2. www.ieep.eu @IEEP_eu
Webinar content
• What is EU’s role?
• What are the possible visions for EU?
• Reflecting some key policy aspects …
• Few words about monitoring EU’s progress …
• Conclusions + next steps
• (Further reading)
3. www.ieep.eu @IEEP_eu
Recap: EU and the 2030 Agenda / SDGs
• Strictly speaking, implementing Agenda 2030 is the responsibility of UN Member
States / individual EU Member States
• But – several SDGs can only be addressed through joint policies taking
responsibility at the EU level required
• Both EU institutions and individual Member States / Member State coalitions
shape ambition as regards SDG implementation and delivery
• EU played a active role in the 2030 Agenda negotiations …
• … but has since dragged its feet politically, until …
5. www.ieep.eu @IEEP_eu
Scenarios for EU approach
• I. Overarching SDG strategy for EU and its Member States ‘European process for
SDG policy coordination’
• II. SDG mainstreaming at EU level across all polices – but not enforcing Member State
action
• III. Implementing SDGs as part of EU’s external policy
What do you think the EU should do?
What are the pros and cons of different approaches?
6. www.ieep.eu @IEEP_eu
Policy foundations:
circular economy
“Make the circular economy
the backbone of EU industrial
strategy, enabling circularity
in new areas and sectors.”
“ … potential of EUR 1.8 trillion net
economic benefit and results in over
1 million new jobs by 2030.”
7. www.ieep.eu @IEEP_eu
Policy foundations: circular economy
Emphasis on the implementation of existing policies, with several horizontal
enablers identified (e.g. environmental taxation and blockchain technology)
Explicit recognition of circular bio-economy, including need to protect ecosystems
and avoiding overexploitation of natural resources
Lack of concrete funding for a shift to circular economy.
Lack of concrete policy measures linking circular economy to sustainable
consumption.
IEEP (2019) IEEP assessment of the Commission’s SDG Reflection paper
9. www.ieep.eu @IEEP_eu
Policy foundations:
sustainable agriculture &
food
“We need a comprehensive approach
entailing a genuine change in the way we
produce, transform, consume and
distribute food by accelerating the
transition to a sustainable food system.”
“ … global food and agriculture system in line
with SDGs could create new economic value of
> EUR 1.8 trillion by 2030.”
10. www.ieep.eu @IEEP_eu
Policy foundations: sustainable agriculture & food
Role of agriculture in meeting EU’s climate and environmental goals
Need for change in EU’s consumption patterns, including not only what we
consume but also how we consume …
… but failing to provide a vision and concrete measures for changing EU’s
consumption
High reliance on the political will for further reform of the Common Agriculture
Policy (CAP)
IEEP (2019) IEEP assessment of the Commission’s SDG Reflection paper
11. www.ieep.eu @IEEP_eu
Policy foundations:
sustainable agriculture
& food
New IEEP report:
• Is net-zero future possible for EU agriculture sector?
• Current means: increasing GHG efficiency of production,
changing what commodities are produced and /or increasing
sequestration capacity.
• On their own cannot deliver the mitigation level necessary for a
net-zero future.
• Even when used together, could lead to emission reductions of
between 37% by 2030 and 46% by 2050*, without major
changes in land use.
• Thus, further steps are required.
• Need to implement actions both inside and outside the
agriculture sector, including consumption.
*Compared to 2010 levels
12. www.ieep.eu @IEEP_eu
Policy foundations:
clean energy, building
and mobility
“More is needed to live up to the letter
as well as the spirit of the Paris Climate
Agreement, exploiting the full
economic potential of the energy
transition […] promoting improved
energy efficiency of buildings and […]
transitioning towards a clean, resource
efficient and carbon-neutral future in
the mobility sector.”
