Sustainable Development - OECD

1 OECD work on Sustainable Development OECD, February 2011. About the OECD. Foreword OECD Sustainable Development Programmes and Initiatives 2009-2010 Key Achievements and Special Initiatives OECD Sustainable Development Focus Areas 1 Sustainable Consumption and Production 2 Climate Change and Sustainable Development 3 Sustainable Trade and Foreign Investment 4 Subsidy Reform and Sustainable Development 5 Education for Sustainable Development 6 Environment and Health 7 Governance for Sustainable Development 8 Sustainable Development Measurements and Statistics AMSDE Activity Report Evolution of OECD Sustainable Development Mandate Acronyms 1. About the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). T. he OECD, which traces its roots to the enhance engagement of Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and Marshall Plan, groups 34 member countries South Africa in the OECD work programme.

2 Committed to democratic government and The OECD is working for a stronger, cleaner and fairer world the market economy. It provides a forum economy. The principle aim of the Organisation is to promote where governments can compare and exchange policy policies for Sustainable economic growth and employment, a experiences, identify good practices and promote decisions rising standard of living and trade liberalisation. By Sustainable and recommendations. Dialogue, consensus, and peer economic growth the OECD means growth that balances review and pressure are at the very heart of the OECD. economic, social, and environmental considerations. The OECD member countries are: Australia, Austria, The OECD is one of the world's largest and most reliable Belgium, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, sources of comparable statistical, economic and social data.

3 Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, It monitors trends, collects data, analyses and forecasts Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, the economic Development , and investigates evolving patterns Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the in a broad range of public policy areas such as agriculture, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Development co-operation, education, employment, taxation Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. The and trade, sciences, technology, industry and innovation in European Commission takes part in the work of the OECD. addition to environment. The OECD family of organisations Chile, Estonia, Israel and Slovenia recently became members also includes the International Energy Agency (IEA), the of the Organisation and OECD membership talks continue Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), and the International with the Russian Federation.

4 In addition, efforts are made to Transport Forum (ITF). 2. Foreword S. ustainable Development seeks to balance production; climate change and Sustainable Development ;. the economic, environmental, and social Sustainable trade and foreign investment; subsidy reform dimensions of Development in a long-term and Sustainable Development ; education for Sustainable and global perspective. It implies a broad Development ; and environment and health. Two key cross- view of human welfare, a long term perspective about the cutting issues are also addressed: governance practices for consequences of today's activities, and the full involvement Sustainable Development and measurement and statistics. of civil society to reach viable solutions. This brochure also features highlights from the conclusions of the 2009 and 2010 Meetings of the OECD Council at The OECD addresses a broad spectrum of Sustainable Ministerial Level as well as recent special events and Development concerns across its programme of work.

5 By initiatives. The work of the Annual Meeting of Sustainable providing member countries with a unique forum to share Development Experts (AMSDE), which aims to encourage challenges, solutions and best practices, and by supporting the inclusion of Sustainable Development perspectives in those activities with analytical research and expertise on the work of the OECD and share best practices in OECD. economic, environmental and social issues, the OECD. member countries, is highlighted in the section AMSDE. helps provide countries with practical approaches for Activity Report . achieving Sustainable Development . This brochure highlights key OECD work on Sustainable Development in recent years. It provides an overview of the range of OECD work on Sustainable Development across six key thematic areas: Sustainable consumption and 3.

6 OECD Sustainable Development Programmes and Initiatives OECD Committees, share best practices for Sustainable OECD Work on Sustainable Development strategies in OECD member countries, and Development also engage with non-member countries. AMSDE also co- operates with other international and regional organisations Member-led Committees and Initiatives to encourage synergies in promoting Sustainable Representatives of the 34 OECD member countries, Development . OECD accession countries, and ve key emerging economies meet in specialised Committees to advance OECD Secretariat: Key Support for ideas and review progress in speci c policy areas, such Sustainable Development Work as economics, environment, trade, science, employment, education or nancial markets.

7 There are about 200 A Secretariat of about 2 500 staff (based in Paris, Committees or Groups, including working groups and France) supports the activities of OECD Committees, by expert groups. Decision-making power lies with the OECD carrying out research and analysis at the request of the Council, which consists of one representative per member member countries. country and a representative of the European Commission. The Secretariat is comprised of the General Secretariat, The Annual Meeting of Sustainable Development 14 substantive Directorates and a number of Special Bodies, Experts (AMSDE) aims to encourage the inclusion of , International Energy Agency (IEA), the Nuclear Energy Sustainable Development perspectives in the work of Agency (NEA), International Transport Forum (ITF).

8 Within 4. the Secretariat, a Sustainable Development Programme Co-ordinator is committed to supporting the work of the AMSDE and also tracks work of OECD Committees and Directorates pertaining to Sustainable Development . In addition, workshops are organised and publications are produced to support the Sustainable Development work of Committees and Directorates. Key links: 5. 2009-2010 Key Achievements and Special Initiatives This section highlights the key achievements and special initiatives in 2009 and 2010 which re ect opportunities associated with Sustainable Development and activities leading to global economic recovery. Integrating Sustainable Development considerations into policy discussions, programmes and special initiatives is becoming more common, as it is increasingly recognised as an important step towards long-term economic stability.

9 Based on market principles, Ministers stated their support OECD Ministerial Council of governments and international bodies already taking Meetings (MCM) positive action and committed to implement reforms that will improve regulations and help prevent future nancial crises. 2009 MCM Theme: The Road to Global Speci cally, they endorsed recovery through green growth;. Recovery open markets; propriety, integrity, and transparency; and In June 2009, the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting enhanced dialogue in the international arena. In particular, (MCM) met with an agenda to discuss and do all that is they acknowledged that recovery plans should address necessary to overcome the most severe global economic social and human dimensions of the crisis, supporting the crisis since the Great Depression and build a stronger, most vulnerable and including active labour market policies, cleaner, and fairer world economy.

10 Skills Development , income support, effective social safety nets, pensions, education and enhanced training projects. To preserve the bene ts of an open world economy 6. In June 2009, Ministers from 34 countries endorsed a mandate for the OECD to develop a Green Growth Strategy. The Interim Report of the Green Growth Strategy was delivered to the MCM 2010. The Synthesis Report of the Green Growth Strategy will be delivered to the MCM 2011. 2010 MCM Theme: From Recovery to What is GREEN GROWTH? Sustained Growth The 2010 MCM focused on the key challenges facing Green growth can be seen as a way to pursue economic growth and Development , governments intent on supporting a sustained recovery. Of while preventing environmental degradation, particular importance to policy makers was ensuring a robust biodiversity loss, and unsustainable natural and jobs rich recovery, while cultivating new sources of resource use.