basque sustainable development strategy 2020

ECO from economy

ECO from Ecology

ECO from the voice of the whole society

BASQUE sustainable development

STRATEGY 2020

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6 EcoEuskadi 2020: a stratEgic window to a sustainablE futurE

ECO from economy

ECO from Ecology

ECO from the voice of the whole society

basQuE sustainable development

stratEgY 2020

Publication:July 2011

PubliSHED bY:Eusko Jaurlaritza – basque Governmentihobe, Sociedad Pública de Gestión ambiental

EcoEuskadi 2020 technical SecretariatAlda. de Urquijo N.º 36 - 6.ª (Plaza Bizkaia) 48011 BilbaoTel.: 94 423 07 43 • Fax: 94 423 59 00

[email protected] • www.ihobe.net

DESiGn anD laYout:Canaldirecto • www.canal-directo.com

tRanSlation:Traductores e Intérpretes S.A.

lEGal DEPoSit:BI-2499/2011

The contents of this book, in this edition, are published under licence:

Creative Commons Recognition-Non commercial–ShareALike 3.0 Unported

(Further information http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.es_ES)

this document was made using only 100% recycled and totally chlorine free paper.

the paper used holds the following certificates: angel azul, cisne nórdico and European Ecolabel.

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PrEsEntatiOn

ECOEuskadi 2020: a stratEgiC windOw tO a sustainablE futurE

thE ECOEuskadi 2020 stratEgy: MissiOn

ECOEuskadi 2020 VisiOn

guiding PrinCiPlEs

stratEgiC ObjECtiVEs

linEs Of aCtiOn

transVErsal fOCusEs

ECOEuskadi 2020 COntrOl PanEl

ManagEMEnt MOdEl

guidElinEs fOr inCOrPOrating sustainability CritEria in sECtOral POliCiEs

annExEs

indEx

On 5 July 2011, the Basque Government approved the first Sustainable Development Strategy, which we named EcoEuskadi 2020. This milestone has positioned the Basque Country among Europe’s most cutting-edge regions in the field of sustainability.

EcoEuskadi 2020 is economy, it is ecology and it is the echo of the voice of society as a whole. It will henceforth be the relevant instrument to prepare all public policies. It is a common project constructed by and for Basque citizens.

The Basque Country is now working on a progress model that will turn us into a cohesive country, with free citizens, committed to an economy that ensures the well-being of its inhabitants and protects environmental assets. Jobs, youth and innovation are the pillars of this new model.

We plan to increase the employment level of people between 20 and 64 to 75%, achieve

3% investment in research, development and innovation; reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20%; reduce the school dropout rate to under 10% and the number of people living under the poverty threshold to under 15%.

EcoEuskadi 2020 likewise sets out the strategic reflections implemented by the different territories and local councils, and consolidates them into a single country vision. Achieving the magnificent result of this strategy could not have been possible without this preliminary co-responsibility work.

This document is also the outcome of the involvement of all socio-economic stakeholders. I would like to sincerely thank each and every one of them for their commitment and collaboration.

EcoEuskadi 2020 is now a reality. The Basque Country has a strategy.

prEsEntation

Patxi lópezLehendakari (Basque Premier)

5 July 2011

EcoEuskadi 2020: a stratEgic window to a sustainablE futurE

7

1 Regional Cabinet Agreement of April 13, 2010.2 It must also be aligned with the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Spain (2007) and the Sustainable Economy Act (2011).

On June 5, 2009, in the presentation of the so-called Declaration of Urdaibai, the President of the Basque Country expressed his intention to lead a new development model - a transversal and integrating pillar of the political action of the Basque Government, gathered in the EcoEuskadi 2020 instrument.

The EcoEuskadi 2020 instrument, included as an emblematic initiative within the significant Calendar of Plans and Actions for the 9th Legislature,1 is the Strategy for Sustainable Development in the Basque Country up to the year 2020. It establishes the strategic objectives that encompass sectoral plans from the sustainability perspective. EcoEuskadi 2020 will serve to deepen the concept of Sustainable Development and to assimilate its implications when designing departmental and sectoral policies.

Sustainability is an interrelated and global concept that must be managed according to a political commitment that is appropriate to each

territorial area, exceeding a specific territory. Therefore, the Basque Country must unavoidably coordinate its own strategy for sustainable development with international strategies and commitments, essentially with the Europe 2020 Strategy.2 Furthermore, it has to converge with the sustainable development strategies of the three territories it comprises (the Biscay Programme 21 2011-2016, the Gipuzkoa Strategy 2020-2030 and the Strategic Sustainable Development Plan for Álava 2011-2015), as well as with the local sustainability processes of the towns, developed through the Local Agenda 21.

By virtue of its transversal nature, the EcoEuskadi 2020 instrument is devoted to articulate public actions towards the project of a country that is economically competitive, innovative and eco-efficient, social united and jointly responsible, committed to the quality of the assets and resources of its natural heritage.

“EcoEuskadi 2020 is a transversal tool designed to advance towards a new model of sustainable progress that allows for a balanced development of the country with lower resource consumption, and from which we will promote one of the main engines for change towards this new economy in which bonds between economic growth, social welfare and conserving our environmental assets are appropriately linked (...)”

Patxi López, President of the Basque Country Vitoria-Gasteiz, 5 july 2011

introduction


May 2010 October 2010 February 2011 June 2011

PARTICIPATORY PROCESS ON CHALLENGES PARTICIPATORY PROCESS ON PROPOSALS

Scenarios 2030

Situationanalysis

Challenges to sustainability

Indicators Sustainable Development

Keys to sustainability in the Basque Country

Strategic framework, objectives and lines of action

STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

EcoEuskadi 2020

PREPARATORY WORK

METHODOLOGICAL ORGANISATION

3 See chapter 9 «Management Model».

procEss for dEvEloping thE stratEgY

The process for developing the EcoEuskadi 2020 Strategy was led by the President of the Basque Country, Patxi López, and boosted by several multidepartmental and multiinstitutional committees. The following operational organisms had been established:

— Interdepartmental Committee, formed by Deputy Ministers of the Basque Government.

— Interinstitutional Committee, formed by representatives from the three provincial councils, from Eudel —Association of Basque Municipalities— and the economic, social and environmental areas of the Basque Government.

— Monitoring Committee, made up of senior officials of the Basque Presidency, the Department of the Environment and Ihobe, the operative body behind the EcoEuskadi 2020 initiative, responsible for proposing the methodology and assigning the technical,

organisational and economic resources necessary to develop the entire process.

— Technical Committee, formed by technical staff from the different Departments of the Basque Government.

— Technical Secretariat, coordinated by the Basque Government’s Environmental Management Authority (Ihobe).

Considering the synergies that have been set out and the excellent results obtained from this organisational model, it has to be kept in force, to deploy, assess and monitor EcoEuskadi 2020 in the context of the Sustainable Development Office.3

A noteworthy feature is the commitment to gather the maximum number of agents and citizens participating as possible, as a differentiating and structuring factor of the entire process. In order to build the EcoEuskadi 2020 strategy bottom-up. For that purpose, different onsite and virtual participation channels were created throughout the process, that complemented and redirected the work of the committees. Those channels were one of the main characteristics and most highly valued elements when developing the Strategy.

synthesis of the development process of the strategy for sustainable development EcoEuskadi 2020

Figure 1.

9BASQUE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2020

Work processThe methodology followed to develop the Euskadi

2020 Strategy for Sustainable Development fully conformed to the slogan “the process is as important as its content”. Actually, great prominence was given to the participation of social, economic and institutional agents and to the public in general (particularly young people), almost continuously throughout the process.4

The process itself has followed three clearly defined phases. The first, which we could call the preparation, began in May 2010 and tackled the creation of the aforementioned committees and the initial methodological documents; the second phase of diagnosis lasted from October 2010 to February 2011 and finalised with the identification of eight keys to safeguard the sustainability of development in the Basque Country. Finally the third phase, concluded in June 2011, consisted of preparing the strategy itself. Both final phases were strongly supported by extensive and in-depth public participation processes that have allowed the different social agents and the public in general to contribute to a true construction process from the base; specific proposals that have been included in the strategy.

The diagnosis phase was developed on the basis of three documents:5

— Scenarios 2030. Implications for the Basque Country, based on recognised macro trends in a series of fields that directly affect the framework of action in the Basque Country.

— Euskadi 2011 sustainable development indicators, putting into figures the main parameters that define sustainability, aligned with the European indicators in use.

— Situation diagnosis for a sustainable Basque Country in 2020, based on the sectoral analysis prepared by the different departments of the Basque government, those prepared to develop the sustainable development strategies of the three Historical Territories, as well as

other documents available on sustainability (E.g.: Basque President’s Advisory Council on Socio-economic Affairs).

These documents prepared by the Technical Committee have been contrasted by the Interdepartmental and Interinstitutional Committees mentioned above.

The situation diagnosis highlights how our system faces three great threats that, lacking an appropriate response, will gradually but inexorably lead to the depletion of the welfare system:

— The first involves depletion of resources that are scarce (energy, other raw materials, food, water) and ever more in dispute due to the growing number of countries in global markets, which obliges us to redefine the basis of competitiveness in our productive industry in an open and globalised world.

— The second threat, closely linked to the current energy model, is climate change. Mitigating climate change requires a radical change of the energy model based on fossil fuels. Despite the possible change of energy model, climate change will produce effects to which we must adapt, beyond the 2020 horizon, and generally given the greater frequency of extreme atmospheric phenomena.

— The third is linked to our demographic evolution, which leads us to a situation that is stationary and possibly, beyond 2020, regressive of the population volume.

These are threats that we also share with other regions but that require specific solutions by each region.

On the interaction of these three great threats with our socio-economic reality, the diagnosis concludes with the identification of nine challenges to the sustainability of the Basque Country6 that were contrasted with the general public in participatory session.7 As a result of this contrast, the phase ended with the identification of the

4 Annex 3: Synthesis of the participatory process.5 All the documentation is available at www.ecoeuskadi2020.net.6 The challenges identified were: 1. Productive model, employment and competitiveness. Basque Country in the global economy; 2. Sustainable production

and consumption. Raw materials. Waste and recycling; 3. Climate change and energy model; 4. Land planning and use. Biodiversity and natural heritage; 5. Mobility, infrastructures and means of transport; 6. The welfare state; 7. Social cohesion and solidarity; 8. Culture and society and 9. Governance.

7 Participatory process aimed at socio-economic agents. Technical Conclusions of the 1st session (January 25 and 26, 2011). Available at www.ecoeuskadi2020.net.


following for a sustainable Basque Country in the year 2020:

1. Scarce natural resources and in the process of depletion.

2. Energy dependence and climate change.

3. Globalisation of competition.

4. Profound demographic changes.

5. Unbalanced generational change.

6. Fragility of a changing system of values.

7. Unsustainable mobility and transport.

8. Unequal international development.

Based on the agreed key aspects, since late February 2011 we have built the Euskadi 2020 Strategy for Sustainable Development. During this last phase, the participatory processes were held parallel to the work undertaken by the different committees, and have continuously contributed to the process of drafting the Strategy. Each of the groups or individuals has submitted their input in relation to what they consider must be a more sustainable Basque Country and the specific lines of action and proposals to achieve this. In this way, the drafting has followed a bottom-up outline, searching for the involvement of the greatest number of agents possible, maximum consensus and including the different sensitivities that make up Basque society.

The process was enriched with the contributions of the technical staff of the Government Departments through idea and line of action contribution sessions in interdepartmental forums to combine the focuses on:

— Economic and Environmental Sustainability (Economy, Industry, Environment and Agriculture and Energy, Transport, Education).

— Social Sustainability (Health, Employment and Social Services, Economy).

— Governance (Presidency, Education, Economic, Public Administration).

After the contrast in the participatory process undertaken in May 20118, the body of the Strategy developed throughout this text was built.

It is noteworthy the work carried out throughout the process by the Basque President’s Advisory Council on Socio-economic Affairs, as a permanent contrasting organism throughout the drafting of EcoEuskadi 2020, and also Innobasque, the Basque Innovation Agency, which acted as a coordinator for the deployment of the participatory process.

Finally, it should be noted that the Basque Economic and Social Council reported on the Sustainable Development Strategy Project on June 8, 2011 and considered it appropriate to be processed. The Economic Development Committee of this Council, who worked on the EcoEuskadi 2020 strategy, incorporated in the report a series of observations that have mostly been included in this Strategy.

Extensive and intensive participatory process

The participatory process has had great relevance when drafting this Strategy, and it has been a conditioning element thereof. The Basque Government provided forums for participatory reflection and cooperation (active co-creation) in order to gather the opinions and stances of young people, businessesmen, social bodies, institutions and general public.

The intensity and extent of the participation came to prove a consensus on the need and urgency of developing a Sustainable Development Strategy for Euskadi 2020 with a long-term vision, in order to pursue action on the unsustainable trends of the current system.

The participation process can be summarised in the following figures:

— 50 physical and virtual participatory forums.— 78 onsite meetings or workshops held.— 388 entities represented.— 2,502 attendees and 2,368 people taking part;

of them, 1,616 young people.

8 Participatory process aimed at socio-economic agents. Technical Conclusions of the 2nd session (May 9, 10 and 11, 2011). Available at www.

ecoeuskadi2020.net.


— 832 users of the open spaces online and on social networks.

— And over 9,350 hours of participatory work dedicated to the EcoEuskadi 2020 strategy.

To do this, we followed two different channels:

— A traditional in-person channel.— A virtual channel, based on social networks.

All the information prepared is available on the website www.ecoeuskadi2020.net, which is also the permanent reference for the communicative and participatory process.

The institutional vision was also represented by the committees that make up the process: the Town Councils through Udalsarea 21 (the Basque Network of Municipalities for Sustainability), the departmental and interdepartmental sessions of the different Basque Government Departments, as well as the different Basque universities and Q Epea (the Network of Public Entities for Excellence).

The contribution of socio-economic agents was provided by Izaite (Basque companies for sustainability), Bai+ (Forum for reflection for sustainability of Eusko Ikaskuntza/Basque Studies Society), Garapen (Association of Basque Development Agencies), and Technological Centres, among others.

