National Strategy / Action Plan

There is no National Strategy / Action Plan in Greece

SD council or equivalent

Performance

There is no Performance in Greece

Summary

  • The NSDS was adopted in 2002 and 2009. More recently, under the initiative Green Growth, the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change is promoting a new development model.
  • Government is currently finalising a new National Growth Strategy, which is fully compatible and aligned with the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, promoting a new fair and sustainable growth model. Greece has also endorsed a set of eight (8) overarching National Priorities for the SDGs, which are analysed in the Voluntary National Review presented at the UN HLPF in July 2018. The National Implementation Action Plan for SDGs will be reviewed in 2019.
  • Greece does not have an SD council. The Economic and Social Council of Greece (ESC) acts as a national multi-stakeholder consultation mechanism on sustainable development issues.

Description of the initiative

    Actors

    National Economic and Social Council
    Sustainable Development Council
    nESC text

    Economic and Social Council of Greece (The Observatory for Sustainable Development Policies) is the constitutionally established institution responsible for conducting the social dialogue on the country's general policy and in particular on economic and social issues.

    Institutional framework

    Lead and supporting government bodies

    The Greek government decided in December 2016 (by law no. 4440/2016, Article 43) to assign the task of monitoring and coordinating the national implementation of the SDGs to one of the main entities belonging to central government, the General Secretariat of the Government (GSG) and in particular its Office of Coordination, Institutional, International and European Affairs (OCIIEA).

    The work of the GSG/OCIIEA on coordinating the national implementation of the SDGs is substantially supported and facilitated by the Inter-ministerial Coordination Network for the SDGs established in December 2016. This Inter-ministerial Coordination Network for SDGs brings together representatives from all line ministries, acting as focal points in charge of working on SDGs-related issues.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for the external dimension of the implementation of SDGs. Other ministries play a relevant role such as the Ministry of Environment and Energy which is thematically responsible for the implementation of seven out of the overall 17 SDGs.

    The Statistical Authority is responsible for the SDG-relevant indicators.

    Strategic framework

    The GSG/OCIIEA oversees and steers national implementation of SDGs and began its work with a gap analysis by all line ministries. The GSG aims to render all legislative initiatives "SDG aware".

    Greece is currently finalising a new National Growth Strategy, which introduces new operational linkages to Agenda 2030. Based on an extensive inter-ministerial mapping exercise, Greece has adopted eight (8) overarching National Priorities for the SDGs, which encompass all 17 SDGs, and reflect, in a balanced and integrated manner, the three dimensions of sustainable development. They include:

    • Fostering competitive, innovative and sustainable economic growth (linked to SDGs 9)
    • Promoting full employment and decent work for all (linked to SDG 8)
    • Addressing poverty, social exclusion and access to quality health care services (linked to SDGs 1, 2, 3)
    • Reducing social and regional inequalities and ensuring equal opportunities for all (linked to SDGs 5, 10)
    • Providing high quality and inclusive education (linked to SDG 4)
    • Strengthening the protection and sustainable management of natural capital as a base for social prosperity and transition to a low-carbon economy (linked to SDGs 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
    • Building effective, accountable and transparent institutions and mechanisms (linked to SDGs 16, 17)
    • Enhancing open, participatory and democratic processes and promoting partnerships (linked to SDGs 16, 17).
    Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals

    After the HLPF, in 2019 the government will draw up a National Implementation Action Plan.

    The Hellenic Parliament will play an instrumental role in the implementation, follow-up and review process of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. A progress report on the execution of the National Implementation Plan for the SDGs will be submitted, at regular intervals, to the Hellenic Parliament for discussion and review in the context of joint meetings of parliamentary committees, where all political parties are represented.

    Role of civil society

    Involvement in implementation of Sustainable Development Goals

    The government has placed particular emphasis on raising awareness of SDGs at all levels and on engaging more stakeholders. In this regard, the government aims to set up a permanent consultation platform on SD issues for all stakeholders (both online and also through regular meetings and dialogues) to ensure balance, regularity of consultations in a structured manner, transparency, partnership and accountability.

