Brussels, 15/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - The sustainable development strategy of the EU, which was adopted in 2001 at the European Summit of Gothenburg, can and must be reinvigorated, in order to make more decisive progress over the period 2005-2010. With this objective in mind, the European Commission has just confirmed its commitment to continue its action and defined what to do over the next few years, in light of progress made over the five previous years. The analysis of progress made and the platform of action recommended by the Commission in order to improve the work further were the subject of a communication adopted by the College on Wednesday. "We hope to stimulate concrete actions, in order to leave a more prosperous, clean and fairer world behind for our children and our grandchildren. Europe must become a model for the rest of the world- in our own interests- not only because this will improve our quality of living, but also because the economies which adapt the quickest to sustainable production methods and to new, environmentally-friendly technologies will have a clear advantage over the competition", said José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission.
The communication analyses inter-action in favour of sustainable development in different sectors of activity, in order to exploit them better. This means establishing links between progress made in a certain field and its positive fallout elsewhere. For example, this can show that action in favour of sustainable energy can help to improve the safety of energy supply, limit climate change and air pollution at local level, reduce poverty and reinforce security, whilst promoting rural and local development. The communication stresses the central role R&D (research and development), education and training must play in sustainable development, and the need for a more concerted decision to be taken.
In order to stimulate and accelerate progress towards sustainable development, the Commission recommends, amongst other things: - the adoption of a raft of measures to encourage the development of future products and procedures: (cleaner and better cars, information and communication technology, the use of hydrogen and renewable energy sources, including by investing in R&D: - the EU's collaboration with other countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions beyond 2012 (end of the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change); - the extension of the Community system of trading in emissions quotas to the aviation and shipping sectors; - launching an action programme for energy efficiency, which will, amongst other things, help to achieve potential savings of 20% in buildings throughout Europe.
In order to constitute a genuine action platform, the communication calls on all players- governments, business, NGOs and the citizens- to propose new and more efficient methods to move towards a more sustainable way of life, and to take the opportunities which are presented to them to make a change in production and consumption methods.
This revised proposed strategy comes in the wake of the declaration on the main driving forces behind sustainable development, which was adopted by the European Council last June. It will be submitted to the Parliament, the Council, the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee, before it is put to the European Council of June 2006 for approval. The Commission will report back on progress made every two years.