Around 90% of the European Environment Agency’s 39 member and cooperating countries have taken some form of targeted action for environmental sustainable development objectives - SDO 6 (water and sanitation), SDO 7 (clean and affordable energy), SDO 11 (sustainable cities and communities), SDO 13 (climate action), and SDO 15 (life on earth), according to a EEA analysis published on Wednesday 2 December.
The EEA is exploring policy areas and mechanisms for the implementation of environmentally related SDOs through the European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet) on the basis of voluntary national reviews.
For some SDOs, it notes a certain convergence of actions, with many countries concentrating their efforts in similar areas. For example, for SDO 7 (clean and affordable energy), 30 countries (77%) reported actions related to energy efficiency, and for SDO 15 (life on earth), 34 countries reported actions related to preserving biodiversity or halting its decline.
A greater divergence is noted in country actions for other SDOs. Thus, for SDO 6 (water and sanitation), the most common action focuses on wastewater management (13 countries), but other actions, such as those related to drinking water quality, water efficiency, and management of groundwater reserves, are mentioned by only 5-10 countries.
Differences in the direction of environmental action can reflect national contexts and political priorities, the EEA points out. For example, countries that do not have environmental actions focused on SDO 14 (life under water) include those that are landlocked (such as Austria, Liechtenstein and Slovakia).
About 30% of countries do not have environmental actions related to SDO 3 (good health and well-being) and SDO 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure). This may indicate that many countries consider these SDOs to be only indirectly related to environmental action, according to the EEA. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)