13. www.ieep.eu @IEEP_eu
Policy foundations: clean energy, building and mobility
Need to increase the EU ambition beyond 2030 to reach goals of the Paris Agreement
Progress needed to decarbonise the building sector
Full life cycle view of battery and vehicle production
Too positive with progress of decoupling emissions from economic growth / emissions
reductions to date
Limited emphasis on social implications of unsustainable transport (e.g. health impacts,
fuel taxation, access to transport)
IEEP (2019) IEEP assessment of the Commission’s SDG Reflection paper and IEEP (2018) IEEP reflection on the EU 2050 Long Term Strategy for Carbon-neutral Europe
15. www.ieep.eu @IEEP_eu
Policy foundations:
EU as global leader
“It is in the EU’s interest to play a
leading role in the implementation
of the United Nations 2030 Agenda
also globally through its external
action ...”
https://euaidexplorer.ec.europa.eu/content/overview_en and http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2018/october/tradoc_157469.pdf
16. www.ieep.eu @IEEP_eu
Global: EU as global leader
Implementing policy coherence for SDGs, e.g. impacts of EU internal policies outside
the EU
Possibility of the EU initiating binding global agreements in the areas of circular
economy, resource use and biodiversity
Conflict prevention as part of EU’s foreign and defence policy (e.g. environmental and ecosystem
protection and restoration)
Measures to ensure the ‘more assertive’ use of the EU FTA sustainability chapters
Conservation of biodiversity & ecosystems as concrete policy solutions to deliver SDGs
IEEP (2019) IEEP assessment of the Commission’s SDG Reflection paper
17. www.ieep.eu @IEEP_eu
Global: policy
coherence for
sustainable
development
“Policy coherence across the board
is essential, grounded in planning,
evidence-based policies,
inclusiveness, effectiveness, respect
for subsidiarity and proportionality,
and measurement and monitoring.”
IEEP (2018) Assessment of EU internal and external policy coherence for SDGs ; Global SDG Index and Dashboard (2017) and SDSN (2019) EU SDG indicator assessment for EESC
18. www.ieep.eu @IEEP_eu
Measure to
manage: assessing
and monitoring
EU progress
Annual monitoring by
Eurostat: e.g. 2018 edition
But … the EU still lacks a
robust methodology to
assess progress against,
not simply trends
towards, science-based
targets.
SDSN (2019) EU SDG indicator assessment for EESC
20. www.ieep.eu @IEEP_eu
Conclusions + next steps
• Commission’s SDG Reflection Paper
has several good & promising
elements
• ... but some say it is too little
concrete commitment too late.
• All depends on how it will be
implemented (scenario I, II or III)
• … and that greatly depends on the
next EU Commission & Parliament.
22. www.ieep.eu @IEEP_eu
Further reading …
IEEP (2019) IEEP assessment of the Commission’s SDG Reflection paper
IEEP (2019) IEEP assessment of the European party manifestoes vis-à-vis their sustainability – check out www.ieep.eu news, e.g. ALDE, PES, EGP and EL
IEEP (2018) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the UN High Level Political Forum (HLPF), New York, 16 – 18 July 2018. Briefing for the EP ENVI Committee.
IEEP (2018) Closing loops: Towards an effective post-2020 science-policy-society interface in Europe, IEEP Newsletter Sep 2018
IEEP (2018) Policy outlook for the environment 2018: could momentum return?, online policy review
IEEP (2017) Tackling pollution is essential for meeting SDG poverty objectives, briefing paper for UNEP
IEEP (2017) Harnessing the SDGs for charting Europe’s future course, online policy review
IEEP (2017) Measuring progress on Europe’s SDGs implementation” inputs to the European Economic and Social Committee (EESSC), two presentations in September
2017 (Overview and focus on SDG12).
23. Think2030 is a new sustainability platform for think tanks in Europe, with links to policy makers,
businesses, local authorities and civil society, to discuss and propose solutions to Europe’s most
pressing sustainability issues.
www.think2030.eu
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).
The only policy area with concrete, quantifiable target is climate. However, even this target is based on a political agreement rather than SDG delivery based evidence (e.g. Planetary Boundaries not taken into consideration).
There are clearly risks with setting quantified targets to sectoral policies (e.g. lessons learned with EU biofuel policy). To mitigate risks (e.g. logging in to a system with wrong targets) the delivery framework needs to include a process that a) can adapt while b) not risking to back peddle => process with agreed setting of new, higher targets with x year interval.
EU Reflection Paper (end of 2018) is foreseen to consist of three elements:
Political document
Annex: Stakeholder Forum
Annex: presenting the results of foresight study by JRC
Seems unlikely that the above will deliver Council’s request to “timelines, objectives and concrete measures“ (as per June 2017 Council Conclusions).