International peer review of the Dutch sustainability strategy
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Chapter 8 of Agenda 21 calls on
states to adopt national strategies for sustainable development that
“should build upon and harmonize the various sectoral economic, social
and environmental policies and plans that are operating in the
country.” The 2002 World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD)
reiterated this commitment, including the call to begin implementing
these strategies by 2005.
The revised EU Sustainable Development Strategy, which was endorsed in
June 2006, proposes that Member States undertake voluntary peer reviews
of national strategies for sustainable development. A model for such a
peer review was provided by the French government, which initiated such
a review in 2003 in accordance with a commitment made by the French
president during the WSSD.
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The first country to embark on a peer
review as part of the EU programme is the Netherlands. The review is
being coordinated by the RMNO, the independent and multi-stakeholder
Dutch Advisory Council for Research on Spatial Planning, Nature, and
the Environment (see http://www.rmno.nl).
Aims and Objectives
The objectives of the review are described by the Chair of the RMNO,
Prof Roeland in ‘t Veld, as follows:
A peer review is the systematic examination and assessment of the
performance of a state by other states, with the ultimate goal of
helping the reviewed state improve its policy making, adopt best
practices, and comply with established standards and principles. OECD
practice shows that reciprocal learning is a key success factor of the
peer review, as the peer reviewers learn as much as the reviewed state,
and through the publication of results other Member States also get
access to the experiences – positive and negative – of the reviewed
state.
Considering the recent elections in the Netherlands and the fact that
the existing strategy for sustainable development is already almost
four years old, the scope of the peer review team has been extended to
include not only an assessment of the existing strategy, but also to
guide and comment on plans for a new strategy, which is likely to be
developed during the course of 2007.
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Publications and Reports
- Van Zijst, H., 2006. Sustainable Development Strategy of the
Netherlands: Background report for the peer review of SDS in the
Netherlands 2007. RMNO, Den Haag.
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Project Team
The peer review team consists of a total of 12 members. Germany,
Finland, and South Africa are each represented by four team members
representing government, civil society, business, and science. The
South African team consists of the following:
- Leila Mahomed, Sustainable Energy Africa, representing civil
society;
- Joanne Yawitch, Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism,
representing government;
- Pancho Ndebele, SAB Miller, representing business; and
Client
RMNO, the independent and multi-stakeholder Dutch Advisory Council for
Research on Spatial Planning, Nature, and the Environment link
Timeframe
January 2007 – April 2007
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