Minutes of the subgroup meeting on "monitoring, assessing and reporting progress on the Sustainable Development Goals" 12 June 2018

Transcription

1 EUROPEAN COMMISSION Secretariat-General Directorate D - Policy Co-ordination Minutes of the subgroup meeting on "monitoring, assessing and reporting progress on the Sustainable Development Goals" 12 June 2018 Chair: Miguel Gil Tertre (HoU, SG) Attendance: Members and observers of the multi-stakeholder platform management committee subgroup (see Annex); Anton Steurer (ESTAT); Maaike Bouwmeester (ESTAT); BERROZPE GARCIA Carlos (DEVCO) DEL BIONDO Karen (DEVCO); VERNIN Marie-Aurelie (DEVCO); Laurent Bontoux (JRC); Tina Delva (SG); Daphne von Buxhoeveden (SG); Dana Popa (SG) Venue: Brussels (Berlaymont building), 12 June 2018, from to hours 1) Adoption of the agenda The proposed agenda of the meeting was adopted unchanged. 2) Key recommendations of the monitoring subgroup Members discussed the relation between the subgroup's recommendations and the platform's contribution to the reflection paper. While it has originally been agreed that the platforms' contribution to the reflection paper would contain a place holder for monitoring to be completed by the subgroup, members agreed to instead produce a stand-alone position paper of the monitoring subgroup. Members stressed the importance of ensuring coherence between the stand alone document of the subgroup and the platform's contribution to the reflection paper. The rapporteurs (EESC; SDG Watch) agreed to circulate a revised version of the subgroup's recommendations, taking into account the latest comments received from members. 3) Eurostat work on Footprints DG ESTAT (Maaike Bouwmeester) presented Eurostat's work on material footprints and other footprint-related indicators. DG ESTAT explained that footprints cover impacts of the complete product chains of services and goods at the moment they are bought by final users 1

2 and that data is compiled with models rather than collected via surveys. Compared to ecological footprints that integrate different types of impacts by translating each one into a common denominator (e.g. hectare); material footprints focus on material flows only and therefore require less assumptions. Material footprints are included in the global SDG indicator framework as dual indicator for SDGs 8 and 12. During the 2018 review of the EU SDG indicator set, the indicator on material footprint has been put "on hold", pending data by individual Member States. Members thanked Eurostat for the presentation and raised the following points: ESADE enquired about the status of similar work being developed in other parts of the world. DG ESTAT explained that the EU, UN and OECD are working together to setup databases on global supply chains and databases with environmental accounts. One member asked for further clarification on the statistics collected on EU-28 employment embodied in extra-eu exports. DG ESTAT clarified that employment is an input to produce goods and services and can therefore be combined with supply chain information to compile a footprint-related indicator. The EESC referred to SDSN's work on "spill over effect" impacts on third countries and asked whether ESTAT's work on footprints takes spill over effects into account. DG ESTAT clarified that the general model allows for the estimation of spill overs (impacts in other countries than where the final user is located) and that they estimate effects on non EU countries (e.g. materials extracted outside the EU), but that the model is concentrating on the EU because of data reasons, while it does not reflect the positive effects to climate from agriculture, such as carbon sequestration. Concord considered the footprint work as a good example of how Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development could be integrated into DG ESTAT's monitoring report when reporting on SDG 16. DG ESTAT confirmed its readiness to develop new indicator sets for new policy priorities, but noted that the agenda setting of policy priorities is not in the area of ESTAT activities CEMR and EESC welcomed DG ESTAT's work, CEMR highlighting in particular its relevance for cities and regions. CopaCogeca asked whether the carbon footprint can it be broken down to sectoral footprints. DG ESTAT confirmed that a break up by final product used is possible (at aggregate level; agricultural products; manufacturing products) and that these data are published on DG ESTAT's website. 4) Qualitative measuring and reporting on progress to SDGs Presentation by the JRC The Chair informed members that the Joint Research Centre's (JRC) speaker who should have presented the KnowSDGs platform (Knowledge base for the Sustainable Development Goals) was unavailable to attend the meeting and that Mr Laurent Bontoux from JRC Brussels, will instead introduce the Joint Research Centre's qualitative forward-looking exercise "Assessing risks and opportunities to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals". 2