Building a project for the future must significantly take into account young people with special attention to educational centres. There have been work sessions in the University of Deusto, University of Mondragón and the University of the Basque Country / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, in vocational training centres and in secondary schools in the three territories, as well as different youth associations.

Finally, the contribution of Basque society was channelled through the website and main social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Tuenti, Open Ideiak, etc.), with the support and coordination of the Office of Open Government and Communication on the Internet, attached to the Presidency of the Basque Government. Furthermore, these public participation

channels were complemented with Local Agenda 21 forums in different municipalities and regions, as well as the work of several NGOs.

As a differentiating feature, we opened a complementary and innovative public participation channel to gather social discourse on sustainability in the Basque Country, and to approach this concept from a public perspective. For this purpose, we developed a qualitative methodology (Future Workshops) that allowed us to know the depth and development of social discourse, through group dynamics with people of different characteristics, based on three parameters (Historical Territory, age and rural/urban environment). The results show the positive but distant or remote nature that citizens attributes to the concept of sustainable development, linked to responsibility towards the future and particularly to the environment and energy model. However, there is a distinct lack of association between sustainable development and aspects of economic and social cohesion.

This process gave rise to a pioneering quantitative study9 related to Quality of life and Sustainability, its main findings show for example that the weighting given by Basque society to economic, social and environmental aspects in relation to the concept of quality of life are well balanced. Employment and the competitiveness of Basque companies in a global market are perceived as key aspects of the future, the study also detected a special sensitivity to promoting and aiding the primary sector in the Basque Country. The ageing population and low birth rate have an average relevance on the scale of importance. Intergenerational and international joint-responsibility is another outstanding aspect, most are aware that current consumption of resources jeopardises the welfare of future generations and of the need to support the poorest countries.

Due to the impact it had on the development of the Strategy, as an element to display the input received, the description of the participatory process and the results obtained will be object of an additional document that completes EcoEuskadi 2020.

9 Survey carried out by the Basque Government Office of Sociological Prospective among 1,200 people, based on a questionnaire linked to current and future keys to sustainability in the Basque Country. May 2011. See Annex 4.


outlinE of thE stratEgY

The Euskadi 2020 Strategy for Sustainable Development has been structured following the outline shown in the triangle of the figure:

Mission

The rationale of the Strategy. Reflects the national project towards which the Basque Country wishes to advance.

Vision

Direction or purpose of a conscious desire. Reflects how we want to see ourselves and be seen by 2020.

Guiding principles

Basic principles that should guide institutional policies and leadership.

Strategic Objectives

Derived directly from the vision, they reflect the partial goals that must be developed in order to advance towards this vision.

Lines of Action

Main actions proposed to advance towards the Strategic Objectives outlined.

Transversal Focuses

Priority areas of action that impact simultaneously on the three dimensions of sustainability. They require vertical and horizontal coordination by the Administration and may become bottlenecks in the progress towards the strategic objectives.

The Strategy is completed with three chapters of the utmost importance:

— The control panel, with three types of indicators (the head, policy monitoring and progress in Strategy management) that allow us to make a direct reading of the evolution of sustainability and is the basis to assess the effectiveness of the Strategy.

— The management model, which establishes the procedure for monitoring, assessing and periodically revising EcoEuskadi 2020.

— Guidelines for incorporating sustainability criteria into sectoral policies, which includes the criteria to be used to incorporate the principles of sustainability in the policies of the Basque Administration.

Finally, the Strategy has four annexes, with the following content:

1. Aligning the Government plans with the strategic objectives of the 2020 Strategy for Sustainable Development.

2. Fitting the EcoEuskadi 2020 strategic objectives with the objectives of the sustainable development plans of the Provincial Councils.

3. Synthesis of the participatory process.

4. Citizenship and sustainable development.

As previously mentioned, the special characteristic of the participation process and the impact it has had on the development of the Strategy will be object of an additional document that complements the Euskadi 2020 Strategy for Sustainable Development.

Finally, it is necessary to deploy a guide to detail the guidelines for incorporating sustainability criteria in the sectoral policies and strategies.


Outline of the sustainable development strategy, EcoEuskadi 2020

Figure 2.

thE EcoEuskadi 2020 stratEgY: Mission

15

This formulation implies:

— Serving as a platform to integrate all the Government's sectoral policies: EcoEuskadi 2020 does not intend, in principle, to include new actions but to seek the integration and coherence of the different Government strategies.

— And of the other public administrations: And also of the Provincial and Town Councils, therefore its participation, given the distribution of competence between the different levels of administration, is essential to achieve its goals.

— A national project: The perspective and priorities of the country as a whole should prevail, formalising a new contract between the Public Administration and society, in which a new form of governance is specified, achieving the support of the people and organisations.

— Agreeing a series of objectives, guidelines and principles that guarantee its economic, social and environmental sustainability: Although the Strategy does not include Action Plans, it shall include objectives and guiding principles that must be integrated and deployed in the appropriate sectoral plans. In consequence, the objectives may condition the future plans and strategies.

— With active public participation: Active citizens demand to participate actively in the regulation, plan and strategy drafting processes. Furthermore, progressing towards sustainability also involves hanging public models and attitudes. Therefore, public participation is essential for the effectiveness of the actions.

— Establishing milestones to periodically assess the progress made: As well as objectives and guiding principles, the Strategy for Sustainable Development shall have a control panel and set of monitoring indicators that shall serve as a reference to periodically assess the progress in achieving the different objectives set.

The mission of the EcoEuskadi 2020 Strategy is to serve as an integration platform for all the sectoral policies of the Government and other Public Administrations to create an explicit national project with public participation, agreeing a set of objectives, guidelines and principles that guarantee economic, social and environmental sustainability, establishing benchmarks that allow the progress made to be regularly assessed.

EcoEuskadi 2020 Vision

17

Developing the Strategy parts from an initial diagnosis10 of the Basque productive, social and ecological system. This diagnosis has revealed the existence of certain risks of unsustainability in the future. Contrasting the diagnosis with public group that joined the open participation process led to the identification of eight keys or reference elements for the future sustainability of the Basque system.11

In view of these keys, a purpose is formulated for the Strategy for Sustainable Development. This purpose summarises the vision of how we want to see ourselves and been seen in 2020, aware that to fulfil this purpose, and starting from the basis, we must undertake a series of actions that require certain commitment by the Basque Public Administration, the public and other agents. Nothing will come about on its own.

On the other hand, we must be aware that the vision is not really a goal but a direction. There is no state of sustainable development, but ways of progressing in a sustainable way.

For this reason we formulated this purpose as a conscious desire to:

“Advance in the construction of a national project that is at the forefront of sustainable development.”

This is specified in:

A country coordinated as Euskal Metrópoli (Basque Metropolis), cohesive, formed by free and healthy citizens who live in peace, who are actively committed to transforming the current productive system towards a new, eco-efficient and low-carbon economy that is competitive and open, based on education, research, knowledge, innovation and learning, to preserve the welfare and quality of life of its inhabitants; open to the world but protective of its cultural identity, natural resources and biodiversity, to build an attractive future in which to develop and cultivate human talent, and committed to developing the planet and its inhabitants.

10 Diagnosis of the situation for a sustainable Basque Country in 2020. Available at www.ecoeuskadi2020.net11 Keys to sustainability in the Basque Country. Available at www.ecoeuskadi2020.net

A country coordinated as Euskal Metrópoli (Basque Metropolis), cohesive, formed by free and healthy citizens who live in peace, who are actively committed to transforming the current productive system towards a new, eco-efficient and low-carbon economy that is competitive and open, based on education, research, knowledge, innovation and learning, to preserve the welfare and quality of life of its inhabitants; open to the world but protective of its cultural identity, natural resources and biodiversity, to build an attractive future in which to develop and cultivate human talent, and committed to developing the planet and its inhabitants.

18 EcoEuskadi 2020 vision

This formulation implies:

— A national project: Is conceived, designed, built as an integrated country, i.e. with an overview where each Territory, each Region, each Municipality, with its own personality and vocation is reinterpreted in terms of the country as a whole.

— That is at the forefront of sustainable development: The Basque Country, which has positioned itself among the advanced countries in terms of economic and social development, must continue forward in developing knowledge and in the achievements of the new, sustainable economy.

— A country coordinated as Euskal Metrópoli (Basque Metropolis): A country where the time and distance between its parts is so reduced that it conceives and designs its equipment as that of a large city, accessible to all its citizens, inserted in its natural environment, open and integrated into its surroundings.

— Cohesive: Solidary and egalitarian, it strives to correct factors of inequality, guaranteeing an acceptable level of equitable opportunities to develop the vital and healthy project of its residents. Employment, preparatory training, the universal provision of social and health services and solidarity are keys.

— Formed by free and healthy citizens who live in peace, who are actively committed: An active commitment is needed from all the men and women who are living for the first time in many years in freedom, peace and without violence, who are actively involved in healthy habits and living conditions both in their daily social life and in their work environment. The condition of healthy is not limited to the absence of illness, but to the approach of the determining factors of health, including the prevalence of social, environmental and working conditions that allow a balanced development of the person.

— Transforming the current productive system towards a new, eco-efficient and low-carbon economy: Sustainable development involves transforming our productive system, establishing a new model of sustainable development, three-dimensional, with a growing role for innovation, to respond to current challenges and, in particular, to the depletion of natural resources and the need to change the energy model in favour of a system that is free or little dependent on fossil fuels.

— Competitive and open: Excellence in what it is and in what allows it to successfully compete in an international context. Economic globalisation makes it imperative to progress towards a competitive and open economy to exchange the goods and services produced with increasing added value.

— Based on education, research, knowledge, innovation and learning: Making progress and, even more so, being at the forefront, requires research, knowledge, learning, applying. The Science and Technology system is therefore a key element of the new economy. Its development requires having a vocation for research and centres of excellence embedded in the global network for collaboration. And it requires entrepreneurs to commit to new business initiatives. Likewise, a country that aspires to be at the forefront needs a quality education system to achieve academic success and coordinated in a flexible manner, able to adapt educational and training contents to the qualifications required by the employment market.

— To preserve the welfare and quality of life of its inhabitants: Changing the productive model is necessary to continue being competitive. And we need to be to maintain our quality of life and finance our social and health protection system, and the new needs that arise with the change of demographic and social patterns, which include the increased proportion of depended persons, the prevalence of chronic diseases and the growing diversity of cultural guidelines. It is not only a matter of resources


but also of efficient management by the Public Administration, avoiding administrative duplication and avoiding the inequities of the system, with a vision of a country that knows that it is ageing and that it must adapt to new realities.

— Open to the world: The dimension of the challenges and the fact that they are shared by the whole developed world, requires us to relinquish the temptation to follow the path in isolation. The philosophy of network cooperation is necessary to share knowledge and accelerate progress.

— But protective of its cultural identity: The Basque Country has a strong cultural identity that is in itself an asset in a globalised world. The globalisation and internationalisation of the economy must not undermine the strengthening of idiosyncratic features that must also be an integrating factor in a society with a high percentage of immigrants from other cultures.

— Its natural resources and biodiversity: The quality of the natural environment and biodiversity of the Basque Country, as well as contributing to the feeling of belonging and identity, is a natural asset that enriches the quality of life of citizens, therefore urban development, communication channels or productive activities must be compatible with their conservation and development.

— To build an attractive future in which to develop and cultivate human talent: Overcoming the challenges that cast a cloud over the perspectives of humanity is, on the contrary, a source of hope able to arouse the best efforts and values, responding to the professional and life challenges of all people, particularly our youth.

— Committed to developing the planet and its inhabitants: The unsustainability of our traditional way of life is a problem of planetary dimensions and implications. On the other hand, we can hardly be solidary behind closed doors by closing our eyes to the inequalities and shortages of the most underprivileged countries. Developed countries, including the Basque Country, have acknowledged that they are jointly responsible for international development.

Our purpose is moving in the same direction, in other words, as the European Union in the Europe 2020 Strategy: intelligent, sustainable and integrating growth:

— Intelligent growth: developing a knowledge and innovation-based economy.

— Sustainable growth: promoting an economy that uses resources more efficiently, a green and more competitive economy.

— Integrating growth: building an economy with a high level of employment that results in economic, social and territorial cohesion.

These three priorities are mutually reinforcing and offer an image of the social market economy in Europe for the 21st century.

guiding principlEs

21

Notwithstanding that the Strategy may require direct action on many of the causes of unsustainability detected (e.g. substituting the energy model based on fossil fuels), sustainable development has much to do with the other way of designing policies or assessing actions. This different way of designing policies entails a more extensive analysis of their implications, both in time and in space:

— We must look at the repercussions in time, which may extend to future generations.

— We must analyse the implications beyond the direct impacts, including other fields (economic, resources, social groups) and not only those specific to the policy in question.

It is therefore a matter of extending the assessment in time and transversally in space and to the stakeholders.

This broader focus is evident in the definition of sustainable development itself, which is still valid since it was coined in the Brundtland Report:12

“development is sustainable if it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

This is a concept with profound ethical importance. But it also highlights a scientific fact: that at a given time the global ecosystem has a limited load or assimilation capacity.

“Many current actions supposedly aimed at progress are simply unsustainable, they entail too great a burden on already scarce natural resources. These actions may be useful in the balance sheets of our generation, but they imply that our children will inherit losses.”

World Commission on Environment and Development

Consequently, each generation must take responsibility for managing resources thinking ahead, seeking a fair division of resources between generations and regions of the world: each person must have access to the necessary resources in this and coming generations.

“Many current actions supposedly aimed at progress are simply unsustainable, they entail too great a burden on already scarce natural resources. These actions may be useful in the balance sheets of our generation, but they imply that our children will inherit losses.”

World Commission on Environment and Development

12 Our Common Future. Report of the Brundtland Commission. United Nations, 1987.

22 guiding principlEs

In practice, analysing sustainability is neither as obvious nor as simple. There are often gains in one aspect of the analysis but losses in one of the others. The solution as a procedure requires a detailed analysis of the different types of impact, transparency in the assessment processes and the participation of the stakeholders to find balanced solutions.

