The Final document is available to download: EENGOCF NSDS Document – Final May 2007

Downloads
EENGOCF NSDS recommendations
NSDS outreach letter

Link: www.airset.com

• We are drafting and submitting recommendations for the National Sustainable Development Strategy to the Government. Have you had your say?
• The Greens are in Government now! Could it be that our voice will be more recognised, more acknowledged?
• Do you want to help in developing this important document that will help to shape Government policies for future generations?

The EENGO secretariat was asked by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to provide recommendations for Ireland’s National Sustainable Development Strategy, specifically to reflect the input of member organizations. The DoE offered to provide a grant to support a process of consultation amongst the member organizations to provide an environmental NGO perspective on a renewed National Sustainable Development Strategy.

The Editorial Committee comprises five people, who are members of EENGO member organizations: Frank Corcoran of An Taisce, David Healy of Friends of the Irish Environment, Anthony Keane of Gluaiseacht, David Korowicz of Feasta, and Emer O’Siochrú of Feasta. Their role is to guide the development of the recommendations and to ensure that the voices of the EENGO membership are heard. Assisting them is an Editorial Coordinator, Devyn Olson-Sawyer, who coordinates the review process, including the online forum and workshops.

The review process:

During April and May, the Editorial Committee worked with experts in the various topics to develop a first draft document, which was submitted to the Department of the Environment for review and feedback. We have also held meetings with initial contributors to discuss drafts and allocation of further input. This process is still at an early stage.

The document that was submitted to the DoE is available for review by member organizations and their individual members through a number of methods. There is an online forum on AirSet.com where each section is posted. This forum requires an invitation to sign up for a free membership. Once signed up, the EENGO member will be able to read and comment on sections via a blog. A pdf version is also available here, downloadable from AirSet, or can be requested via email to Devyn. Comments can then be emailed back to Devyn.

Workshops and small group meetings have been held in Dublin and Sligo, where participants have been able to discuss the recommendations in a group setting, and share their comments and stories. Other workshops/meetings are being planned in Cork City (6 July) and again in Dublin (week of 9 July). For those who may not be able to attend a workshop or comment via blog or email, we also plan one-on-one interviews.

To request access to the blog or for further information about how to get your voice heard, email Devyn at EENGO [dot] NSP [at] gmail [dot] com (remove spaces and brackets for email address).

The approach:

This EENGO submission to inform a National Sustainable Development Strategy will go beyond a reiteration of global objectives under the Rio and Johannesburg summits and European Directives accompanied by a list of Ireland’s failures to deliver, although they will set the context of the submission. Instead we interrogate the forces and/or entrenched ideas that stymie progress so effectively and investigate new structures and mechanisms to engage our considerable human ingenuity and drive to secure the future for our children and ourselves.

The next National Sustainable Development Strategy will cover the short – approximately 10 year – window before our options close down alarmingly as climate change reaches irreversible thresholds. There is literally no time to lose and everything to gain, not least national competitive advantage, were we to make the changes now, before they force themselves on us along with the rest of the world.

The EENGO network is comprised of 26 constituent groups, operating at national level, well informed from years of monitoring, commenting and campaigning on these issues. We offer this our considered advice for what should be done, and trust that if it succeeds in sparking a national debate, it will be short and lead immediately to action.

Downloads:

EENGOCF 1st Draft Recommendations for the NSDS

EENGOCF Outreach letter – Final