National Strategy / Action Plan

There is no National Strategy / Action Plan in Luxembourg

CSO platform(s)

Performance

There is no Performance in Luxembourg

Summary

  • Luxembourg is at an advanced stage of mainstreaming SDGs, having already completed its VNR in 2017. The government presented its 3rd National Plan for Sustainable Development in September 2018.
  • Luxembourg engages CSOs both through its NCSD and less formal mechanisms.
  • The priority of the Luxembourg government, SD council and relevant NGOs is the NSDS currently being updated, for which there is a high level of civil society engagement.

Description of the initiative

    Actors

    Supporting government bodies
    Supporting government bodies text

    Inter-departmental Commission of Sustainable Development

    Institutional framework

    Lead and supporting government bodies

    Luxembourg is currently in the process of finalising an updated Sustainable Development strategy, with input provided by the Sustainable Development council (established in 2006) embedded within the relevant ministry.

    There is an nESC, but it does not appear to conduct any activities relating to Sustainable Development .

    Strategic framework

    The Plan National du Development Durable (PNDD) (National Sustainable Development Plan) was adopted in 2010. A sustainable development report was adopted in June 2015. A report on the implementation of Agenda 2030 in Luxembourg was adopted in May 2017 prior to the Voluntary National Review. Luxembourg presented in September 2018 the third version of the Plan National du Développement Durable, which aims at implementing SDGs for 2030.

    Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals

    Luxembourg's government published a report on implementation within the voluntary national review framework in July 2017 and a gap analysis in February 2018.

    The government considers Agenda 2030 to be the guiding framework for the coming years and has set its goals for SDG implementation as follows:

    • progress quickly in achieving SDGs;
    • ensure all public actors pro-actively aid sustainable development;
    • engage civil society at all levels;
    • be an active partner in the global development sphere;
    • during the II/2015 presidency of the European Council, Luxembourg's government prioritised policy coherence in Agenda 2030 and the multidimensionality of SDG implementation.

    The government also co-organised an event on policy coherence with OECD during the 2017 HLPF.

    Role of civil society

    Involvement in implementation of Sustainable Development Goals

    The government & SD council consistently engage with stakeholders and the broader public both online and through events.

    The government (co-) organised the following events with organised civil society:

    • June 2017 - civil society roundtable on Agenda 2030;
    • September 2017 - debate on SDG17 cooperation mechanisms;
    • September 2017 - workshops on municipal climate pact;
    • October 2017 - youth workshop on sustainable development;
    • February 2018 - 1st civil society workshop on National Sustainable Development Strategy update;
    • April 2018 - 2nd civil society workshop on National Sustainable Development Strategy update.
    Civil society platform for 2030

    Cercle de Cooperation focuses on international development cooperation.

    The SD council can be considered a civil society platform since its members are elected for their experience and commitment to civil society.

    SD council or equivalent

    Tasks
    • The Council conducts research and studies in all areas relating to sustainable development. It establishes links with comparable committees of the Member States of the European Union.
    • In addition, it attracts the widest participation of public and private organisations as well as citizens in achieving these objectives.
    • It issues opinions on any measures relating to national sustainable development policy taken or envisaged by the government, particularly at national level for sustainable development and on the implementation of Luxembourg's international commitments
    •  The Council fulfils the above remit on its own initiative or at the request of the government.
    Organisation

    Membership: government (0), employers (6), employees (2), various interests (7).

    Meets eight times per year to prepare opinions and discuss governmental initiatives.

    Activities

    - Guiding principles for a sustainable development policy (addressed to the political parties prior to the national election in October 2018, to be taken into account during the preparation of the programme by the next government) 10/1/2018

    - "99 iddien fir eis zukunft" (21/10/2017). Workshop with 60 young Luxembourgers aged 16-26 to discuss education, society, mobility, culture and resource efficiency.

    Expert opinion on the strategic study of the 3rd Industrial Revolution (TIRLux 2050) (23/10/2017) recommends government to:

    • overcome Luxembourg’s “financial dilemma”;
    • decrease Luxembourg’s disproportionate ecological footprint;
    • make future development more inclusive and overcome the risk of a societal fracture;
    • Set out a clear governance structure and set ambitious yet practical next steps for future process and implementation for the TIRLux strategy;
    • TIRLux to be analysed, evaluated and adapted according to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN-Agenda 2030.

    Opinion on implementation of sustainable development policy (25/11/2015) recommends the government to:

    • increase "network thinking" in NSDS & implementation;
    • move from top-down to participatory governance;
    • develop Luxembourg's international obligations to become a pioneer in SD development cooperation.

    "MengAktioun" (25/04/2017) digital initiative to engage all non-governmental actors in SDG and help them in the preparation, implementation and promotion of sustainable development activities.

    National Economic & Social Council

    Organisation

    The functioning of the nESC and the organisation of its work are governed by the rules of procedure of 1 June 2005. The organisation of its bodies is as follows:

    The plenary assembly is composed of all the effective members of the ESC. Referrals are submitted to the plenary assembly, which decides on the approach to be adopted, the problems to analyse and the general orientation to be given to the opinions.

    The plenary assembly then sets up a working group (also called a "commission") which is in charge of drawing up a draft opinion. The working groups are composed of full and/or alternate members as well as experts where necessary.

    A specific working group is set up for each opinion to be drawn up. The working group appoints a chair who directs the work and is assisted, if necessary, by one or more rapporteurs. They are assisted by the nESC secretariat in the preparation of a preliminary draft opinion following the discussions in the working group.

    After completion of the work, a draft opinion is submitted to the plenary assembly for voting and the adopted opinion is forwarded to the prime minister. nESC opinions are adopted by the plenary assembly by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast.

    Tasks

    Main tasks:

    • organise support for the national social dialogue;
    • advise the government on supranational policy in the areas of economic, social and financial affairs;
    • draw up an annual opinion, in each first quarter, on the economic, social and financial situation of the country;
    • follow the European social dialogue at national level;
    • at the request of the government, give its opinion on a specific subject, draft legislative measures, etc.
    Activities

    The Council has not adopted opinions in relation to sustainable development.

    Monitoring & Evaluation

    Performance

    UN SDSN SDG Index Country Profile.

    Luxembourg ranks 34th in the SDG global ranking of 2019.

    Indicators

    Luxembourg is developing a national reporting framework built on the indicator set used in the OECD pilot study. It is uncertain how civil society organisations are engaged in developing indicators.

    The National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies assessed Luxembourg's performance for each SDGs in September 2018. See the report here.

    Voluntary National Report

    Luxembourg presented its Voluntary National Review at the 2017 High-level Political Forum, where it clearly showed the links it is creating between its National Sustainable Development Strategy, Agenda 2030 and further international commitments.

    The VNR also includes precise details on how and at what stage civil society organisations will be consulted during the National Sustainable Development Strategy updating process, which has indeed occurred since.

    Luxembourg's Voluntary National Review can be accessed here.