Expanding the knowledge base for policy implementation and long-term transitions

Dr Hans Bruyninckx

Executive Director, European Environment Agency (EEA)

EEA work program 2014-2018

Brussels, 19 March 2014 1

The EEA’s Mission

What?

The provision of timely, targeted, relevant and reliable information to policy-making agents and the public.

Why?

To help achieve significant and measurable improvements in Europe’s environment and to support sustainable development.

2

The developing policy framework

2014-2018 thematic policies timelines and deadlines.

2020/2030 comprehensive policies (Europe 2020, 7th EAP), or specific targets.

2050 long term visions and targets with a societal transition perspective.

2050

2020/2030

2014/2018

SUSTAINABILITY

WFD targets Fisheries below MSY MDGs

2020 targets Halt biodiversity loss 20-20-20 targets Air quality targets

Vision in 7EAP Reduce GHG 80-95% Water blueprint Zero impacts (air) SDGs ?

TIME

Key goals – EEA Work Programme 2014-2018

To be the prime source of knowledge at European level informing the implementation of European and national environment and climate policies;

To be a leading knowledge centre on the knowledge needed to support long term transition challenges and objectives;

To be the lead organisation at European level facilitating knowledge-sharing and capacity -building in the field of environment and climate change.

State and outlook of Europe´s environment EEA flagship assessments since 1995

A deeper understanding of challenges

1995 2000

2005

2010

Increased complexity of problem definition, analysis, and response.

2015

SOER

2015

2020

SOER

2020

Living within ecological limits

ECOSYSTEMS

Policy

Values

Technology

Science

Market

Industry

SOCIO-TECHNICAL SYSTEMS meeting social needs and providing value

Environmental externalities

Ecosystem services

system

system

system

Food system

Energy system

Mobility system

Building on two decades of investments

‘The EEA continues to be the most effective and efficient solution to providing credible information on the state of the European environment.’

Independent EEA evaluation COWI, March 2013

Support the developing policy framework

Strategic Areas 2014-2018 1. Informing policy implementation

2. Assessing systemic challenges

3. Knowledge co-creation, sharing

and use

4. EEA management

8

EEA strategic response

dynamic interactions

Informing policy implementation

Knowledge creation, sharing and use

Assessing systemic challenges

EEA strategic response and the policy cycle

Policy measure identification

(3)

Issue framing (2)

Issue identification

(1)

Policy measure development/

adoption (4)

Policy measure implementation

(5)

Policy measure effectiveness

(6)

Knowledge co-creation,

sharing and use (SA3)

Informing policy implementation

(SA1)

Assessing systemic challenges

(SA2)

10

1: Informing policy implementation

Goal

Improve content, accessibility and use of European-level environmental information by providing policy-relevant feedback and input to long-established and emerging policy frameworks, objectives and targets through reporting on progress in recognised environmental themes.

1: Informing policy implementation

Air pollution, transport and noise

Industrial Pollution

Climate change mitigation and energy

Climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation

Water management, resources and

ecosystems

Marine and maritime, fisheries and coastal

Biodiversity, ecosystems, agriculture and forests

Urban, land use and soil

Waste and material resources

1: Informing policy implementation

Achieve by 2018

Measurable uptake of EEA findings;

Acknowledged contribution to reporting processes under EU comitology and multi-lateral agreements;

Timely and reliable delivery databases, indicators, assessments, briefings, workshops, communication.

2: Assessing systemic challenges

Provide integrated assessments to signal synergies in support of policy coherence. Provide prospective analyses to signal emerging issues. Provide knowledge and analysis to assess progress towards fundamental transitions.

Transition to a sustainable future

2: Assessing systemic challenges

Resource-efficient economy and the environment

Environment, human health and well-being

Megatrends and transitions

Sustainability assessments and state of the environment reporting

2: Assessing systemic challenges

Achieve by 2018

Prompt delivery of SOER 2015;

Annual Indicator Reports 2014-2018;

Contribution to the processes for evaluations of the 7th EAP.

3: Knowledge co-creation, sharing and use

Goal

To be the authoritative European environment information node and hub within networks of knowledge co-creation, sharing and use.

3: Knowledge co-creation, sharing and use

Networking and partnerships

Technical systems development

Monitoring, data and information

management

Communication, outreach and user analysis

Copernicus operational services

Capacity building in West Balkan and European Neighbourhood countries

Quality management and operational

services

EEA/Eionet core processes

KNOWLEDGE CO-CREATION, SHARING AND USE (SA3)

Knowledge base

Member countries/ Eionet

Member States/ Eurostat

Research RTD, JRC/FP7, H2020

Remote sensing Copernicus

Citizens, civil society, business

M D I A K

INFORMING POLICY IMPLEMENTATION (SA1)

ASSESSING SYSTEMIC CHALLENGES (SA2)

Data

Information

Assessments

3: Knowledge co-creation, sharing and use

Achieve by 2018

Strengthen Eionet, and other functional networks;

Metrics to measure the active participation of Eionet;

Online availability of EEA data and information products and services;

Impacts of communication efforts.

4: EEA management

Goal

Excellence in delivering the work program.

4: EEA management

Governance and management

Administration

4: EEA management

Achieve by 2018

Work programme delivered;

Positive outcome of next five-year external evaluation (2018).

In conclusion

Connecting time dimensions and ambitions

Re-emphasising the core tasks

Innovation in knowledge creation

Europe in a quickly changing world

In times of budget and staff constraints

Some strategic management considerations

Interpret

Integrate

(M)

Monitoring

Structure

(D)

Data

(I)

Indicators

(A)

Assessments

(K)

Knowledge, understanding, action

Reflect & act

Copernicus, ...

Support to SIIF, ...

Resource efficiency, ...

Input to 7EAP, ...

EEAcademy, ...

Environmental Action Programme to 2020 (7EAP) Provides a lens to look at environment information

Article 4 (1)

– The Commission shall ensure that implementation […] of the programme

is monitored in the context of the Europe 2020 Strategy's regular

monitoring process. This process shall be informed by the European

Environment Agency’s indicators on the State of the Environment […]

Article 4 (2)

– The Commission shall also carry out an evaluation of the programme […]

based, inter alia, on the European Environment Agency’s report on the State

of the Environment and on a consultation with interested stakeholders […]

Annex, Art 1 (Vision)

– In 2050, we live well, within the planet's ecological limits. […]

Providing contributions to 7EAP implementation Examples of SOER-related work

Compile a comprensive overview of state of environment in Europe

– SOER 2015, based on totality of environmental information at EEA

Support to monitoring of 7EAP

– Annual Environmental Indicator Report 2016 to 2019

Support to evaluation of 7EAP

– A ‘mini’ SOER Synthesis report in 2018, labelled 'SOER update'

Contribute to reflections on how to achieve the 2050 Vision

– Late Lessons 3 to reflect on a long-term transition agenda (2050)

Thank you

eea.europa.eu