Possibilities of European Cooperation
in SD strategy cycles
Presentation given at the Workshop
“A Sustainable Nordic Region in a Region of Opportunities
Can the Nordic cooperation make a difference?”
Helsinki, 6 March 2007
Reinhard Steurer
ESDN Office at RIMAS – Research Institute for Managing Sustainability
www.sd-network.eu
Orientation
 Basics about SD strategies
 Principles and steps of SD strategy cycles
 Possibilities of European Cooperation
 Questions for
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
Background: The ESDN
 It is an informal network of public administrators
dealing with SD strategies in Europe
 It aims to exchange experiences, knowledge and
good practices regarding SD strategy processes
 It is supported by the ESDN Office, established
by a steering group of 7 countries (incl. Finland)
in spring 2006
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
Background: The ESDN Office
Facilitate exchange of experience
and knowledge on SD strategies
If you want to join the ESDN,
contact
[email protected]
 Support the ESDN members
 Contribute to ESDN Conferences
Next ESDN
Conference in Berlin,
3-5 June 2007
 Assist Steering Group
in developing the ESDN further
 Website at www.sd-network.eu
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
ESDN Website: One-stop-shop
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
Orientation
 Basics about SD strategies
 Principles and steps of SD strategy cycles
 Possibilities of European Cooperation
 Questions for
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
Basics about SD strategies
 SD strategies are strategic processes rather than
strategic documents
 SD strategy processes should follow some normative
principles and key steps (or elements)
 The steps (or elements) of an SD strategy form a
strategy cycle
 “SD cannot be achieved in one country or region in
isolation”, therefore European cooperation is desirable, …
 … but a difficult balancing act between coherence and
national autonomy
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
Orientation
 Basics about SD strategies
 Principles and steps of SD strategy cycles
 Possibilities of European Cooperation
 Questions for
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
The SD strategy cycle – principles and steps
Long-term focus
Policy Integration
Participation
Reflexivity
Inspired by Volkery et al (2006): Coordination, Challenges, and Innovations in 19 National Sustainable Development
Strategies, in World Development, 34/12
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
The SD strategy cycle – principles and steps
From learning
to strategy renewal
1. Political commitment
& guidance
- Political mandate
- Definition of approach
- Legal (constitutional basis)
From political will
to a common vision
2. Strategy formulation
4. Reviewing &
monitoring
- Performance monitoring
- Process review &
evaluation
Long-term focus
Policy Integration
Participation
Reflexivity
- Long-term and
integrative objectives
- Synergies & trade-offs
- Procedural guidance
regarding the 4 principles
3. The implementation
process
From action
to learning
- Budgets, work/action plans
- Orchestrate strategy elements & policy instruments
- Assess & consider SD impacts
From vision
to short- & mediumterm action
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
Multiple SD strategy cycles
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
Orientation
 Basics about SD strategies
 Principles and steps of SD strategy cycles
 Possibilities of European Cooperation
 Questions for
Colour code:
• Cooperation/coordination exists
• Cooperation/coordination could
be improved
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
Possibilities of European Cooperation: Principles
Common understanding:
9 Policy guiding principles in
EU SDS
+ precautionary principle
Long-term focus
Policy Integration
Participation
+ polluter pays
Reflexivity
+ fundamental rights
“use best available
knowledge”
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
Possibilities of European Cooperation: Steps
European Council
commitments
(Gothenburg 2001,
Brussels 2006?)
OECD
UN guidelines
4. &
Reviewing
&
help defining
the SD
monitoring
approach,
but
-strategy
Performance
monitoring
about
guidelines
-what
Process
review
&
evaluation
for a more coherent
European (or Nordic)
approach?
1. Political commitment
& guidance
- Political mandate
- Definition of approach
- Legal (constitutional basis)
2. Strategy formulation
- Long-term and
integrative objectives
- Synergies & trade-offs
- Procedural guidance
regarding the 4 principles
3. The implementation
• SD in the Amsterdam
process
treaty
• EU constitution
and SD?