To guide this process it is necessary to establish a clear series of basic principles to guide policies and institutional leadership that must be promoted from the highest levels of the Public Administration. With this objective, the following four basic principles are presented from the start:

A) Intergenerational responsibility (assuming responsibility for future generations)

This principle directly entails that current needs must not be covered at the expense of depleting non-renewable resources. On the other hand, responsibility for the future also entails respecting the principle of precaution (avoiding possible damage to health or the environment, even if no definitive scientific evidence is available). Equally, applying the polluter pays principle, so that burdens are not transferred to other groups of the present or future generation.

B) Incorporating the perspective of sustainable development into the core of all policies, improving coherence and coordination between the different departments and areas of sectoral policies

This principle means that sustainable development is not another sectoral policy. The key issue is that all associated departments and organisms incorporate the perspective of sustainability in the way they design and implement policies from the beginning.

As if logical, this perspective must be incorporated according to the principle of coherence with the international commitments undertaken, adapting the guidelines, rhythms

and objectives established not only the Strategy for Sustainable Development, but also to other agreements and strategies with a higher territorial scope that involve the Basque Country.

To do this, the cross-examination of solutions between the different Organisms involved should be incorporated from the early stages of development of policies or actions plans. It must be ensured that important political decisions are made on the basis of proposals whose economic, social and environmental impact has been assessed in a transparent, participatory and interrelated way. Ex post assessment of programmes also plays an important role in understanding how their effectiveness and impact are applied to target groups, such as the existence of possible collateral effects.

Transparency in decision-making processes and the participation of affected stakeholders are key to guarantee that possible conflicts of interest are compensated, helping that decision made give due consideration to the perspective of sustainable development. Conflicts shown during the development process should be published, and the decisions made properly motivated.

C) Balanced consideration of the repercussions of each policy on the threefold economic, social and environmental dimension, ensuring that balanced progress is made on all three pillars

Policy-making must include and assess the threefold dimension of the objectives (ensuring a comprehensive and holistic vision).

Notwithstanding the development of precise assessment methodologies and procedures, the balance and exchange between the three development pillars is such a delicate task that only applying a strict principle of transparency will guarantee that the decisions are made after frank and open debate, and with a rigorous examination of alternatives, easily understandable for the public and the main social agents and entities.


D) Joint responsibility

Sustainable development is not a matter that only concerns the general administration of the Autonomous Region. Therefore it is basic to promote associations and partnerships for sustainable development among the different levels of public administration, with social agents and the general public.

Private companies and corporations, based on the principle of corporate social responsibility must also pay attention to sustainability in their strategies and ordinary operations, optimising

productive processes to generate as little impact on their environment as possible and maximising the value generated for society.

Therefore, the sustainability of policies requires, (i) the collaboration of the different levels of administration and (ii) the collaboration of the stakeholders and general public. The public understanding the different facets implicit in problems of sustainability is an essential conditions to make progress in the solutions. A strategy that does not include civil society in its approach will be necessarily limited and surely unsuccessful.

stratEgic objEctivEs

25

The formulation of the vision shows a clear strategic purpose: It is not merely about achieving sustainable development, but reaching a recognition of excellence in the balanced development of our living, economic, social and environmental conditions.

To reach this recognition, we must make substantial progress towards a series of partial goals that are also included in the Vision. Translated in terms of objectives upon which we can work, they can be divided into the following nine strategic objectives:

01tO POsitiOn thE basquE COuntry as an innOVatiVE, COMPEtitiVE, ECO-EffiCiEnt and OPEn ECOnOMy

04tO PrEsErVE Our natural rEsOurCEs and biOdiVErsity with rEsPECtful and balanCEd Planning Of thE tErritOry, infrastruCturEs, EquiPMEnt and hOusing

02tO COnsOlidatE a fully intEgrating and COhEsiVE basquE COuntry basEd On EMPlOyMEnt, EduCatiOn, PrEVEntiOn and sOlidarity

03tO strEngthEn sOCial PrOtECtiOn systEMs in OrdEr tO COntinuE guarantEEing harMOniOus, hEalthy and EquitablE dEVElOPMEnt

05tO MiniMisE EnErgy dEPEndEnCE On fOssil-basEd EnErgiEs and MitigatE grEEnhOusE gas EMissiOns and thE EffECts Of CliMatE ChangE

06tO dEVElOP a MOrE sustainablE intEgratEd MObility MOdEl that faCilitatEs struCturing thE inland tErritOry and COnnECtiOn with thE ExtEriOr in bEttEr COnditiOns Of COMPEtitiVEnEss

07tO build an EduCatiOn and quality ValuEs systEM, aiMEd at aChiEVing aCadEMiC suCCEss, flExiblE and adaPting EduCatiOnal and training COntEnts tO thE qualifiCatiOns rEquirEd by thE jOb MarkEt and sOCiEty thrOughOut lifE, inCluding sustainability in all its diMEnsiOns

08tO dEPlOy an innOVatiVE, EffiCiEnt, aCCEssiblE and transParEnt PubliC adMinistratiOn

Nine strategic objectives

09tO COntributE frOM thE basquE COuntry tO MEEting thE MillEnniuM gOals and, in gEnEral, tO thE sustainablE dEVElOPMEnt Of thE MOst undErPriVilEgEd COuntriEs


strategic Objective 1

tO POsitiOn thE basquE COuntry as an innOVatiVE, COMPEtitiVE, ECO-EffiCiEnt and OPEn ECOnOMy

Nowadays, the Basque economy is open and competitive based on industrial production, thanks to which we have reached the standard of living enjoying by the present generation, and that has proven to be strong and have a capacity for recovery that is above the other economies in its area. In the immediate future, increased global competition, the globalisation that affects many tradable activities and the depletion of energy and raw materials will lead us only being able to remain internationally competitive is we develop efficient technologies and processes, which optimise energy resources and the use of raw materials with a comprehensive product life cycle perspective. This requires developing new, advanced knowledge, based on science and its technological applications, which also increases added value per job post in a society in demographic stagnation or regression; something that, since our recognition as a small country, will be easier to achieve by cooperating with other countries in global networks than through autonomous development at any cost.


tO COnsOlidatE a fully intEgrating and COhEsiVE basquE COuntry basEd On EMPlOyMEnt, EduCatiOn, PrEVEntiOn and sOlidarity

Basque society has been characterised by its high level of social solidarity and large doses of egalitarianism, having paid special attention to underprivileged minorities. The main factor of social integration is undoubtedly a person’s access to quality employment in accordance with their skills. For this, it is essential that the education system is designed to develop their potential in an increasingly interactive, plural and open society. Appropriate employment and motivating education must make it easier to exercise healthy and integrating habits. Access to health and social services completes our welfare system, creating the framework that our society has developed to ensure equitable integration of individuals. Changes in values, diversity of ways of life and cultural standards and growing competition in the employment market can lead to situations of risk or social exclusion to which our system must respond, adapting and improving efficiency.

01

02



tO strEngthEn sOCial PrOtECtiOn systEMs in OrdEr tO COntinuE guarantEEing harMOniOus, hEalthy and EquitablE dEVElOPMEnt

Social protection systems are developed to guarantee people decent living conditions in which they can carry out their life project in a healthy way. Demographic changes, with the decrease in birth rate and prolongation of life, generate new demands (increased dependence, prevalence of chronic conditions) to which society must respond with formulas that affect both a more efficient organisation of services and funding mechanisms. On the other hand, the reduction in the workforce (employed or unemployed) and the increase in the inactive population (children, students, unemployed who do not want to work, pensioners...) make the financial stability of the system difficult. This will require us to adapt the systems from a dual perspective of income and expenses to ensure the viability of the whole.


tO PrEsErVE Our natural rEsOurCEs and biOdiVErsity with rEsPECtful and balanCEd Planning Of thE tErritOry, infrastruCturEs, EquiPMEnt and hOusing

The expansion of urban activities (residential, productive and services), the multiplication of transport infrastructures and the progressive abandoning of agricultural practices have required a large consumption of land and fractioning natural habitats, which endangers the survival of our biodiversity and introduces radical changes to the natural landscape. Human activities certainly need land, but land must be managed as a valuable and scarce asset to be optimised, enabling development according to its natural functions, minimising the impact on ecosystems and natural resources.

04

03

28 stratEgic objEctivEs


tO MiniMisE EnErgy dEPEndEnCE On fOssil-basEd EnErgiEs and MitigatE grEEnhOusE gas EMissiOns and thE EffECts Of CliMatE ChangE

The prospect of depleting the current energy system based on fossil fuels, increases the vulnerability of productive systems and consumption that, as is the case of the Basque Country, have scarce supply sources. Increased price volatility in this market, stimulated by the increased demand of the large developing economies and the political instability of oil producing countries, make it necessary to evolve as quickly as possible towards a system based on renewable energies, with a long-term perspective (2050) of practically completely substituting oil. This also works in parallel on the fundamental causes that accelerate climate change.


tO dEVElOP a MOrE sustainablE intEgratEd MObility MOdEl that faCilitatEs struCturing thE inland tErritOry and COnnECtiOn with thE ExtEriOr in bEttEr COnditiOns Of COMPEtitiVEnEss

The Basque transport system relies mainly on private vehicles and road transport. Railway is recovering positions in passenger transport but is limited to certain areas. Along with developing the new high speed railway network, it is urgent to advance towards a comprehensive railway system that provides service to the main areas of demand for mobility in the Basque Country, which is integrating and complements other transport infrastructures (airports, ports, bus stations), favouring intermodality and non-motorised transport and contributing to building Euskal Metrópoli. On the other hand, road transport is one of the great consumers of fossil-based energy, therefore without prejudice to vehicles evolving (reducing the maximum limit of emissions, using biofuels, implementing electric vehicles, etc.) developing the railway network will reduce consumption of oil by-products, decisively contributing to fulfilling objective 5.

05

06


Strategic Objective 7

TO build an educaTiOn and qualiTy valueS SySTem, aimed aT achieving academic SucceSS, flexible and adapTing educaTiOnal and Training cOnTenTS TO The qualificaTiOnS required by The jOb markeT and SOcieTy ThrOughOuT life, including SuSTainabiliTy in all iTS dimenSiOnS

The education system, and the university in particular, is the key by which we must access the knowledge necessary to face new challenges. The important feature is that the acceleration of changes requires us to clearly assume the concept of learning throughout life. And as we are at the frontier of knowledge, the new sustainable production systems require us to delve deep into the world of research and science. Besides preserving the traditional values that the education system must transmit, we must develop new values that promote innovation, collaboration and being open to the world. But becoming part of the global world must not make us lose our roots nor our history and way of being. On the contrary, it should serve to project a global dimension on to our own culture.


TO deplOy an innOvaTive, efficienT, acceSSible and TranSparenT public adminiSTraTiOn

We must move towards a new culture of Public Administration, to a form of governance understood as a different way of making decisions, multiplying the places to make decisions and the agents involved. Because the dimension of our challenges requires a new way of managing solutions, with maximum participation and collaboration between different levels of administration, and active participation of the public and stakeholders. It also requires us to make it more efficient and agile, avoiding duplicating and overlapping powers, searching for ways of collaborating with civil society that give new answers to new problems.


TO cOnTribuTe frOm The baSque cOunTry TO meeTing The millennium gOalS and, in general, TO The SuSTainable develOpmenT Of The mOST underprivileged cOunTrieS

Because the world will not be sustainable unless we assume our responsibilities for developing the most underprivileged countries. The Basque Country has ratified the Millennium Declaration, taking as its own the challenges of promoting international cohesion.

09

07

08

30 stratEgic objEctivEs

13 Associating the objective with the key comes from the input of the participation process.

The strategic objectives proposed are directly related the keys to sustainability identified at

the end of the diagnosis phase, as reflected in the interrelation table below:

9 stratEgiC ObjECtiVEs 8 kEys tO sustainability

1. To position the Basque Country as an innovative, competitive, eco-efficient and open economy

1. Scarce natural resources and in the process of depletion

3. Globalisation of competition

2. To consolidate a fully integrating and cohesive Basque Country based on employment, education, prevention and solidarity

4. Profound demographic changes 5. Unbalanced generational change

3. To strengthen social protection systems in order to continue guaranteeing harmonious, healthy and equitable development

4. Profound demographic changes 5. Unbalanced generational change

4. To preserve our natural resources and biodiversity with respectful and balanced planning of the territory, infrastructures, equipment and housing


5. To minimise energy dependence on fossil-based energies and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of climate change

2. Energy dependence and climate change

6. To develop a more sustainable integrated mobility model that facilitates structuring the inland territory and connection with the exterior in better conditions of competitiveness

7. Unsustainable mobility and transport

7. To build an education and quality values system, aimed at achieving academic success, flexible and adapting educational and training contents to the qualifications required by the job market and society throughout life, including sustainability in all its dimensions

6. Fragility of a changing system of values13

8. To deploy an innovative, efficient, accessible and transparent Public Administration.


3. Globalisation of competition6. Fragility of a changing system of values

9. To contribute from the Basque Country to meeting the Millennium Goals and, in general, to the sustainable development of the most underprivileged countries

8. Unequal international development


Moreover, and according to the three dimensions of sustainable development, these strategic objectives can be put into three groups of strategies:

— Strategies to advance towards a new economic/productive model that considers objectives 1. «To position the Basque Country as an innovative, competitive, eco-efficient and open economy», and 5. «To minimise energy dependence on fossil-based energies and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of Climate change».

— Strategies to achieve territorial and environmental excellence. The objectives included in this group are objective 4. «To preserve our natural resources and biodiversity with respectful and balanced planning of the territory, infrastructures, equipment and housing», and 6. «To develop a more sustainable integrated mobility model that facilitates structuring the inland territory and connection with the exterior in better conditions of competitiveness».

— Strategies for social cohesion and integration. Covers the areas of employment, education, social protection and health, and includes objectives 2. «To consolidate a fully integrating and cohesive Basque Country based on

employment, education, prevention and solidarity», 3. « To strengthen social protection systems in order to continue guaranteeing harmonious, healthy and equitable development», and 7. «To build an education and quality values system, aimed at achieving academic success, flexible and adapting educational and training contents to the qualifications required by the job market and society throughout life, including sustainability in all its dimensions».

Set apart would be objectives 8. «To deploy an innovative, efficient, accessible and transparent Public Administration, and to a lesser extent», 9. «To contribute from the Basque Country to meeting the Millennium Goals and, in general, to the sustainable development of the most underprivileged countries; both related to Governance and that could be considered on another level given their impact on the three dimensions of sustainable development».

