed goals and targets…Millennium Declaration, The World Summit on Sustainable Development and related processes...

Contribute to improving international environmental governance (IEG), in particular in the context of the follow-up to the 2005 World Summit outcome, and to strengthening multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs).

Raise the volume of aid to 0,7% of Gross National Income (GNI) by 2015 with an intermediate target of 0,56% in 2010…

Promote sustainable development in the context of the WTO negotiations, in accordance with the preamble to the Marrakech Agreement...

Increase the effectiveness, coherence and quality of EU and Member States aid policiesin the period 2005–2010.

Include sustainable development concerns in all EU external policies, including theCommon Foreign and Security Policy, inter alia by making it an objective of multilateral and bilateral development cooperation.

Global poverty and sustainable

development challenges

…. and weaknesses

• Only genenral description of link between Lisbon Strategy;

• Quantified targets only in some of the key challenges; no targets in the cross-cutting policies;

• Horizontal integration major challenge however no clear strategic framework is provided of how to adress this challenge (still major emphasis on env. Issue);

• Links between objectives of the EU SDS and the national Strategies rather weak; no clear indication of the role of sub-national level;

• Only very few volutary peer reviews and external evaluations of NSDSs;

• Improved system of progress reporting;

• Political profile weaker compared to the Lisbon Process

The idea of SD in Europe

The idea which by now seems to be consolidated at European level, firstly in the scientific field, secondly in the political one, is that environmental sustainability could represent, besides a constitutive element of the European model of society, the main driver of innovation of a new development model which could allow the territory of the Union to compete at global level, a driver to focus and invest on, in order to respond to the on-going challenges in the economic field of competitiveness and development, besides to the environmental and social questions.

The evaluation of policy for SD

Nevertheless the strategies evaluation has stressed a deficit of implementation, individuating the improving of governance, of decision-making processes and implementation as one of the main aspects on which to intervene, through the involving of every actor at stake, public and private[1].

Knowledge, information and education become a determining element so that the involved actors can take possession of the strategy and participate in aware way to the implementation of its objectives without renounce to maximize their own benefits.The quality of decision-making processes seems to play a relevant role, the capacity of attraction, involvement and regulation, of public and private subjects (from the analysis phase of needs and of private market demand, to the individuation of answers up to the intervention implementation), becomes one of the main instruments by which to implement the EU strategic objectives. Knowledge becomes the engine of a new model of development, a development that involve institutions, enterprises, consumers, workers and citizens in equal but differentiated way.

[1] See the Communication to the Council and the European Parliament - Report on the 2007 strategy for sustainable development SEC(2007)1416 - COM(2007) 642 final.

Better policy-making

The EU SDS sets out an approach to better policy-making based on better regulation and on the principle that sustainable development is to be integrated into policy-making at all levels.

This requires all levels of government to support, and to cooperate with, each other, taking into account

the different institutional settings, cultures and specific circumstances in Member States.

Istitutional affiliation of SD in Europe

Ministry of Foreign/European

Affairs; 12%

Permanent representation to the

EU; 9%

National Development Agency; 11%

Prime Minister's Office; 17%

Ministry of Environment; 51%

Sustainable Development in Italy

1995 1997 1998 19991996

National Plan for implementation of Agenda 21 (1993)

Reviewing of the environmental legislation (water, waste, soil protection) First experiences of

environmental accounts

Measures to reform public system and governance (bottom – up approach)

National Award for Sustainable cities of children

Framework Agreement with ENEA

Law 426/1998 “New interventions for environmental protection"

2000 2002 2003 20042001

Italian NSDS (CIPE Deliberation 2002)

Sustainable development Fund (Finance Act 2001)

Technical Board for Sustainable Development

Spreading of sustainability tools at local level (LA21, GPP, EMS, voluntary agreements)

National Program INFEA

Integration of sustainability requirements into regional policy plans 2000-2006

National plan for the reduction of GHG emissions

Sustainable Development in Italy

2005 2007 2008 20092006

Sustainable Development Fund (Finance Act 2007)

National Program INFEA

Country Report EU SDS

National Action Plan for the implementation of GPP

D.Lgs. 152/2006 Art. 3-quater (guiding principle of sustainable development)

Country ReportNational Action

Plan ETAPProgramme

Industry 2015

Sustainable Development in Italy

Deputy Chamber Deliberation for sustainable development

• New impetus in reviewing process of the National Strategy, with the involvement of institutional actors for compliance to the EU SDS key priorities;

• Reviewing of CIPE Deliberation n. 57/2002 and system of governance for SD (i.e. role of CNEL);

• Strenghtening of synergies with Lisbon agenda;

• Integration with climate change policy;

• Development of structural indicators for Sust. Dev.

• Enhancement of role of Local Authorities and at sub-national level (State - Region Conference...)

Possible scenarios and future steps??

The institutional and organizational dimension of sustainability

Achieving sustainability objectives seems to be depending mainly on the governance practices finalized to integrate decision in the economic, social and environmental field in a long term perspective.

The observation of the diffusion and the inclination of innovations outlines deep differences in the modalities of implementation of policies and application of tools.

The fourth dimension of sustainable development, the institutional and organizational one, undertakes an increasing relevance (efficacy and coherence).

The prisme of sustainability

Among these conditions an important role is played by explicit quantity and quality objectives of environmental, social and economic assets. Those objectives must be regulated taking into consideration a long-term vision and the modalities to achieve them through an integrate approach.

Sustainable development is not a goal to achieve but it’s a whole of conditions that must be respected in the governance of the planet’s transformations.

The fourth dimension of SD…

Institutional arrangements and organizational innovations?

The paradigm of sustainable development leads to a profound revision of the formulation and

implementation processes of public policies, both at national and at local level

since it crosses the Europeanization and the revision of European governance.