    Stakeholders engaged to date include, among others, the Economic and Social Council of Greece; the Business Council for Sustainable Development of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEVBCSD), the Hellenic Network for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR Hellas), the Federation of Industries of Northern Greece (FING), the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), the Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen & Merchants (GSEVEE), the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE), the Association of Greek Regions (ENPE).

    Since March 2017 several high-level stakeholder events have been organised to raise awareness of the SDGs and to promote exchanges of experience among relevant stakeholders including:

    • Conference on “Commitment for Sustainable Development”, co-organised by CSR Hellas & SEV Business Council for Sustainable Development), March 2017.
    • Conference on how to address “Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development” by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the General Secretariat of the Government, March 2017.
    • Dialogue meeting on “the SDGs and the Environment”, organised by the National Environment and Sustainable Development Centre, March 2017.
    • Concordia Europe Summit & roundtable discussion on the implementation of the SDGs in Greece, Athens, Greece, June  2017.
    • 3rd International SDSN Mediterranean Conference/Official Launch of SDSN Greece, September 2017.
    • A Special Event on “Peer learning in achieving the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs”, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the participation of representatives from Diplomatic Missions of EU Member States and countries of the Mediterranean region, October 2017.
    • Event on “Standards for Sustainable and Smart Cities”, co-organised by the Hellenic Organisation for Standardisation (ELOT) and the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE), October 2017.
    • Conference on the environmental dimension of the SDGs, by the Ministry of Environment and Energy jointly with environmental NGOs, March 2017.
    • Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility and the SDGs, organised by Naftemporiki newspaper, March 2018.
    Civil society platform for 2030

    SDSN Greece was established in September 2017 and is co-hosted by an environmental research institute and the political economy department at the University of Athens. Thematic priorities are: SD in times of crisis, climate change mitigation and sustainable investment allocation. SDSN-Greece also has a central role to play in the implementation of the Mediterranean UN SDSN.

    The Hellenic Platform for Development an umbrella-organisation that operates as a “national platform”, leads a network of Greek Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), active in the fields of education for sustainable development, humanitarian aid, global citizenship action and developmental social support.

    The Sustainable Greece 2020 Initiative has been developed by QualityNet Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, which works together with various institutions, businesses and social partners from Greece and abroad on sustainable development and social cohesion issues. The initiative started in 2014 and includes an annual SD Social Dialogue with participants ranging from CSOs to local government and an Observatory for Sustainability which compiles a Good Practices database and publishes relevant studies on the matter (e.g. in December 2017 a comprehensive study on the implementation of SDGs in Greece was published).

    National Economic & Social Council

    Organisation

    In 2006, an Observatory for Sustainable Development Policies was created within the structure of the nESC. The main role of the Observatory is to systematically monitor developments in the Greek economy and society and assess the effects of policies on competitiveness, employment, social cohesion and the environment on the basis of the principle of sustainability.

    Tasks

    The main task is systematically monitoring developments taking place in the Greek economy and society and evaluating the effects of reform actions and policies on competitiveness, human resources and employment, social cohesion and the environment on the basis of the principle of sustainability.

    Cooperation with the research staff of the social partners is a basic precondition for the success of the whole venture.

    Monitoring & Evaluation

    Performance

    UN SDSN SDG Index Country Profile

    Greece ranks 50th in the SDG Global ranking of 2019

    Indicators

    Based on the Eurostat database on the SDGs, the Hellenic Statistical Authority has provided the GSG with a set of indicators aligned with the Greek National Priorities for the SDGs. Further analysis on the SDG indicators will be developed following the adoption of the National Implementation Plan for the SDGs scheduled for 2019.

    Voluntary National Report

    Presented at the July 2018 HLPF based on an open dialogue within all government units and with a wide array of stakeholders.

    Greece's Voluntary National Review can be accessed here.