Sustainable development

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  • On 30 June 2026, the Civil Society Organisations՚ Group will host a high-level conference in Cork. Registration for in-person participation is now closed. We invite you to follow via live streaming. Prior registration for the streaming is not required.

  • The EU needs a long-term vision that takes greater account of geographic specificities. Sustainable water management and food security must become top priorities, with food security and biodiversity going hand in hand. 

  • The European Anti-Poverty Network unveils the 2025 EU Poverty Watch at the EESC, highlighting the role of national and local strategies in the fight against poverty.

  • Reference number
    10/2026

    The Europe Sustainable Development Report 2026 (ESDR 2026), a new report released today by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), shows that progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has stalled in Europe, with stagnation or even reversal on some environmental and socio-economic targets, and declining political prioritization of the SDGs within EU leadership. 

     

  • On 2 July, the Civil Society Organisations’ Group of the European Economic and Social Committee opened the photo exhibition Giving form to the future at the Danish Society of Engineers (IDA) as part of its conference Building green and inclusive – Making our communities future-proof.

  • Reimagining the design of cities, communities and housing is essential to face the current challenges. Civil society organisations have a key role to play in steering this transformation. Sustainability and the right to housing must be at the heart of future strategies. The EU could contribute to this by increasing European funding for affordable housing and supporting the social economy.

  • Conference of the EESC Civil Society Organisations' Group in the framework of the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Copenhagen, Danish Society of Engineers (IDA), 2 July 2025

  • A new report on Europe’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlights a significant slowdown, raising concerns about the EU’s ability to meet the 2030 targets. The Europe Sustainable Development Report 2025 (ESDR), published by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), finds that the pace of SDG progress between 2020 and 2023 was more than twice as slow as in the previous period.

  • Greater use of digitalisation in the construction and housing industry and the involvement of social economy actors in housing provision can bring opportunities to address current challenges in the area of housing affordability and sustainability in Europe. Since housing is not just a need but a human right, a pan-European response to the various challenges is needed, according to a conference organised by the Civil Society Organisations’ Group of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on 21 November, at which a new EESC study on the subject was presented.