THE SURVEY:

The observation of such innovations in Italy outlines some peculiarities of the political and administrative system and profound differences in the modalities of implementation of policies and tools, especially those

dedicated to development and to assessment and evaluation.

The sustainability of development in Europe

The commitment towards sustainability in Europe is going through a re-definition phase which seems to be entitling the local (regional, sub-regional and inter-regional) government systems, a decisive role during the all cycle of life of policies.

The high complexity of these issues, the evolution of scenarios and of the policy approaches, the increasing of uncertainty, foster an increasing interest for the cognitive dimension of the policy processes.

New instruments and methodologies to sustain decision making are being experimenting and are diffusing into administrative practice.

Istitutional and organizational paradigms

Lifelong learning, organizational

development, communities of practice

Skills development Training Training approaches

Regulation, participation and accountability

Planning and managementCommand and controlGovernance tools

Third scenario or ecological approach: the environment

is the set of all available resources

Second scenario: the environment as the

interaction between all the natural resources and

human activity

First scenario: the environment is what is around or set of natural

resources

Meaning Environment

Interdisciplinary approaches

Economic scineces and management

Law sciencesTopic areas

Integration of different istitutional players

Agency and independent authority

Ministries Istitutional model

Medio e lungo periodoShort period Medium term

Temporal

perspective

Participation: negotiation and consultation

Competition: supply and demand

Authority through the rulesLogical action

Effectiveness and relevance

Efficiency and effectivenessLegalità

Principles of

reference

NetworkPyramidal (Private market)HierarchicRegulation model

New Public governanceNew Public ManagementBurocratic

ParadigmSpecifications

Diffusion of innovations and ways of implementation in Italy

Institutional progress does not seem to have produced a sufficient change in order to equally conjugate economy, society, ecology

In some areas of Mezzogiorno in particular, policy approaches of the past still have too much influence on the current ones, and it looks like the consolidate approaches just don’t want to give way to the new ones, to the new methodologies and the new tools (often introduced on European initiative).

Some contexts seem to be opposing a strong resistance to change. Others seem to be more able (or willing) to govern the on-going processes, to participate in a more active and aware way to the affirmation of a new development model

Participation in the Strategic Environmental Assessment process

for 2007-2013 SF (Dir. 42/2001)

711Sardegna

3037Campania

155Calabria

308Basilicata

134Molise

10+206Puglia

80Sicilia

3015Lombardia

Days for consultationsNumber of observations

Tools regional diffusion

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Basilicata

Molise

Sardegna

Calabria

Liguria

Piemonte

Valle d'Aosta

Abruzzo

Lazio

Toscana

A21 locale Bilancio ambientale Bilancio di mandato

Bilancio di sostenibilità Bilancio sociale EMAS

GPP

Sou

th

Nort

hC

en

ter

Fighera P. (2008)

Tools geographic distribution

(147)(221)(Total number)

100,0100,0Italy

5,49,0South + islands

(%)

33,336,2North (%)

61,254,8Center (%)

% on Total (2007)

% on Total (2004)Geographic area

Fighera P. (2008)

Geographic distribution (Number of tools /1.000.000 residents)

3,8

2,5

7,2

5,4

3,6

2,2

1,00,4

0,01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08,09,0

10,0

2004 2007

Italia Centro Nord Sud

Fighera P. (2008)

0,41,010.987.71640,0820Sud

2,23,617.248.22261,34980Nord

5,47,222.603.25574,490121Centro

2,53,858.751.71165,6145221Italia

0,00,02.004.4150,000Calabria

0,03,1320.9070,001Molise

0,01,7594.0860,001Basilicata

0,00,45.017.2120,002Sicilia

0,31,25.790.92928,627Campania

0,61,21.655.67750,012Sardegna

0,81,95.304.77840,0410Lazio

1,21,74.071.51871,457Puglia

1,52,74.738.31353,8713Veneto

1,62,54.341.73363,6711Piemonte

1,93,49.475.20256,31832Lombardia

2,32,31.305.307100,033Abruzzo

2,53,31.208.27875,034Friuli V.G.

3,04,73.619.87264,71117Toscana

3,03,0985.128100,033Trentino A.A.

4,65,91.528.80977,879Marche

6,29,31.610.13466,71015Liguria

8,113,8867.87858,3712Umbria

8,116,1123.97850,012Valle d'Aosta

13,416,74.187.55780,05670Emilia Romagna

N.experiences / milion residenti (2007)

N. experiences/ million resident (2004)

Resident population (ISTAT data 2006)

Surviving experiences (%)

Number experience(2007)

Number experiences (2004)Region

Fighera (2008)

Tools regional diffusion

Tools “surviving ability”

66,5 %(147)(221)(Number)

100100Total

80,0 %2,72,3Sustainability budget

50,0 %4,15,4Mandate budget

77,8 %4,84,1Green Public Procurement

77,3 %11,610,0Environmental budget

100,0 %14,39,5EMAS

59,0 %15,617,6Social budget

61,1 %46,951,1Local 21 Agenda

% Surviving experiences

% on Total

(2007)

% on Total

(2004)Tool

Fighera P. (2008)

Comments on distribution pattern

An overview on the diffusion of innovative instruments outlines a regional distribution which might resemble to some meaningful differences at national level. Even more interesting are the results on the overview on the surviving experiences.

The majority of the surveyed experiences occur in the Center of Italy: distribution is someway out of the path of wealth distribution. On the contrary, it seems to be follow other distribution patterns (eg. HDI or other indicators, quality of life, instruction level...)

This might suggest that, besides regional wealth, there can be other causes for such a distribution, which can be found in the cultural dimension (the administrative and political culture) and in the existing social capital.