The strategic objectives will be object of measurement and monitoring using the Strategy Control Panel, which includes, in an integrating and coherent manner, a set of indicators appropriate to reflect the progress made towards greater sustainability of the economic, social and environmental system.

linEs of action

33

To make progress in each strategic objective, a series of lines of actions are developed involving all areas of Government as well as other institutions and the general public. These lines of action group a set of actions according to their thematic affinity, with the exception of economic, tax and regulatory instruments that are assigned to the whole objective due to their impact and differential nature.

The formulation and content of the lines of action come from the proposals made throughout the open participation process, as well as the different commissions formed to develop the Strategy. The end result is the coherent sum of the visions that make up Basque society.

34

Line of action 3.1.to design a global framework of active policies to favour increased birth rate

Line of action 3.2. to consolidate the fiscal sustainability of the current welfare state (dependence, guaranteed income, health)

Line of action 4.1.to promote a compact city model

Line of action 4.2.to reduce pressure on ecosystems and natural resources (soil, water, air and landscape), improving the quality of the same

Line of action 4.3.to promote comprehensive rural development to preserve the natural values of the territory

Line of action 1.1. to promote an innovative, entrepreneurial and technologically advance economy based on knowledge, creativity, cooperation and skills

Line of action 1.2. to encourage the creation of green employment, reducing consumption and productive dependence on raw or natural materials, turning sustainability into a competitive advantage

Line of action 1.3.to support the internationalisation of companies

Line of action 2.1.to ensure integration and social cohesion

Line of action 2.2.to promote prevention, health promotion and personal autonomy as well as equal access to resources from a perspective of social determinants

Line of action 2.3.to promote specific, active employment policies

strategic Objective 1.

to position the basque Country as an innovative, competitive, eco-efficient and open ECOnOMy


to consolidate a fully integrating and cohesive basque Country based on EMPlOyMEnt, education, prevention and solidarity


to strengthen sOCial PrOtECtiOn systems in order to continue guaranteeing harmonious, healthy and equitable development of people


to preserve our natural rEsOurCEs and biodiversity with respectful and balanced planning of the territory, infrastructures, equipment and housing

Nine strategic objectives and 27 lines of action

35

Line of action 5.1.to promote the improvement of energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption

Line of action 5.2.to promote the generation and use of renewable energies

Line of action 5.3. to mitigate climate change and develop adaptation actions

Line of action 9.1.to actively contribute to the sustainable development of third world countries through cooperation projects

Line of action 9.2. to promote responsible trade and tourism with developing countries

Line of action 8.1. to modernise public management, innovating mechanisms for relating with the public

Line of action 8.2. to reinforce the efficiency of the public administration, revising its organisation and distribution of powers, promoting intra and inter-institutional cooperation and strengthening coordination mechanisms

Line of action 8.3. to advance in social participation formulas and public-private partnership


to build an EduCatiOn and quality values system, aimed at achieving academic success, flexible and adapting educational and training contents to the qualifications required by the job market and society throughout life, including sustainability in all its dimensions


to minimise energy dependence on fossil-based energy and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of CliMatE ChangE


to deploy an innovative, efficient, accessible and transparent PubliC adMinistratiOn


to contribute from the basque Country to meeting the MillEnniuM gOals and, in general, to the sustainable development of the most underprivileged countries

Line of action 7.1. to develop a training system that provides the skills required for professional and social life throughout life, including sustainability

Line of action 7.2. to promote training in values, particularly values related to sustainability

Line of action 7.3. to promote the international projection of basque culture and the elements that define our identity

Line of action 6.1. to promote more sustainable means of transport

Line of action 6.2.to achieve accessibility in appropriate and safe mobility conditions, based on integrated infrastructures and services


to develop a more sustainable integrated MObility model that facilitates structuring the inland territory and connection with the exterior in better conditions of competitiveness

36 linEs of action

Line of action 1.1. to promote an innovative, entrepreneurial and technologically advance economy based on knowledge, creativity, cooperation and skills

Transforming the current productive system requires innovating the current processes and making our companies more competitive, as well as committing to developing emerging sectors that are less dependent in terms of scarce and non-renewable materials and resources. Sectors of the future considered to be strategic are health services, ICTs and electronics, social services, energy and biosciences.

But advancing towards a dematerialised, low-carbon economy requires us to go beyond current frontiers of knowledge, giving a strong impetus to scientific knowledge and its applications, in new materials for example. All this requires equally large doses of creativity entrepreneurship.

To achieve this we depend on generating basic knowledge applied to excellence, for which it is essential to continue consolidating the Basque knowledge network, more closely approaching universities, companies, technological centres and the mediators in R&D&I that make up the Basque Science, Technology and Innovation Network (RVCTI).

But it is not only necessary to acquire higher levels of technological knowledge: we must equally make progress in transforming organisations inwardly, establishing more advanced business and organisation management models to make them more receipt to innovation in all its dimensions.

These are processes that are being worked on in all the countries in the developed world. Now more than ever it is crucial to participate in these international knowledge exchanges. Along with the internationalisation of our professionals, it is advisable to reach and project the image of an advanced, innovative and attractive country. This will make it easier to introduce benchmark centres of knowledge, attracting talent and activities from abroad.

Although scientific development is often associated with clean technologies and more sophisticated industrial development, new social demands related to demographic evolution also open vast prospects for business development in the field of caring for the elderly and dependent, with a host of adaptive technologies that facilitate functional autonomy and quality of life.

Within this set of actions the following are particularly relevant:

1. Supporting sustainable emerging sectors, particularly the renewable energies industry.

2. Consolidating the Basque Science, Technology and Innovation Network.

3. Improving the competitiveness of the productive industry through innovation3. Mejora de la competitividad del tejido productivo a través de la innovación.

strategic Objective 1. to position the basque Country as an innovative, competitive, eco-efficient and open ECOnOMy


Line of action 1.2. to encourage the creation of green employment, reducing consumption and productive dependence on raw or natural materials, turning sustainability into a competitive advantage

With no need to go beyond the barriers of knowledge there is ample room for improving sustainability by reducing consumption and productive dependence, incorporating an environmental perspective into the design process, considering the whole life cycle of a product —from design to elimination— seeking maximum efficiency in the consumption of materials and energy. Thus sustainability becomes a competitive advantage.

At the same time, reusing products and recovering waste open new opportunities for business and creating green employment. This requires the support of a regulatory framework that internalises external costs and long-term costs, which often the markets themselves are unable to convert into signals for the productive sector.

Economic factors may also become conducive to forming local markets, both in quality agricultural products and energy microgeneration, in which value is placed on local production that is globally competitive for economies of proximity, reducing logistics and transport costs. The end result is the creation of wealth and promoting local economies, boosted by encouraging intrapreneurship through business cooperation and forming innovative environments on a regional level.

In all these processes and in terms of demand, public awareness interactively plays the role of a lever to generate market by applying policies on corporate social responsibility and social clauses in the productive sector. Information and awareness-raising for action are key elements to generate responsible consumers who value and distinguish superior, environmentally friendly products and the lack of natural resources.


4. Boosting Innovation and Eco-design linked to material efficiency from the perspective of the life cycle of the product.

5. Recovering waste and reusing materials.

6. Boosting local economies that benefit from competitive advantages based on short proximity circuits.

strategic Objective 1. to position the basque Country as an innovative, competitive, eco-efficient and open ECOnOMy

38 linEs of action

Line of action 1.3. to support the internationalisation of companies

However, supporting the generation of local markets does not annul the marked trend to the globalisation of economic activity, which goes beyond approaching client markets. Globalisation implies a distribution of productive chain activities to achieve optimum use of both material and human resources. Consequently, progress towards an innovative, entrepreneurial and technologically advanced economy, based on Knowledge, Creativity, Cooperation and Skills (line 1.1. above) also implies progressing towards the internationalisation of the system, both of companies and organisations and, in particular, of the knowledge system itself.

Consequently, beyond supporting the diversification of geographic and sector destinations of our exports, it is pertinent to support business internationalisation processes. Special attention must be paid to small and medium enterprises that may require inclusion in programmes for support from driving companies and, above all, the creation of common infrastructures and business networks set up in different countries to facilitate implementation, sharing knowledge and experiences on the country and its markets.

It is obvious to add that globalisation requires companies to have people with the appropriate professional and social attitudes and aptitudes to manage cultural diversity and act in open economies.

Reciprocally, this professional training will also contribute to building a country that is open to the world, boosting the image of an attractive country that facilitates attracting talent, promotes tourism and the implementation of activities from abroad, including knowledge generation centres.

Within this set of actions the following are particularly relevant:7. Promoting the internationalisation of the Science and Technology system.

8. Creating industrial estates in rapidly growing countries such as Brazil, India or China.

9. Grant programmes for training in internationalisation processes.

Transforming the productive system is an arduous process that requires appropriate financial resources as well as reinforcing market signals or indicators. Hence it is considered important to highlight the role that must be played by two instruments:

10. Mobilisation of long-term financial resources and other sources of risk capital and long-term credit to redirect production towards sustainability (clean technologies, new materials and new sectors).

11. redirecting the tax system, incorporating significant and increasing criteria of green taxation.

strategic Objective 1. to position the basque Country as an innovative, competitive, eco-efficient and open economy


Line of action 2.1. to ensure integration and social cohesion

An advanced and modern society in 21st century Europe is characterised, among other aspects, by coordinating a social policy system that guarantees the integration of differences and whose core policy objective is to achieve a society that is as cohesive as possible.

Despite efforts made in recent years, in which social cohesion indicators in the Basque Country have shown positive rates in comparison to the EU27, work remains to be done to promote integration and the fight against unequal opportunities. Added to this as a complementary challenge is an important effort to maintain what has been achieved in a situation of economic crisis.

In the context of the EcoEuskadi 2020 Strategy, we must endeavour to achieve the true integration and inclusion of all people regardless of gender, age, origin or religious beliefs, based on guaranteeing equal treatment in identical situations, but different in situations that are not identical in all the areas in which we live: family, social and work.

As an important aspect to be considered, we must also mention that the Basque Country has been characterised by an important social initiative activity, which must continue to be an active and joint part of public institutions in the operative development of social policies, including integration policies, which will result in the strengthening of mechanisms that make it possible for a society to be considered as socially cohesive. as the society itself is able to weave the networks that support it.

Within this set of actions the following are particularly relevant:12. Promoting social inclusion and individual autonomy, strengthening social participation fo-

cused on solidarity and reinforcing collaboration with the social initiative in the operative development of social insertion programmes.

13. Favouring integration, including cultural integration, of immigrant workers and their fa-milies, influencing the educational disadvantage of the immigrant population.

strategic Objective 2. to consolidate a fully integrating and cohesive basque Country based on EMPlOyMEnt, education, prevention and solidarity

40 linEs of action

Line of action 2.2. to promote prevention, health promotion and personal autonomy as well as equal access to resources from a perspective of social determinants

The line revolves around the idea of a healthy and equitable Basque Country, which involves applying the social dimension (healthy) to all areas of sectoral policies.

The preventive dimension, both the concept of health and the concept of healthy, grants people a leading role in practising habits related to food, sports, open social relations, etc. But it also challenges the Administration, which must guarantee equal access to the resources needed by people to remain healthy.

New trends to promote health insist that this be taken into account in all policies, and that the role of a person be promoted, their responsibility to care for their health and the autonomy of a patient when participating in provision of the care they need.

With a view to 2020, the Basque Country faces a radical change of focus of its health system towards attending chronic patients and the dependent, while consolidating the space of the Basque social service system. Therefore, an important challenge to be addressed lies in the interrelational space between health and social services, the so-called sanitary and social space, conceived as a model of community and sustainable care that respects and promotes the dignity, wishes and quality of life of people with functional autonomy limitations.


14. Building a sanitary and social care system focused on the person and a community-based approach.

15. Proactively influencing social determinants of health and dependence.

16. Promoting social spaces that facilitate satisfying the needs of people to relate and bond.



14 Youth policy is explicitly addressed in the second transversal focus.


Line of action 2.3. to promote specific, active employment policies

The employment rate is a good indicator of the level of sustainability of the socio-economic system. Creating employment depends of the dynamism of the country and, in turn, is the result of a wide range of factors, both external and internal, which must be taken into consideration to design active employment policies that allow us to achieve our objectives: to increase and maintain activity rates, improve youth employment indexes and address the reduction of the volume of people of working age due to the effect of ageing.

But our employment market has another specific characteristic not found in other European territories we use as a reference: the poor quality of employment created, affected by greater insecurity and temporality.14

Added to this is the effect of the increased average age of the workforce that is evident in many public and private organisations.

Active employment policies are an essential pillar of economic and social sustainability and must maintain an integrating nature in relation to public policies in force in relation to creating employment and activating mechanisms to support job maintenance, from a qualitative (quality, accessibility, creating opportunities) and quantitative perspective. On the other hand, we must not forget that creating employment falls mainly on businesses, therefore it is essential to include and involve them in these policies, as well as that businesses assume their responsibility for the quality of employment.


17. Promoting the quality of employment, reducing precarious employment and underemployment.

18. Increasing employment opportunities for the older population, particularly women, favouring their employability.

19. Promoting age management policies in organisations and active ageing strategies.

Generally, within Strategic Objective 2, the main economic demands are given by the need to transform the sanitary and social system and active employability management. Hence it is considered important to highlight the role that must be played by three instruments:

20. Comprehensive development of the Basque Country Public Employment System.

21. Implementation of impact assessment on health as a tool to visualise and integrate health in sectoral policies.

22. Fight against submerged economy as an instrument to reduce underemployment and increase Administration income.

42 linEs of action

Line of action 3.1 .to design a global framework of active policies to favour increased birth rate

Declining birth rates in the Basque Country is a reality and forms part of what are known as heavy trends because their effect is present for many years and because their course cannot be changed quickly. The Basque Country has been among the European regions with the lowest birth rate for many years. The programmes and incentive measures implemented until now have not been sufficient.

Recently a comprehensive approach to the low birth rate problem has emerged, coordinated around the concept of work-life balance, and once this approach breaks out, factors emerge that may have been hidden but which have a direct effect on birth rates: factors related to equal opportunities for men and women in the workplace, coordinating working hours with school hours, or global family policies. Work-life balance policies are also an important component of Corporate Social Responsibility, therefore the role as an activator they may play in businesses must be taken into account in the global framework of these policies when designing or implementing said policies.


