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Sustainable Development

Introduction

Sustainable Development is usually defined as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".

While obviously this is an overarching issue, which concerns all sections of this Department, all other Government Departments and the whole of society, the Sustainable Development Unit deals with the policy issues driving the sustainable development agenda.

National Sustainable Development Policy

Under the terms of “Towards 2016”, the current Social Partnership Agreement, the Government is committed to publishing a renewed National Sustainable Development Strategy in 2008. Sustainable Development Unit is co-ordinating the preparation of this Strategy. The renewed Strategy will replace our first National Sustainable Development Strategy, “Sustainable Development – A Strategy for Ireland”, published in 1997, and “Making Ireland’s Development Sustainable”, published in 2002. 

Making Ireland's Development Sustainable - 2002

“Making Ireland's Development Sustainable”, a five-year review of the original 1997 Strategy, was produced by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government fin 2002. It also served as Ireland’s national report on sustainable development to the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development held in 2002. The report examines progress made in the ten years since the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit.

Sustainable Development - A Strategy for Ireland - 1997

The aim outlined for Ireland in our first sustainable development strategy, published in 1997, was "to ensure that economy and society in Ireland can develop to their full potential within a well protected environment, without compromising the quality of that environment and with responsibility towards present and future generations and the wider international community".

The principal goals and polices defined in the 1997 publication Sustainable Development: A Strategy for Ireland continue to inform the development and delivery of policies and programmes in the area of environmental protection and sustainable development.  The integration of environmental considerations into other policy areas is a key means of securing balanced development.

Comhar Sustainable Development Council

Comhar Sustainable Development Council, established by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in 1999 is the forum for national consultation and dialogue on all issues surrounding Ireland's pursuit of sustainable development.  It plays an important part in the development and implementation of policy in this regard.  Further information about Comhar is available from their website http://www.comharsdc.ie/

European Union Sustainable Development Policy

The Amsterdam Treaty made Sustainable Development a core task of the European Community.  In December 1999 the EU heads of State and Government asked the Commission to produce a Sustainable Development Strategy for the EU and present it to the Göteborg Summit in June 2001. This Strategy was entitled “A Sustainable Europe for a Better World”.

At its meeting on 15/16 June 2006, the EU heads of State and Government adopted a Renewed EU Sustainable Development Strategy

Further information on EU Sustainable Development activities can be obtained from the European Commission’s Sustainable Development webpage  

Green Public Procurement

In Ireland, the total Government and public sector purchasing budget is over €10 billion per annum. If purchasers in the public sector consistently specified environmentally advantageous criteria in their specifications, it would provide significant leverage to “move the market” towards the economic provision of environmentally superior goods and services. The Government is therefore committed to promoting Green Public Procurement (GPP).

The National Public Procurement Policy Unit (NPPPU) of the Department of Finance has overall responsibility for public procurement policy in Ireland. NPPPU maintains the website http://www.etenders.gov.ie/, a centralised portal containing comprehensive information on public procurement. Sustainable Development Unit has the lead role in “greening” procurement across the public sector. We therefore liaise closely with NPPPU on highlighting information on http://www.etenders.gov.ie/ on how to integrate environmental considerations into purchasing practices for goods and services. This includes the EU Handbook on Environmental Public Procurement.

The Procura Plus Manual, published by ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability, is a very practical and useful guide to cost-effective public procurement. It includes international examples and case studies from a variety of organisations in the public sector.

The European Commission maintains a dedicated website on Green Public Procurement. This includes information on Member States’ National Action Plans on GPP, envisaged as part of the implementation of the EU Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP). Sustainable Development Unit is currently preparing Ireland’s National Action Plan on GPP.

EU LIFE+ Programme 2007-2013

The EU LIFE+ Programme 2007-2013 is a dedicated EU funding instrument for the environment which  complements the existing funding arrangements (European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund, Cohesion Fund, European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, Competitiveness & Innovation Programme, European Fisheries Fund and the 7th EU Research Framework Programme). It succeeds the EU LIFE Programme.

The amended LIFE+ Regulation was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (L149 of 9 June 2007). The text can be downloaded from the following link: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2007/l_149/l_14920070609en00010016.pdf 


LIFE+ Call for Proposals 2009

The European Commission issued its third annual call for proposals for projects funded by LIFE+ on 15 May 2009. Applicants have approximately four months to submit full proposals, which must be in line with the provisions of the LIFE+ Regulation. Projects must also accord with national and EU priorities and have a clear EU added value. Ireland’s share of LIFE+ funding for 2009 will be approximately €3.9 million. Full guidelines are available now on the following Commission webpage:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/lifeplus.htm

Completed applications should be sent to the Sustainable Development Unit. Given the deadline of 15 September 2009, for submission of proposals, it is important that potential applicants start compiling their applications as early as possible. Applications may be submitted under one of the three broad components of LIFE+: LIFE+ Nature & Biodiversity; LIFE+ Environment Policy & Governance; and LIFE+ Information & Communication.    

LIFE+ Nature

LIFE+ Nature will focus on the "demonstration of best practice projects" concerned with implementing the objectives of the EU Birds Directive (79/409/EEC) and the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), including the Natura 2000 network of sites. A significant part of the project budget should be allocated to "concrete conservation actions".

LIFE+ Biodiversity

LIFE+ Biodiversity will target the "demonstration of innovative projects" for implementing certain objectives of the Commission's 2006 Communication on halting the loss of biodiversity. Again, a significant part of the project budget should be allocated to "concrete conservation actions".

The maximum co-financing rate for LIFE+ Nature will generally be 50%, but will rise to a maximum of 75% when clearly targeting priority species or habitats. The maximum co-financing rate for projects under LIFE+ Biodiversity will be 50%.

LIFE+ Environment Policy & Governance

LIFE+ Environment Policy & Governance will contribute to: the development of innovative policy approaches, technologies, methods and instruments; the building up of the knowledge base regarding environmental policy and legislation; and monitoring, in particular of forests, and environmental interactions. Specifically, this component will focus on projects concerned with 13 priority objectives: climate change; water; air; soil; urban environment; noise; chemicals; environment and health; waste and natural resources; forests; "innovation"; strategic approaches; governance.

The maximum co-financing rate for projects under LIFE+ Environment Policy & Governance will be 50%.

LIFE+ Information & Communication

LIFE+ Information & Communication will ensure a regular and effective information flow to provide the basis for policy decisions on the environment, and to provide accessible information to citizens on the state and trends of the environment. Priority areas of action are for projects dealing with disseminating information, raising awareness and developing specific skills on environmental issues such as forest fire prevention.

The maximum co-financing rate for projects under LIFE+ Information & Communication will be 50%.

Further information on LIFE+ is available from the following Commission webpage: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/lifeplus.htm

Further Information 

If you have any further queries, you can contact the Sustainable Development Unit as follows:

Sustainable Development Unit,
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government,
Room 2.51,
Custom House,
Dublin 1.

Fax: Sustainable Development Unit- 01 888 2014

Email: sustainabledevelopment@environ.ie

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