3 Laurent Bontoux informed members that the JRC is organising an expert workshop on 3 and 4 of July, the objective of which is to discuss qualitative and forward-looking scenarios on the European Union's implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and engage in a systemic reflection around the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Members of the platform have been invited to participate. In preamble to the workshop, an online expert participatory survey is being conducted (real time Delphi) to gather opinions about certain potential developments that will impact the EU's progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The results of the survey together with inputs from the workshop will help shape the final versions of the scenarios and reflection around the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. CopaCogeca enquired about the nature of the scenarios being developed by the JRC and whether they are publicly available. The JRC clarified that the scenarios will only be finalised in July and have therefore not yet been published. CSR Europe asked whether the scope of the scenarios is as broad as the Sustainable Development Goals. The JRC clarified that the scenarios have been designed to cover all 17 Sustainable Development Goals. EPHA asked how the scenarios are being built. The JRC clarified that it is using a classic foresight methodology. Concord enquired about the real time Delphi and how the questions have been designed. The JRC clarified that the 16 topics included in the real time Delphi were based on the input of Commission officials. SDG Watch asked how the work being carried out by the JRC will feed into the distance to SDG analysis foreseen to accompany the upcoming reflection paper "towards a sustainable Europe by 2030". The JRC clarified that the work currently being carried out by the JRC is a forward looking exercise which will feed into the distance to SDG analysis, but not substitute it. Presentation by CSR Europe CSR Europe presented two examples of corporate disclosure of SDG reporting. In the first example; an Italian insurance company has produced a report on KPIs in line with the nonfinancial information directive; in which it also reports on SDG impact. The second example concerns a global company which reports on relevant SDGs for each material issue. CSR Europe recalled that the UN Global Compact and GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) signed an agreement in May 2010 to align their work in advancing corporate responsibility and transparency. As part of this agreement, GRI will develop in the coming day's guidance regarding the Global Compact s ten principles and integrate UNGC issue areas into the next iteration of its Sustainability Reporting Guidelines. The UNGC will then adopt the GRI Guidelines as the recommended reporting framework for the more than 5800 businesses that have joined the world s largest corporate responsibility platform. Corporate transparency on sustainability issues is a prerequisite to enable financial market actors to properly assess the long-term value creation of companies and their management of sustainability risks. CSR Europe informed members that as part of the EU's sustainable finance action plan, the European Commission is setting up a European Corporate Reporting 3

4 Lab. This will promote innovation and development in corporate reporting practice, such as environmental accounting. ESADE informed members that they have launched an observatory with Spanish indexed companies where they have analysed the annual reports of 140 indexed companies. One the report is finalised, it will be shared with all platform members. Presentation by DG DEVCO BERROZPE GARCIA Carlos (DEVCO) presented work in progress in relation to the joint synthesis report. DG DEVCO stated that there is an EU interest in supporting progress towards the SDGs, including through development cooperation with partner counties. The 2030 Agenda and its 5 Ps (People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership) correspond basically to the objectives of EU external action, as laid down in Article 21 of the EU Treaty. The new European Consensus on Development was signed last year by Parliament, Council and Commission after a broad consultative process, and DEVCO is now in the process of gradually adjusting its tools to support the implementation of SDGs, including programming documents and results framework. The purpose is to enhance and show better how actions contribute to SDGs, including interlinkages. The EU continues to be engage in related negotiations, such as discussions in the OECD-DAC on how to report on aid allocation per SDG. An important commitment in the Consensus ( 120) is to produce a Joint Synthesis Report every four years, starting in It will be a good opportunity to keep momentum on working together with Member States and to highlight major initiatives such as the Spotlight Initiative against violence against women and girls and the European Fund for Sustainable Development. It will highlight issues that are high on our agenda such as inequality. It will also highlight progress on working together better with Member States, including through joint programming. It will use as much as possible existing sources such as the Financing for Development report, the Voluntary National Reviews of Member States and existing reports, such as on nutrition or gender. Although there may be some challenges, such as for aggregating data from Member States or aligning with SDGs, it will be the first in a series and methodology will progress with time. There have been initial discussions in CODEV and an informal meeting with Member States, and initial contacts with European Parliament. With stakeholders, the aim is to keep an open consultation, including using existing networks with CSOs, such as the Partnership Forum and Policy Forum on Development. The EESC asked how the JSR will fit into the overall EU reporting at the 2019 HLPF. On this point, DEVCO stated that the Consensus states that the JSR will be a contribution to EU reporting at the HLPF, given that development is only one of the EU policies at stake. The Chair stated that discussions are ongoing on how to report at the 2019 HLPF as EU, taking into account the forthcoming Reflection Paper. This raised a discussion where some participants cautioned against the risk of being too late to deliver at the 2019 HLPF, or to consult CSOs with sufficient notice. A suggestion was made for a follow-up by the Multi- Stakeholder Platform, which may be in the form of a letter to the President of the Commission. Concord raised questions on the collection of inputs from CSOs, and on the importance to consult on how policies other than development may have an impact on progress towards SDGs. CSR Europe stressed the importance of the contribution of the private sector. 4

5 5) Conclusions and AOB The EESC, as rapporteur for the subgroup, will circulate a third draft of the paper summarising the subgroup's key recommendations. Following a written consultation by the subgroup, this paper will be published on the platform's website. End of the meeting. 5

6 Annex Attendance List Organisation CEMR COFACE Families Europe Committee of the Regions CONCORD COPA COGECA CSR Europe CSR Europe EESC EESC EPHA ESADE Business School European Youth Forum Social Platform SDG Watch World Bank United Nations Represented by Boris Tonhauser Liz Gosme Audrey Parizel Lonne Poissonnier Evangelos Koumentakos Jan Noterdaeme Rosanna Tufo Brenda King Noelani Dubati Alice Walker Eva Jane-Llopis Stephanie Beecroft Freek Spinnewijn Ingeborg Niestroy Observers Davinia Levy Alison Talkers 6