23. Promoting equal and efficient work-life balance policies.

24. Social agreement to reorganise the working day, overcoming the imbalances between work, school and commercial hours.

25. Plan to cover places at public nursery between 0 and 2 years.

strategic Objective 3. to strengthen sOCial PrOtECtiOn systems in order to continue guaranteeing harmonious, healthy and equitable development of people


strategic Objective 3. to strengthen sOCial PrOtECtiOn systems in order to continue guaranteeing harmonious, healthy and equitable development of people

Line of action 3.2. to consolidate the fiscal sustainability of the current welfare state (dependence, guaranteed income, health)

In order to strengthen the fiscal sustainability of the current welfare state we must reinforce its efficiency and adapt the current fiscal framework; but the public must also assume its share of responsibility in the rational use of resources demanded of the public sector. This requires the reorganisation and modernisation of the Administration to improve its efficiency and that people affront the new life cycle (longer life expectancy) and contribute to ensuring and maintaining, as much as possible, the level of welfare they want to enjoy.

Dependence is a growing phenomenon as we add years to life expectancy and technological and medical advances allow us to live with chronic illness. This is a radical change for people and the Administration, which must provide public health and social services.


26. Readapting the sanitary and social system in search of greater efficiency in spending while maintaining the quality of the services.

27. Adapting the fiscal effort to new realities.

28. Boosting the responsibility of citizens in the rational use of public services.

It is important to highlight the role that must be played by the following instruments:

29. Analysis of new financial instruments, both public and private, aimed at boosting the sanitary and social protection system.

30. Regulatory framework and social agreement on work-life balance.

31. Public spending efficiency and control, with greater coordination between the competent authorities.

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Line of action 4.1.to promote a compact city model

Adequate land planning is the starting point to preserve natural resources and biodiversity. Faced with the poorly controlled expansion of city limits that has prevailed in the past, taking awareness of the importance of natural soil as a scarce resource clearly identifies as a priority acting on the city that has already been built, which can and should support productive and residential activities, setting strict limits on urban expansion. We must recover disadvantaged areas, renovate and develop existing buildings, redensify and mix uses in towns and cities, and eventually the vertical development of tertiary and industrial activities to reduce land consumption and avoid travel.

The design of a city must be based on eco-efficiency criteria, avoiding unnecessary travel due to the separation and dispersion of industrial estates and work centres, or locating commercial, social or leisure facilities on the outskirts of the city. In the same way, urban design must give priority to public transport and creating pedestrian areas, generating the appropriate framework for practising healthy habits, reducing carbon emissions and optimising energy consumption efficiency. Nocturnal lighting systems must equally be optimised, avoiding unnecessary consumption and light contamination.

The ideal use and design of infrastructures and equipment will result in minimising the occupation of new land. A comprehensive vision of the territory, overcoming strictly local visions, must allow us to avoid duplicating equipment and facilities, which will not only result in less land consumption but in greater financial stability.


32. Establishing limits to land consumption in the Land Planning Guidelines, acting on the city already built.

33. Eco-efficient city design avoiding unnecessary travel, prioritising public transport and seeking a more efficient use of energy.

34. Optimising the use of infrastructures and equipment with a comprehensive vision of the territory.

strategic Objective 4. to preserve our natural rEsOurCEs and biodiversity with respectful and balanced planning of the territory, infrastructures, equipment and housing


Line of action 4.2. to reduce pressure on ecosystems and natural resources (soil, water, air and landscape), improving the quality of the same

The progressive strengthening of regulatory standards governing emissions and increased public awareness have contributed to reducing pressure on ecosystems and natural resources, partially correcting the deterioration accumulated due to previous practices.

We must continue making progress along these lines, progressively strengthening air quality standards, improving water resource management and water quality, and recovering contaminated soil to make possible the previously mentioned objective of giving priority to the city already built, restraining the unnecessary expansion of urban limits.

Within this set of actions, the following are particularly relevant:35. Improving water quality and water resource management.

36. Fighting the trivialisation of landscapes, favouring the maintenance of biological diversity.

strategic Objective 4. to preserve our natural resources and biodiversity with respectful and balanced planning of the territory, infrastructures, equipment and housing

Lines of action 4.3. to promote comprehensive rural development to preserve the natural values of the territory

Comprehensive rural development is key to maintaining population distribution between rural and urban environments. The presence of population in rural areas and promoting organic agriculture, together with other economic practices that are compatible with preserving natural values, are a guarantee for maintaining biodiversity.

On the other hand, acknowledging the ecological contribution of agriculture allows the development of local economic activities based on growing local products valued by society, creating direct trading channels which, due to their proximity to the market, allow for more responsible consumption, reducing the cost of logistics and transport.

The continuity of farming faces problems of generational change and a rise in value of agricultural land for alternative uses. Therefore, it is necessary to develop systems that facilitate the transfer of land for crops, such as land banks.

Within this set of actions the following are particularly relevant:37. Promoting economic activities linked to the rural environment (tourism, agrifood industry, etc.).

38. Promoting the generational change of farms.

39. Supporting agricultural practices that favour maintaining biodiversity and the landscape.

It is important to highlight the role that must be played by the following instruments:40. Land banks.

41. Analysis and incorporation of market mechanisms to bring real value to the public assets generated by natural resources.

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Line of action 5.1. to promote the improvement of energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption

Transport is one of the main sectors in the Basque Country in terms of energy consumption. In turn it is a sector that offers many opportunities for improvement in terms of energy efficiency and its dependence one type of energy: oil. Supporting the development of alternative energies and energy with more sustainable technology, such as the electric car, is an action to be developed, to favour the efficient use of the most common form private transport to date.

Urban environments also concentrate centres of energy consumption related to the residential, industrial, equipment uses, etc., developed in said environments. Promoting low-carbon consolidated urban developments and environments, understood to be those in which the flow of energy inputs and outputs are restricted to the minimum, lies in reducing energy consumption in said environments and in locating and concentrating energy production close to the points of consumption.

In the same way and in terms of construction, we will tend towards the organised conversion of the construction sector towards nearly zero-energy buildings (Directive 2010/31), acting with new criteria on design, management and maintenance of new buildings, but also on existing consolidated buildings.

On the other hand, urban networks will suffer an evolution as a response to technological advances, mainly in relation to their management, so that by providing the same service they achieve better performance and greater efficiency. Therefore, strategies such as the development of intelligent electricity networks or the response to new energy consumption associate with the electric car (electric charging unit network or charging stations) must be a reality. Promoting these measures will improve the supply safety, competitiveness and quality of the Basque energy system.

strategic Objective 5. to minimise energy dependence on fossil-based energy and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of CliMatE ChangE


The remaining sectors must in turn tend towards improving their energy efficiency in order to globally reduce energy consumption and intensity. The industrial, agricultural and services sectors must address improved energy efficiency by improving processes and energy cycles, using the most efficiently technologies and a more rational use of energy.

On the other hand, evolution towards an innovative, entrepreneurial and technologically advanced economy, based on knowledge, creativity and cooperation, must aim at reducing energy intensity, allowing for economic growth that is compatible with reducing consumption.

Finally, in the section the public plays a key role as the end consumer in many of the sectors mentioned and, therefore, the focus on reducing the impact of energy consumption will be an essential argument to raising public awareness.

Within this set of actions, the following are particularly relevant:

42. Supporting the development and use of electric cars and other based on alternative energies.

43. The organised conversion of the construction sector towards nearly zero-energy buildings.

44. Comprehensive renovation of buildings.

45. Emphasising efficiency in industry and other sectors to reduce consumption and improve competitiveness.

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Line of Action 5.2. to promote the generation and use of renewable energies

The Basque Country has limited resources, although it has the potential to generate more energy through renewable sources. It offers additional possibilities in terms of sources of renewable energy, such as wind, solar, geothermal, minihydraulic, biomass and wave power.

Together with advancing towards an energy system based on renewable sources, improvements in relation to centres of production and consumption points will make it possible to develop a decentralised energy model. On the one hand, this decentralisation will facilitate connecting renewable energy sources to the network, even on a domestic level, and also reducing losses on the electricity network. Furthermore, recovering biomass waste for thermal and electric uses is a priority action to bring a new energy model to fruition.


46. Intensifying efforts to promote increase renewable energy production based mostly on wind - land and sea - and photovoltaic energy, using biomass and, in the long term, marine energy.

47. Promoting greater use of renewable energies among users, particularly for the thermal use of biomass, solar thermal energy or geoexchange.

48. Seek institutional and social consensus on renewable energies and infrastructures.

strategic Objective 5. to minimise energy dependence on fossil-based energy and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of climate change


strategic Objective 5. to minimise energy dependence on fossil-based energy and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of climate change

Line of Action 5.3. to mitigate climate change and develop adaptation actions

Today climate change is one of the greatest global phenomena. The Basque Country has positioned itself in a pioneering role in this reflect, which is reflected in the Climate Change Act.

Having developed the legal framework, there are many challenges to be faced to combat the effects of climate change, minimise its causes and prevent the negative impacts entailed.

Firstly, we will promote the development of carbon sinks, breaking the present cycle and favouring the reduction of climate change causes associated with the cycle of CO

2.

The other main measure lies in reducing vulnerability to natural and technological risks. This measure involves adapting infrastructures that are strategically more critical and vulnerable to the effects of climate change. In turn, preventive action will be necessary to increase the capacity to anticipate and adapt to climate change. Finally, we must favour public awareness in order to reduce impacts and carbon footprint.


49. Developing systems to increase the absorption capacity of carbon sinks.

50. Promoting R&D&I lines of development to adapt to climate change, aimed at decision-making and communicating results.

In this context, these are the key instruments for the successful completion of the actions proposed in the strategic objective:

51. Using tax benefits to promote the use of technology in productive processes that provide quantifiable reductions of greenhouse gas emissions throughout the product or process cycle considered.

52. Including in regulations and aid grants assessment criteria related to using productive processes and equipment provide quantifiable reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.

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Line of action 6.1. to promote more sustainable means of transport

The development of a new railway system, which connects the three Basque capital cities with high speed lines, and these with other Spanish and European nodes and capitals, will be a fundamental pillar in the development of passenger and goods public transport in the Basque Country in the coming years. The new high speed network should be complemented with and integrated into a suburban railway, underground and tram network that structures the whole territory and contributes to create, in case such as the area of San Sebastian, metropolitan railway networks and services. This structuring system also requires the appropriate coordination of the rest of public transport systems, particularly urban and interurban buses, around railway networks in order to enable a comprehensive, efficient and intermodal public transport system.

In the same way, it is proposed that this comfort between different means of transport be properly materialised in relation to other passenger and goods transport systems (private vehicles, bicycles) and with centres that concentrate the flow of goods and people (ports, airports) in national and international distances. In this sense, coordinating railway-port transport or connecting “dry docks”, whether in the Basque Country or not, is essential in terms of the Basque goods transport system. This favours the inner structuring and external connection mentioned.

On the other hand, more sustainable means of transport that are therefore more compatible with the environment and health, has been gaining ground and users not only associated with free time and leisure, but also with daily use of the same. Enabling pedestrian traffic, developing a cyclable urban structure, promote the use of bicycles, even through public service systems, are a strategic challenge for Basque cities. Network and service, complemented by the necessary interurban connections, will make it possible to extend this means of transport throughout the territory. Similarly, internalising external costs of less sustainable means of transport should contribute to funding public transport.

strategic Objective 6. to develop a more sustainable integrated MObility model that facilitates structuring the inland territory and connection with the exterior in better conditions of competitiveness


At the same time, it is necessary to provide a public transport system as an element that globally links passenger transport in the Basque Country. For this purpose, measures will be implemented to improve the physical and fare unification of the public transport systems, system management and coordination, as well as the implementation of dissuasive measures for less sustainable means of transport such as the private vehicle. In first place, prices must be unified in each Historical Territory, and then make interoperability possible throughout the Basque Country, with a single ticket for the whole Basque Country.

This last aspect is particularly relevant in relation to mobility in terms of business. In this field, the proposal is to limit movements as much as possible through teleworking, videoconferences, Internet, etc. and to find collective solutions for travelling to the workplace by bus or car-pool, overcoming the obstacles of different business working hours or involving trade unions in this type of solution.

This will all be accompanied by promoting an intensive policy of education on sustainable mobility, providing information on alternatives to conventional, individual motorised mobility (public transport, walking or cycling, car-pooling, park and ride, intelligent tickets, etc.) and socially devaluing the use of vehicles.


53. Turning rail transport into the structuring axis of passenger and goods transport.

54. Creating a single ticket in each Historical Territory to subsequently enable interoperability and the unification of fares throughout the Basque Country transport network.

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strategic Objective 6. to develop a more sustainable integrated MObility model that facilitates structuring the inland territory and connection with the exterior in better conditions of competitiveness

Line of action 6.2. to achieve accessibility in appropriate and safe mobility conditions, based on integrated infrastructures and services

Developing a national infrastructure and services network will respond to the internal and external mobility needs, with an economic viability integrated into the European transport system. This network will be a tool to promote territorial and social cohesion and the competitiveness of the Basque Country, integrating mobility into land use planning based on the concept of proximity. Key aspects for this are the optimum use of transport infrastructures and minimising the occupation of new land, together will a commitment to a compact urban model; mixing residential uses, economic activity and leisure, etc.

Similarly, mobility is closely related to concept of expenditure, both public and private. In this sense, and understood as measures related to the economy of mobility, implementing the economic instruments necessary to internalise the external costs of transport (tolls, variable fiscal treatment according to type of vehicle acquired and fuel used) will be incentives for a more rational use of the different means of transport. This, combined with rationalising investments in transport infrastructures and services, with due planning of the viability of their future form of exploitation and promoting R&D&I activities related to technologies applied to mobility, will make it possible to integrate services associated with the different means of transport.

Mobility in turn has strong social implications related to universal and equal access to transport, an area in which it is necessary to overcome the different inequalities associated with factors and conditions such as gender, age, income or disability. Reducing risk, in terms of accident rates, is in turn one of the main improvement measures for the mobility system on a social level.


