Sustainable Development

What is sustainable development?

Sustainable development means meeting the needs of the present generation without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In other words, it is about ensuring a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come.

What is the Sustainable Development Observatory?

The Sustainable Development Observatory (SDO) was set up by the EESC in October 2006 in response to the EU Sustainable Development Strategy.

The SDO is a cross-cutting body within the EESC that aims to tackle sustainable development policies in a horizontal way. In its capacity as mediator between civil society and the EU institutions, the SDO builds on its close links to organised civil society and its constructive working relations with the European Commission, the Council and the European Parliament. Our activities include:

  • analysing sustainable development issues from a civil society point of view by producing reports and opinions on EU draft legislation;
  • stimulating debate on sustainable development;
  • sharing best practice.

SDO opinions on EU legislation transmit the views of European civil society to policy-makers in Brussels. Our meetings, public hearings and conferences stimulate debate between a wide cross-section of nationalities and sectors on issues of sustainable development.

How is the SDO organised?

The SDO is composed of 33 members drawn from a wide range of interests and representing all other sections of the EESC. The SDO operates within the remit of the NAT section, the EESC's specialised section for environment and agriculture. The SDO members are supported by the SDO Secretariat.

What is the EU Sustainable Development Strategy?

The Renewed European Sustainable Development Strategy of June 2006 is an overarching strategy for all EU policies, aiming to achieve continuous improvement of quality of life for both current and future generations. It deals in an integrated way with economic, environmental and social issues and takes into account key challenges including climate change and clean energy; sustainable consumption and production; management of natural resources; and social inclusion, demography and migration.

In the Sustainable Development Strategy, the European Council requested the EESC's input towards the biennial progress report on the implementation of the Strategy. In 2007, the SDO issued an opinion on the first progress report, asking Member States to be more ambitious and take more concrete action, particularly in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss. The SDO will continue to produce opinions on future progress reports of the SDS.