- Budgets, work/action
plans
• Council
commitment
to give SD strategies a legal basis
- Orchestrate
strategy elements
& policycommitment
instruments to involve parliaments
• Council
- Assess & consider SD impacts
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
Possibilities of European Cooperation: Steps
1. Political commitment
• Consider &EU
SDS priorities
guidance
•- Consider
priorities of
Political mandate
regional
(suchofas
the Nordic)
- Definition
approach
SD(constitutional
strategies basis)
- Legal
2. Strategy formulation
- Long-term and
integrative objectives
- Synergies & trade-offs
- Procedural guidance
regarding the 4 principles
4. Reviewing &
Find “language”
on how
monitoring
to address not only
- Performance monitoring
synergies
- Process review &
but also trade-offs
evaluation
• Develop
“European approach” regarding
3. The
implementation
process
- Horizontal
integration (inter-ministerial committees)
- Budgets,
work/action
plans (national-regional-local)
- Vertical
integration
- Orchestrate
strategy ele- (National Councils of SD)
- Participation
ments & policy
instruments
- Reflexivity
(monitoring & reviewing)
- Assess & consider SD impacts
• Exchange experiences on approaches taken (ESDN)
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
Possibilities of European Cooperation: Steps
1.
SDPolitical
strategycommitment
elements
& guidance
often rather
fragmented
-than
Political
mandate
well
orchestrated,
- Definition
of
approach
but exchange
of
- Legal (constitutional basis)
experience in ESDN
(annual conferences)
Little- coherence
on how to
Long-term and
translate
vision
into
integrative
objectives
measures
(work/action
plans
- Synergies
& trade-offs
become
moreguidance
popular)
- Procedural
Exchange
(workshops)
on
4. Reviewing
&
whichmonitoring
policy instruments
work best
for what
- Performance
monitoring
purpose
the
- Process
review(within
&
evaluation ESDN)
More coherent use of
impact assessment
methods
2. Strategy formulation
regarding the 4 principles
3. The implementation
process
- Budgets, work/action plans
- Orchestrate strategy elements & policy instruments
- Assess & consider SD impacts
From vision
to short- & mediumterm action
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
Possibilities of European Cooperation: Steps
1. Political commitment
guidance
EU& SDS
process:
-•Political
mandate
SD coordinator
reporting
- Definition
of approach
• Peer review
initiative
- Legal (constitutional basis)
2. Strategy formulation
All countries apply SD
- Long-term and
indicator
integrativemonitoring
objectives
but
differences
regarding
- Synergies
& trade-offs
• indicators
used
- Procedural
guidance
theschemes
4 principles
•regarding
reporting
4. Reviewing &
monitoring
- Performance monitoring
- Process review &
evaluation
3. The implementation
Exchangeprocess
on advantages
and disadvantages
of
- Budgets,
work/action plans
different
review
approaches
- Orchestrate
strategy
elements
& policy
(within
theinstruments
ESDN)
- Assess & consider SD impacts
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
The SD strategy cycle – principles and steps
From learning
to strategy renewal
1. Political commitment
& guidance
- Political mandate
- Definition of approach
- Legal (constitutional basis)
2. Strategy formulation
4. Reviewing &
monitoring
- Performance monitoring
- Process review &
evaluation
Towards a common
European cycle of
strategy renewal (in line
with EU SDS)?
- Long-term and
integrative objectives
- Synergies & trade-offs
- Procedural guidance
regarding the 4 principles
3. The implementation
process
- Budgets, work/action plans
- Orchestrate strategy elements & policy instruments
- Assess & consider SD impacts
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
Orientation
 Basics about SD strategies
 Principles and steps of SD strategy cycles
 Possibilities of European Cooperation
 Questions for
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
Questions for
Towards a common
Nordic cycle of strategy
renewal (in line with
the EU & the Nordic
Strategy)?
1. Political commitment
& guidance
- Political mandate
- Definition of approach
- Legal (constitutional basis)
Adapt PM declaration
on SD from 1998 (in
line with EU SDS)?
2. Strategy formulation
4. Reviewing &
monitoring
- Performance monitoring
- Process review &
evaluation
• Peer reviewing as
European cooperation in
Nordic countries?
• Cooperation with
ESDN?
Long-term focus
Policy Integration
Participation
Reflexivity
3. The implementation
process
- Budgets, work/action plans
- Orchestrate strategy elements & policy instruments
- Assess & consider SD impacts
- Long-term and
integrative objectives
- Synergies & trade-offs
- Procedural guidance
regarding the 4 principles
• Coherence with other
supra-national
processes (Baltic 21,
Arctic C., Barents C.)?
• More procedural
guidance for national
SD strategies?
Steurer: Possibilities of European Cooperation in SD strategy cycles
Thank you!
Reinhard Steurer
[email protected]
ESDN Office at the
RIMAS – Research Institute for Managing Sustainability
Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration
Vienna, Austria
www.sd-network.eu