55. Developing mobility plans at all institutional levels and in centres of activity that generate mobility.

56. Studying the application of systems to internalise external costs and transferring these costs to funding public transport and transport infrastructures.

57. Promoting the introduction of information and communications technologies to reduce the need for travel.

In this context, these are the key instruments to successfully implement the actions proposed:

58. Single fare system.

59. Measures to discourage the use of private vehicles in city centres.

60. Comprehensive system of intermodal infrastructures and park and ride areas combined with public transport shuttles.


Line of action 7.1. to develop a training system that provides the skills required for professional and social life throughout life, including sustainability

The speed with which technological and social changes occur today make learning to learn an essential skill to make the most of the advantages offered by technological and social innovation, and in turn contributes to developing an innovative culture. It is also an essential requirement to not be relegated on the job market. Innovations also reach the profile and performance of training professionals, a field in which we must facilitate continuous updating of knowledge and methods, highlighting teaching values, aptitudes and attitudes for which specific skills are required.

One obvious area of continuous innovation is information and communications technologies or ICTs. This area is extremely familiar to the younger population but has the risk of creating digital divides in other groups. We must help to reduce this digital divide so that barriers do not arise that impede access to the job market or even on an individual level, as access to information and public services is increasingly becoming digital.

These changes, and the subsequent labour mobility, make it necessary to improve training throughout life and to facilitate access, without ignoring the wealth of knowledge acquired through work experience without formal support, which makes it advisable to extend the accreditation system to all professions by recognising qualifications. That is, to offer to people over 18 the possibility to acquire, update, complete or extend their knowledge and skills for personal and professional development, through learning adapted to the students or free tests that facilitate them obtaining the qualifications necessary for their incorporation into the education system or insertion into the job market.

It is also necessary to further reduce the premature dropout rate with professional training programmes that offer effective alternative means for students who have not completed Compulsory Secondary Education and, at the same time, they can achieve a professional qualification that facilitates access to employment or other systems that prevent social exclusion and eventually facilitate re-entry into the formal education system.

The globalisation of productive activities and increasing international travel and exchanges require us to strengthen educational mobility for young people to favour exchanging experiences and thus valuing cultural diversity. For this it is obviously necessary to develop language skills, from primary education, in order to reach efficient multilingualism.

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strategic Objective 7. to build an EduCatiOn and quality values system, aimed at achieving academic success, flexible and adapting educational and training contents to the qualifications required by the job market and society throughout life, including sustainability in all its dimensions

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(.../...)

Knowing and understanding the keys to sustainable development in all professional fields also requires reinforcing curricular design, incorporating the appropriate guidelines.


61. Promoting professional qualification programmes to reduce premature dropout rates.

62. Developing training opportunities throughout life and facilitating access.

63. Balancing training and employment during the training period.

64. Reducing the digital divide.


15 No specific monitoring indicator has been included for this line of action as there are no European references available. During later reviews of the Strategy one or two specific indicators will be developed to allow us to assess progress in this area.

16 Noteworthy in this context are the initiatives of the School Agenda 21 or the Environmental education plan for sustainability.

Lines of action 7.2. to promote training in values, particularly values related to sustainability15

Faced with the immediacy and easy life often promoted by consumer society, driven by advertising and the press, the complexity of today’s world requires giving priority to dedication, effort, quality, initiative and learning.

Social changes introduce other needs: appreciating cultural diversity and differences, tolerance, respect, taste for innovation, for change. But the values that have traditionally characterised us as a society must remain in force: solidarity, effort, cooperation and social responsibility.

Although these values are practised rather than taught, it is interesting to promote collaborative projects of “Schools of values” in collaboration with the education, family, employment and social fields, while promoting forming associations and active citizenship. Among these values, and in the context of EcoEuskadi 2020, it is necessary to pay special attention to education in those values that are particularly related to sustainable development such as responsible consumption, recycling, etc.16


65. Promoting a system for collaboration between the education, employment, family and social fields for training in values (Schools of values).

66. Raising public awareness of the three dimensions of sustainable development.


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Line of action 7.3. to promote the international projection of basque culture and the elements that define our identity

In a globalised world, differentiating Basque culture and particularly the Basque language (euskera) is a relevant value. But culture is alive and dynamic and benefits from the cross-fertilisation of ideas. Lines of aid should be promoted to facilitate positioning Basque cultural industries and businesses in other markets, in the different cultural sectors: audio-visual, theatre, music, etc., as well as grants that favour the presence of new creators in international creativity centres in different fields.

Cultural development comes from developing collaboration agreements both within and outside of the Basque Country, with public and private institutions, in order to offer a joint internationalisation of Basque country, promoting a common culture and creating collaboration networks between universities, colleges and art centres on a national and international level.


67. Promoting lines of aid to facilitate positioning Basque cultural sector companies in new markets.

68. Developing collaboration agreements within and outside the Basque Country, with public and private institutions, in order to offer a joint internationalisation of Basque culture.

Key Instruments for the actions proposed:

69. Development and implementation of the Permanent Learning Act.

70. Accreditation system for professional skills, acquired through work experience or non-formal learning.



Line of action 8.1. to modernise public management, innovating mechanisms for relating with the public

The Public Administration is affected by the same wave of changes and technological innovations as the rest of society. The role of the Administration in relation to citizens has experienced a radical transformation, which goes from being a mere subject of obligations to client and owner. The Administration must be efficient because it has an enormous effect of the efficiency of the system, and it must be accessible, accountable and act transparently in all its policy and decision making processes.

This involves strengthening interactive tools in its relations with citizens, systematising stakeholder consultation processes, documenting and regulating decision making processes in a transparent way, enabling citizens to access information, and systematically including assessment processes of its actions as a basis to improve these programmes.


71. Reinforcing transparency in policy-making processes, in their implementation and the assessment of results.

72. Promoting 2.0 tools as a complementary means of communication with citizens, enabling the highest degree of digitalisation of the processes.

73. Boosting the exemplary role of the Administration, promoting procurement and contracting with sustainability criteria: social, ethical, environmental and innovative.

strategic Objective 8. to deploy an innovative, efficient, accessible and transparent PubliC adMinistratiOn

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Line of action 8.2. to reinforce the efficiency of the public administration, revising its organisation and distribution of powers, promoting intra and inter-institutional cooperation and strengthening coordination mechanisms

The need to be efficient, even more so in times of budgetary constraints, lies is reviewing the way in which the whole Public Administration performs its duties. Developing the public sector has given rise to obvious duplications, some justified by the distribution of powers and the existing structure, and other produced by way of fact.

The evolution of needs, accumulation of experience and course of time make it necessary to search for operative improvements, aimed at public service quality and cost efficiency. To do this, we must search for relative specialisation among all agents and full coordination of activities, particularly those that involve important commitments as a country to optimise resources and efforts and to guarantee the best results.

Furthermore, the Administration must be proactive, simplifying burdens (information, documentation) imposed on citizens and companies, optimising internal operative processes, boosting the interoperability of the information systems of the different administration, and promoting interinstitutional agreements.

Systematic public and stakeholder consultation in the development processes of major strategies and programmes, as well as the systematisation of exercises to assess the results and impacts of the policies and programmes of certain entities, executed with transparency, will contribute to the programmes being more adjusted and incorporating continuous improvement mechanisms.


74. Promoting specialisation among all agents and consensus on major commitments, adapting the distribution of resources according to the powers assumed, avoiding duplications within and between administrations.

75. Reaching the interconnections of information systems of the different Public Administrations, promoting interinstitutional agreements.

76. Achieving more efficient management of public expenditure, improving budgetary regulation in line with the new European economic governance.

77. Advancing towards the simplification of administrative processes.




Line of action 8.3. to advance in social participation formulas and public-private partnership

The maturity of society, which will not resign itself to maintaining a passive role towards the management of public affairs and the will to make public policies and services more efficient, taking into consideration the opinions of those who benefit from and are affected by them, has made us advance considerably towards a new form of governance, which seeks and generates meeting places, favouring the coordination of different public and private agents in order to achieve an effective policy, aimed at resolving problems. Sustainable development criteria highlight this need for new governance as they emphasise a holistic vision of issues and take into consideration all the possible impacts, not only those formally pursued by a certain programme or policy. Meanwhile, new technologies make it possible to accommodate efficiently broad and proven formulas of participation of social agents.

On the other hand, managing social needs can and should be open to new approaches that incorporate social initiative in an innovative way, not only to make their cost must sustainable but also to make them more efficient and adjusted.

Equally, major development or social transformation projects have increasing complexity and their unilateral impulse generates resistance that makes it necessary to address them with a sum of forces, allowing for the participation of social agents through ad hoc or permanent coordination mechanisms. However, the mechanics of participation and coordination is not an easy task, therefore it is necessary to delve deeper into training all the agents involved.


78. The Administration assuming the exemplary role, promoting public procurement and contracting with social and environmental criteria as an engine for innovation.

79. Systematising and standardising public and stakeholder participation in the development and review (assessment) processes of Public Administration initiatives and programmes.

80. In-depth training for agents in the mechanics and processes of participation.

It is important to highlight the role that must be played by the following instrument:

81. Systematising the assessment of the results and impacts of the most relevant policies and programmes as an instrument for learning and improvement.

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Line of action 9.1. to actively contribute to the sustainable development of third world countries through cooperation projects

Serious global problems: climate change, growing international conflicts, financial and productive crises, forced migrations, human rights violations, lack of participation and decision channels, give rise to a global panorama characterised by three closely related processes: vulnerability, inequality and poverty. The fundamental challenge facing humanity in order to end the dynamic of increasing vulnerability is to guarantee the freedoms, rights and development of the capabilities of all the women and men who inhabit the planet, with special emphasis on those in poverty.

The old goal of contributing 0.7% of GDP to cooperation projects is far from being achieved, despite the active involvement of the different Public Administrations. The multiplication of projects and dispersion of support lines favour the fragmentation of aid. It is recommendable to seek comprehensive coordination of international cooperation policies promoted by the Basque Country, establishing geographic prioritisation criteria, both to facilitate visibility and to concentrate efforts and make way for projects with greater scope and impact.

Another recommendable channel is to promote specific collaboration agreements that enable the bidirectional transfer of knowledge and technological resources to resolve specific problems, without forgetting the ultimate goal is to give support for local communities to develop their own responses, avoiding transferring solutions directly.


82. Reinforcing and integrating the development cooperation policy promoted by the Public Administration to make it more efficient (enabling interventions of greater dimension/qualification).

83. Promoting collaboration agreements with developing countries.

strategic Objective 9. to contribute from the basque Country to meeting the MillEnniuM gOals and, in general, to the sustainable development of the most underprivileged countries


strategic Objective 9. to contribute from the basque Country to meeting the MillEnniuM gOals and, in general, to the sustainable development of the most underprivileged countries

Line of action 9.2. to promote responsible trade and tourism with developing countries

Along with cooperation projects, developing peoples comes from producing and exchanging goods and services. International trade and tourism play an extremely relevant role in stimulating productive activities. However, both may encourage unsustainable development, introducing labour practices that do not respect social rights or pillaging or deteriorating natural resources.

International trade and funding policies and practices should be consistent and promote sustainable practices in its three economic, social and environmental aspects, in terms of production, transport and exploitation of natural resources. For this same reason, multinational companies and corporations must transfer their codes of ethics and social responsibility practices to those countries in which they are implanted or with which they trade. Particularly, we must avoid productive implementation in developing countries as a response to an attempt to avoid the application of stricter environmental and social regulations in the Basque Country. Citizens, as consumers, must show through their consumption practices their rejection of products which represent social or environmental dumping, therefore it is necessary to advance the transparency of information provided by certificates of origin and environmental quality.

On a more personal level, when travelling citizens should scrupulously mind their behaviour so as not to support no give coverage to unsustainable practices of consumption or social and environmental respect. Just as other values should be cultivated from educational centres, the school curriculum must contribute to promoting awareness and individual and social responsibility for the development of other countries, integrating the vision of cooperation and coherence with the sustainable development of peoples.


84. Incorporating criteria of responsible trade and tourism into corporate social responsibility and public procurement and contracting.

85. Promoting international sustainability certification.

It is important to highlight the role that must be played by the following instrument:

86. Reaching a budgetary allocation of 0.7% of GDP to achieve the Millennium Goals.

transvErsal focusEs

63

Some of the strategic objectives established are closely interrelated and achieving them must mobilise our collective attention. Therefore, it was considered necessary to define priority areas of attention, called transversal focuses which, due to their horizontal importance, long-term implications and complexity of coordination, require monitoring and coordination through multidisciplinary teams, both interdepartmental and interinstitutional, as well as a strong involvement of socio-economic agents.

Selecting the transversal focuses was conditioned by their impact on the three aspects of sustainability: economic, environmental and social; by their direct contribution to several of the strategic objectives; by their high impact on the Control Panel; by being initiatives to be deployed across all levels of administration and their alignment with the Europe 2020 Strategy.

These focuses identify essential industrial commitments with important macroeconomic effects to ensure sustainability, the consolidation of public finances and support for a higher level of growth, competitiveness and employment.

These focuses are:1. Innovation and knowledge for

sustainability.2. Youth in movement.3. Employment in a global economy.4. Determinants of quality of life.

transvErsal focus 1. innovation and knowlEdgE for sustainabilitY

The goal is to advance towards a Basque society that is open to learning and that strengthens the perception and appreciation of individual and social values on innovation, creativity, learning and cooperation. For this, it is necessary to focus innovation policy and knowledge of the main challenges faced by our society and which are in turn seen as emerging sectors: renewable energies, sustainable mobility, efficient use of resources and active and healthy ageing. The ultimate goal will consist in increasing levels of public-private investment, improving conditions, increasing the percentage of high-tech companies, developing new advanced knowledge that increases added value per job, and reinforcing each of the links of the innovation chain, from research to commercialisation.

Main lines of work:

— Promoting investment in education, R&D&I and ICTs. Better connecting research and innovation systems in the Basque Country and improving their performance. Increasing skill levels at our universities. Giving priority to spending on knowledge, for example by using tax incentives and other financial instruments to promote greater private investment in R&D&I.

Four transversal focuses:

1. Innovation and knowledge for sustainability.2. Youth in movement.3. Employment in a global economy.4. Determinants of quality of life.

64 transvErsal focusEs

— Getting more innovation from research. Increasing cooperation between science and business. Eliminating barriers that continue to prevent entrepreneurs from bringing their “ideas to the market.” Promoting entrepreneurial spirit by supporting young, innovative companies. Promoting entrepreneurial culture and creative spirit as a method to create new innovative companies and transform existing companies. Advance in supporting companies with knowledge-intensive products and services and productive processes.

— Setting-up "Basque Innovation Cooperation." Increasing joint programming / co-creation / cooperation between different level of Public Administration and between the Administration, universities and companies. Improving general conditions that favour innovation by companies, for example, improving SME access to intellectual property protection and demand policies such as public contracting).

— To promote social innovation, open innovation, innovation in the public sector and eco-innovation17 as a response to new global and local challenges.

transvErsal focus 2. Youth in movEmEnt

The goal consists of reaching full, independent development of young Basque people, enhancing their training, integration and recognition both in the Basque Country and abroad. This requires promoting the level of entrepreneurship of young people on all levels: personal, professional, social and cultural, as well as reinforcing levels of independence, improving their living conditions, providing quality education from the early stages of education to employment, complementing formal and informal education, focusing on permanent learning and promoting the generation of talent. The ultimate target is young people to be overt, responsible and able to choose their future.

Main lines of work:

— Guaranteeing efficient investment in education and training systems at all levels, from pre-school to further education, including both university education and higher levels of vocational training; improving educational results though an integrated approach that includes key skills and values, aimed at achieving academic success.

— Reinforcing the open nature and relevance of the education system, favouring generating and attracting talent. Increasing student mobility programmes, aligning them with European Union programmes. Promoting the attractiveness of further education to attract foreign talent and for the international job market.

— Improving youth access to the job market through an integrated action that includes the following aspects, among others: guidance, advise and work experience. Increasing cooperation between further education and business. Stressing the need to monitor the market to rapidly respond to demands for qualified personnel. Helping people to obtain their first job and begin a professional career. Promoting entrepreneurial processes, facilitating access to internal or external funding instruments.

— Promoting access to housing as one of the structuring pillars of the independent development of young people, which also enables social integration.

transvErsal focus 3. EmploYmEnt in a global EconomY

The goal consists in increasing the level of employability, adaptation to changes, and to guarantee the continuity of our social model, investing in an economy that ends the duality

17 Energy efficiency, Eco-efficiency and Eco-design.


suffered by our job market.18 To do this, we must modernise and consolidate our employment, education and training policies, as well as social protection systems, by increasing workforce participation, reducing structural unemployment and promoting corporate social responsibility. All this will happen in a global economic context that conditions the competitiveness of our companies and encourages the pursuit of added value for each job.

Main lines of work:

— Boosting flexicurity to set the best ways to manage economic transactions, to fight unemployment and increase activity rates. This is to reduce market segmentation and improve employment quality. Facilitating labour mobility, adapting supply to demand.

— Promoting new forms of balancing work, family and personal life, as well as active ageing policies that favour demographic pyramid management so as to boost birth rates and thus ensure economic and social sustainability.

— Promoting permanent learning through instruments such as work-life balance, recognition, easy access to opportunities created by ICTs in this field, adapting to training supply to different personal and professional demands.

— Promoting the internationalisation of SMEs, improving the business environment by promoting associations and improving access to funding. A key aspect for this is to guarantee that transport and logistics networks allow effective access to the single and international market.

— Simplifying administrative procedures to create companies, improving competitiveness and the response to market demands of the Basque business sector.

transvErsal focus 4. dEtErminants of QualitY of lifE

The goal consists in advancing in aspects interrelated with the concept of prosperity; defining “prosperity” as the possibility for people to develop, achieving greater social cohesion and greater levels of welfare while still reducing material impact on the environment. Determining factors of this prosperity are values, culture, attitudes, different ways of life and personal and social habits, so they become keys to achieving the strategic objectives outlined.

Main lines of work:

— Developing sustainable habits of consumption that consider the impact of consumption in both the short and long-term and within and outside our environment, to allow regeneration of natural resources, a rational use of public assets which reveals their value and jointly responsible with society.

— Influencing the determining factors of our health, focusing our attention on prevention rather than correction and assuming the integration of health in all public policies.

— Advancing in the development of more sustainable cities, visualising our municipalities as closer environments in a more comprehensive way, participating in redesigning cities.

— Enhancing the values of sustainability, looking for responsible behaviour by citizens and other socio-economic agents, and stressing the exemplary action of the Public Administration as an engine for changes. Promoting local cultural expressions.

— Advancing the development of indicators of welfare, progress, quality of life, etc. in collaboration with Eustat (Basque Institute of Statistics), we will advance in the development of synthetic indicators that can pick up the level of sustainable development achieved.

18 We have a “two-speed” job market, where a significant part of the population have no access to employment and to a decent wage. This market duality represents a threat to the welfare state and fragments social cohesion.

EcoEuskadi 2020 control panEl

67

Where do we want the Basque Country to be in 2020? The EcoEuskadi 2020 Strategy establishes a Control Panel that includes a complete system of signs that allow us to indicate variations in the truly relevant magnitudes. Therefore, they must be monitored to submit the management of the same to controls, facilitating decision-making.

The Control Panel established includes three types of Indicators with different characteristics. Analysing these indicators will provide us a comprehensive vision of the progress made towards the objectives established in the Strategy:

— Headline indicators: aligned with the objectives included in the Europe 2020 Strategy, they include a limited number of quantitative key objectives.

— Policy monitoring indicators: focus on the direction of change and are directly related with the strategic objectives established. They mark the designed trend: Increase, Reduction or Stability.

— Strategy management progress indicators: includes a panel of internal control indicators that reflect the level of progress of the Strategy.

Achieving the quantitative objectives will be vital to successfully achieve the vision established in the year 2020. Below are details of these objectives as well as the interrelation table between Europe, Spain and the Basque Country:

— Employment levels of the population between 20 and 64 should increase from the current 68 % to at least 75 %;

— Moving from an investment in research, development and innovation of 2% to 3% of GDP. It is necessary for both the public and private sectors to invest in R&D&I. In line with the European Commission, we propose maintaining the 3% goal, advancing in the development of an indicator that reflects the intensity of R&D&I.

— Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% with regard to the year 2005; increasing the percentage of renewable energy sources in our final energy consumption up to 17% and 20% of energy efficiency.

— An educational objective focused on results, which reduces the problem of the dropout rate to under 10%, from the current 12.6%, and which maintains the percentage of the population between 30 and 34 that complete further education above 40% in 2020.

— The number of people living below the poverty line must be reduced from the current 19% to below 15%.

68 EcoEuskadi 2020 control panEl

19 2009.20 2008.21 Baseline year: 1990. Current year: 2008.22 Non diffuse sectors and in relation to 200523 Reference year: 200924 Reference year:200525 Mtep Saving on consumption trend in 2020 equivalent to a 2% annual reduction of energy intensity

hEadlinE indicators

scopE and hEadlinE indicator Eu-27 spain basQuE countrY

AT PRESENT19

OBJECTIVE FOR 2020

AT PRESENT19

OBJECTIVE FOR 2020

AT PRESENT20

OBJECTIVE FOR 2020

EMPLOYMENTEmployment rate 20-64 years 69,1% 75% 63,7% 74% 68.5% 75%

R&D&IPublic and private spending on R&D&I over GDP

2.01% 3% 1.38% 3% 2% >3%

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGEGreenhouse gas emissions21 -11.3% -20% +27% -20%22 +6%25 -20%23

Share of renewables in final con-sumption of energy

10.3% 20% 10.7% 20% 6.5% 17%

Energy saving 20% 25.224 20%

EDUCATIONPremature school dropout rate 14.4% 10% 31.2% 15% 12.6% 10%

Share of population 30-34 years with further education

32.3%

40%

39.4% 44% 41% >40%

POVERTY AND SOCIAL ExCLUSIONPopulation at risk of poverty or so-cial exclusion

113.7 million23.1% 93.7 million

10.6 million23.4%

9.2 million 417,00019.3%

<15%


policY monitoring indicators

Strategic Objective 1. to position the basque country as an innovative, competitive, eco-efficient and open economy

INDICATOR DESCRIPTION SCOPE TREND

I-1.1 IUS Position on the Innovation Union Scoreboard (IUS)

EcoEuskadi 2020 own indicator

I-1.2 Productivity of the resources

Ratio between GDP and Domestic Material Consumption (e / Kg)

Indicator of level I (EU-SSD) (a)

I-1.3 GDP per capita Ratio between GDP and number of inhabitants


I-1.4 Openness Total percentage of foreign trade over GDP


Strategic Objective 2. lo consolidate a fully integrating and cohesive basque country based on employment, education, prevention and solidarity


I-2.1 Personal income concentration index

Gini index of available personal income EcoEuskadi 2020 own indicator

I-2.2 Level of social inclusion

Percentage of people that access protection, inclusion and personal independence guarantee programmes of all the people in a situation of risk


I-2.3 Social inequalities in mortality

Comparative mortality rate of people with primary education aged 20 to 64 years old in relation to those with further education


I-2.4 Youth employment rate

Employment rate of population aged 20 to 29 years


Strategic Objective 3. to strengthen social protection systems in order to continue guaranteeing harmonious, healthy and equitable development of people


I-3.1 Birth rate Number of births over total population in thousands


I-3.2 Consolidated gross public debt

Percentage of consolidated gross public debt of the Basque administrations over GDP


I-3.3 Public social expenditure

Percentage of public expenditure on education, health and social services over GDP



Strategic Objective 4. to preserve our natural resources and biodiversity with respectful and balanced planning of the territory, infrastructures, equipment and housing


I-4.1 Built-up areas Percentage of artificialised surface of total surface area

Indicator of level II (EU-SSD) (a)

I-4.2 Rural population Rate of population in towns of less than 2,000 inhabitants with no town centre


I-4.3 Urban waste Urban waste generated per capita Indicator of level II (EU-SSD) (a)

I-4.4 Common bird index

Index of general poultry, forests birds and urban birds


I-4.5 Endangered species Percentage of endangered species of total species


Strategic Objective 5. to minimise energy dependence on fossil-based energies and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of climate change


I-5.1 Energy dependence Percentage of energy imports of domestic energy consumption

Indicator of level II (EU-SSD) (a)

Strategic Objective 6. to develop a more sustainable integrated mobility model that facilitates structuring the inland territory and connection with the exterior in better conditions of competitiveness


I-6.1 Energy consumption of transport

Percentage of energy consumption of transport over GDP

SSSD (b)

I-6.2 Road goods transport

Percentage of road goods transport over total

EcoEuskadi 2020 own indicator (c)

I-6.3 Private passenger transport

Percentage of private passenger transport over total



(a) EU - SSD: European Union Strategy for Sustainable Development.(b) SSSD: Spanish Strategy for Sustainable Development.(c) The European strategy has a similar indicator.

Strategic Objective 7. to build an education and quality values system, aimed at achieving academic success, flexible and adapting educational and training contents to the qualifications required by the job market and society throughout life, including sustainability in all its dimensions


I-7.1 PISA assessment Overall average performance in reading, science and mathematics


I-7.2 Scientific publications

No. of ISI publications of the Basque university system


I-7.3 Support for the international dissemination of Basque culture

Budget for international dissemination of Basque culture activities


I-7.4 Permanent learning

Percentage of population aged 25 to 64 in learning activity


Strategic Objective 8. to deploy an innovative, efficient, accessible and transparent public administration


I-8.1 Electoral turnout Turnout in elections (European, national, regional and local)


I-8.2 Electronic administration

Percentage of complete administrative process that can be completed telematically over total


I-8.3 Dissatisfaction with the Administration

Complaints to Basque ombudsman in relation to the Administration


Strategic Objective 9. to contribute from the basque country to meeting the millennium goals and, in general, to the sustainable development of the most underprivileged countries


I-9.1 Official development aid

Percentage of official development aid over GDP


I-9.2 CO2 emissions

per capitaTonnes of CO

2 emissions per capita Indicator of level II

(EU-SSD) (a)


stratEgY progrEss indicators

progrEss indicators

Level of progress of the actions included

Sectoral plans that incorporate a sustainability perspective

Good sustainability practices identified

Agents involved in deploying the Strategy

EcoEuskadi 2020managEmEnt modEl

75

EcoEuskadi 2020 is a national strategy promoted by the Basque Government. Accountability ultimately lies with the Regional Cabinet. However, responsibility corresponds to everyone. The success of this Strategy depends on the commitment and ability of the whole Administration: all Government departments, their organisms and public authorities, including local authorities, as well as those that provide public, business and individual services.

Sustainable development is a priority shared by the Basque Public Administration. It is therefore necessary to increase the capacity and incentives so that all departments and the public sector in general to implement their contributions to the Strategy for Sustainable Development. The following is a real differential aspect: all Government departments and their organisms will contribute their thoughts and progress in relation to the Strategy.

The Strategy for Sustainable Development contributes to good government management by driving it to overcome the departmental vision, promoting policy integration as well as improving government efficiency and effectiveness. It also provides a framework for different social agents when taking their own initiatives in a responsible and progressive way, within a broader framework.

Strategy monitoring must be comprehensive, encompassing all the impacts of applying public policies, business activities and civil society actions.

Analysing the three types of indicators established will provide a comprehensive vision of the progress of the Strategy.

stratEgY organisation and managEmEnt

When establishing the guiding principles, it was stated that:

— "To guide this process (of sustainable development) it is necessary to establish a clear series of basic principles to guide policies and institutional leadership that must be promoted from the highest levels of the Public Administration".

— "Sustainable development is not another sectoral policy. The key issue is that all associated departments and organisms incorporate the perspective of sustainability in the way they design and implement policies from the beginning".

— "The cross-examination of solutions between the different Organisms involved should be incorporated from the early stages of development of policies or actions plans".

On the other hand, a large majority of the actions envisaged in this Strategy are channelled through the different strategic plans of the departments and other organisms involved. It is therefore necessary to formulate a coordination

The Strategy for Sustainable Development contributes to good government management by driving it to overcome the departmental vision, promoting policy integration as well as improving government efficiency and effectiveness.

76 managEmEnt modElmanagEmEnt modEl

and management system that is compatible with the original responsibility of said departments and organisms. For this purpose we distinguish:

— Leadership in developing and implementing the Strategy: lies with the Basque President and, by delegation, with the Basque Presidency.

— The coordination of the actions envisaged: a Sustainable Development Office is established with the duty of coordinating and incorporating the sustainability criteria and objectives set in the Strategy.

— Monitoring actions: a measurement and report mechanic is established for the actions included in the Strategy.

— Periodic Strategy assessment: a system to periodically assess and review the Strategy is established.

lEadErship of thE EcoEuskadi 2020 stratEgY for sustainablE dEvElopmEnt

Given the comprehensive and integrating nature of the Strategy, whose scope of action transcends each department and encompasses the entire public administration and the public, the leadership of its development, implementation and promotion process in its different phases corresponds to the Basque President and, most notably, the awareness and communication process among the public and economic and social agents. Specifically, he will assume the following duties:

— Leading the development, review and reformulation process of the Strategy for Sustainable Development.

— Providing technical support services to the departments through the Sustainable Development Office.

— Promoting and managing interdepartmental and interinstitutional projects agreed.

— Supervising the correct development of the actions envisaged in the Strategy.

— Informing the Government in advance (ex ante) of the conformity of the sectoral strategies and departmental plans of the Government with the criteria and guiding principles included in the Strategy for Sustainable Development. The report will specifically include the adjustment to the sustainability framework established in EcoEuskadi 2020, both for the "Basic Strategic and Economic Lines" phase and for the final processing phase of the Plan. This will be drawn from the document “Guide for incorporating sustainability criteria in sectoral policies and strategies.”

To effectively perform its duties, the Basque Presidency will be supported by the Sustainable Development Office.

thE sustainablE dEvElopmEnt officE (sdo)

The Sustainable Development Office (SDO) is the body that coordinates and supports the process of implementing the 2020 Strategy for Sustainable Development, led by the Basque President.

According to criteria of simplification, interdepartmental cooperation and resource savings, the SDO will be structured in the following way:

— A Basque Government Interdepartmental Committee, formed by a Deputy Minister from the departments involved, with working sessions at least once per year.

— An Interinstitutional Committee, formed by representatives of the Basque Government, the three Provincial Councils, and Eudel

managEmEnt modEl 77managEmEnt modEl BASQUE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2020

26 The Mission defined for EcoEuskadi is “to serve as an integration platform for all sectoral policies of the Government and other Public Administrations to create an explicitly national project with public participation, agreeing a set of objectives, guidelines and principles that guarantee economic, social and environmental sustainability, establishing benchmarks that allow the progress made to be regularly assessed”.

(Association of Basque Municipalities), with working sessions at least once per year.

— A Technical Committee, formed by representatives from each of the Departments represented in the Interdepartmental Committee, with working sessions at least once per quarter.

— A Monitoring Committee, made up the Coordination Directorate of the Basque Presidency, the Basque Government Department of the Environment and the Managing Director of Ihobe as Technical Secretariat of the Sustainable Development Office. It will hold quarterly meetings.

— A Technical Secretariat. Technical Secretariat duties will be performed by staff from the Basque Government Public Authority Ihobe, through specific designation by the Presidency. Its main role will be to provide technical resources for the proper functioning of the remaining organisms of the SDO, and to coordinate management activities for the effective deployment of the Strategy.

The members of the Technical Committee will play a key role in Office communications with the other Government Departments, notwithstanding the powers that correspond to the Interdepartmental and Interinstitutional Committees. The Technical Secretariat will establish the appropriate channels for collaboration between the Technical Committee and the equivalent bodies in the Provincial Councils and Eudel, to enable a coordinated effort throughout all the Basque Public Institutions.

The Interdepartmental Committee and the Interinstitutional Committee will be responsible, in their respective fields, for promoting the principles of sustainability in sectoral policies. It is their responsibility to approve the work of the Technical Committee and the Technical Secretariat. These Committees may establish specific work groups deemed relevant.

The Government will strengthen the role of the Basque President’s Advisory Council on Socio-economic Affairs, also granting this independent advisory body the role of advising and verifying progress made on the objectives of the 2020 Strategy for Sustainable Development.

The role of existing mechanisms with a focus on sustainability will also be strengthened: the network of Basque municipalities for sustainability (Udalsarea 21), as well as the network of Basque companies for sustainability (Izaite). Similarly, public participation in existing forums and processes will also be strengthened.

funding thE activitiEs of thE stratEgY for sustainablE dEvElopmEnt

In accordance with the nature of integration platform of the EcoEuskadi 2020 Strategy,26 the actions envisaged will be finances by the competent Departments and organisms that develop or must execute them, according to the guidelines established in the Strategy. Integrating sustainable development principles and objectives in sectoral policy planning and management does not therefore need an additional budget. In principle, the Strategy for Sustainable Development does not involve new activities but a different way of doing things based on impact analysis, taking into account stakeholder participation and, above all, developing synergies and cooperation with other Departments and Organisms.

The Government will reinforce its leadership in all departments and their organisms, for example, by providing civil servants with sustainable development training. Funding should be covered by existing regular budgets. Each Government Department and other Organisms are responsible

78 managEmEnt modElmanagEmEnt modEl

27 The first instalment of this Barometer is the survey on “Quality of life and sustainability” available at www.ecoeuskadi2020.net.

for incorporating the necessary financial resources in its financial planning to implement the Strategy.

monitoring and assEssmEnt

The approval of the EcoEuskadi 2020 Strategy will begin a procedure of implementation, monitoring, assessment and continuous improvement.

The following monitoring instruments are proposed:

— Annual Sustainable Development Report. Each year the SDO will compile an annual report, assessing the level of progress of implementing the actions included in the Strategy to obtain a judgement on its execution and, in contrast with the results of the indicators, to assess the suitability of the same. The report will highlight what are considered the good practices identified and will include an evaluation of the causes of deviations detected in the implementation of the Strategy. The report will be made public on the Internet and will serve as a basis for the participation of both internal and external key agents. This report will include the assessment of the trajectory of the indicators included in the 2020 Strategy control panel. The report will be presented to the Regional Cabinet prior to its presentation at the annual Sustainable Development Forum. This report will also outline the findings of the assessment of the level of integration of sustainability criteria in departmental sectoral policies, including the relevant impact analysis as well as an analysis of restraints and obstacles and proposals for

improvement; this section will be prepared in collaboration with the respective Departments.

— Every two years, a public survey (Sustainability barometer27) will be undertaken on a homogenous basis, which allows us to assess the course of public opinion on key aspects of comprehensive sustainability and social perception of the progress made.

The Strategy will be reviewed in 2015 by the SDO and will be approved by the Regional Cabinet prior to beginning the review process of the Departmental Strategies, therefore its findings may be taken into account in the same. Prior to reviewing the Strategy, an independent body will perform an external assessment so that the reformulation of the Strategy will take into account this assessment as well as tending to the same standards of information, transparency, institutional collaboration and social participation used during its first drafting.

communication and participation

One of the riches of the EcoEuskadi 2020 Strategy development process has been the participation of a large number of institutional, social and economic agents; particularly of young people and the general public, who have contributed their views and proposals for action. Therefore, this two-way communication flow must continue regarding the monitoring, assessment and review mechanics proposed.

As a specific participation and monitoring instrument, an annual meeting will be held

managEmEnt modEl 79managEmEnt modEl BASQUE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2020

- the “Sustainable Development Forum” - as a space for information, contrasting and for both internal and external agents to participate in the implementation of the Strategy, so as to submit the annual Strategy assessment reports to public debate, among other activities, and to maintained a continuous connection with future reviews of the same.

The Government communication policy, supported by the SDO, will have the sustainability policy and actions as one of its permanent references, to ensure at all times a line of public communication and awareness raising about the same.

guidElinEs for incorporating sustainabilitY critEria in sEctoral policiEs

81

Sustainable development must not be seen only as a sectoral policy, but as a concept that must be integrated in all sectoral policies, as a mandatory guiding principle of the Administration’s duty. Therefore, sustainable development must be integrated from the start of planning and in the existing management processes of the Basque Government, local administration and their organisms. The criteria for sustainable development policy, detailed below, are based on documents such as the Europe 2020 Strategy and other international documents issued by the United Nations and the OECD.

Below is a summary of the criteria to incorporate the principles of sustainability in Basque Public Administration policies (plans, programmes, strategies, etc.)

The principles included in the Strategy for Sustainable Development are:

P.1. The principle of intra and intergenerational responsibility, so that burdens are not transferred to other groups nor other generations, following a principle of prudence in case of lack of scientific evidence.

P.2. Incorporating the perspective of sustainable development into the core of all policies, improving coherence and coordination between the different departments and areas of sectoral policies (transparency and participation from the initial phases).

P.3. A balanced consideration of the repercussions of each policy in each of its three dimensions — economic, social and environmental — which is summary means:— Staying within environmental limits— Achieving a sustainable economy— Building a just society

P.4. Joint responsibility, promoting partnerships for sustainable development among the different levels of public administration, with social agents and the general public (good governance).

When formulating policies, it is necessary to delve further into the principles highlighted, particularly those relating to the balance of the repercussions of each policy in its three dimensions - economic, social and environmental. Therefore, these principles must be completed with result-based criteria. The table below presents 15 criteria for a holistic vision of the three pillars of sustainable development.

Sustainable development should not merely be considered as a sector policy, but rather as a concept that must be integrated in all sector policies, as a mandatory governing principle for the Administration.

82 guidElinEs for incorporating sustainabilitY critEria in sEctoral policiEs

Table 1.

In a purely theoretical approach, it could be considered that the economic, natural and social resources are a capital stock that must never be altered. In practice, exchanges are produced between one and other type of capital so that it may be acceptable, within certain limits, to have a loss of environmental value in exchange for an increase in economic or social value. For these transactions to be acceptable, the assessment process must be transparent, not act systematically

against one of the dimensions and there must be a global net increase in value.

However, many aspects of the environmental dimension in themselves are irreplaceable and their loss could be compensated in return of improvements in the other two dimensions. This is case of climate stability, biodiversity, soil fertility or the ozone layer. In general, no interventions in the natural environment may be allowed to take place that lead to irreparable damages

Criteria for economic, social and environmental sustainable development

Economic sustainabilitY critEria

1. Job creation and income according to needs, ensuring that they are acceptably distributed among geographic areas and social groups.

2. Quantitatively and qualitatively improving productive capital based on human and social capital.

3. Increasing competitiveness and the innovative potential of the economy.

4. That market prices appropriately incorporate signals related to scarcity of factors and externalities as the main evaluation tool.

5. Public management without transferring the burden of its activities to future generations (in the form of debt or loss of value).

EnvironmEntal sustainabilitY critEria

6. Maintaining natural areas and biodiversity.

7. Use of renewable resources below the natural or regeneration level.

8. Use of non-renewable resources below the level of potential development of renewable resources.

9. Pollution affecting the environment and people must remain below harmful levels.

10. Avoiding or reducing the impact of environmental disasters and only assuming risks of accidents when the damages produced in the worst-case scenario are not permanent and do not exceed the period of one generation.

social sustainabilitY critEria

11. Protecting and promoting the health and safety of humans.

12. Guaranteeing education and personal development for the entire population.

13. Promoting culture as well as maintaining and developing historical heritage and social resources and assets as part of the general social capital.

14. Preserving the principle of equality before the law, legal certainty and equal opportunities, and particularly the principles of gender equality, rights and protection of minorities and respect for human rights.

15. Stimulating solidarity between generations and between the regions of the world.


POLICIES

GOVERNANCE ANDLEADERSHIP

Do the Department leaders promote the sustainable development by their

managemant and leadership?

How are the principles of sustainability being applied in the policies developed by the Department so that the results

achieved are sustainable?

OPERATING MANAGEMENTDoes the department manage its procurement, contracting

facilities and operations in coherence with the principles of sustainable development?

Assessment of departmental sustainability

PEOPLEAre the teams and people at the Department su�ciently aware of

the principies of sustainable development, and do they have the

skills and incentives necessary to act in coherence with?

that comprises the capacity for action of future generations.

However, there are limits to the substitution capacity of the dimensions, such as:

— Respecting certain minimum thresholds in social, economic and environmental terms: e.g. mandatory legal regulations (on emissions), scientific criteria not yet included in legal regulations (global warming), socio-political rights (equal opportunities, minimum wage, decent living conditions, social security or human rights guarantees).

— Developments or effects that produce irreversible damage must be avoided.

— No burdens must be passed to future generations that do not involve corresponding benefits.

— Environmental pollution and social problems must not be exported to other countries or regions.

— Great care must be taken in situations where there is uncertainty or risks arising from insufficient knowledge or when, with doubtful probability, the potential damage is extremely high.

— Care should be taken to avoid continued deterioration of areas already affected by acute problems of sustainability or where, in view of existing trends, the problems may worsen.

incorporating thE principlEs of sustainabilitY

Incorporating the principles of sustainability in the practice of each Government Department and Organism must be reflected in four areas of the organisation:

— In the area of policies.— In the area of Department governance and

leadership.— In the area of the people who work in the

Department.— In the area of the operative management of

the Department (purchasing and procurement, maintenance, etc.).

In the specific context of a strategy for sustainable development, the more relevant area if the way that policies are formulated. However, consistency of approaches requires the principles of sustainable development to equally permeate the other three organisational areas proposed.

In Department policies and programmes

The principles indicated must be reflected both in Department policies and in the way relevant decisions are made. They must specifically be reflected in:

84 guidElinEs for incorporating sustainabilitY critEria in sEctoral policiEs

— Purpose and ambition. Department policies must expressly reflect how they contribute to achieving the objectives of the Government’s Sustainable Strategy.

— Action mechanisms (in each phase of the policy development and implementation cycle). In each phase of the life cycle of a programme or policy, the Department ensure that sustainability criteria are incorporated, for which it must have drafted procedures, guidelines, impact measurement tools, etc.

— Decision making. The decisions taken, among the possible alternatives in the most relevant programmes or policies, must taken into account the principles of sustainable development and record should be kept of this for later assessment.

— Implementation. In practice, the implementation of a programme must reflect that the principles of sustainable development have been taken into account. Implementation processes must include examples of interaction with stakeholders to ensure the sustainability of the results.

— Results and impacts. The results and impacts of relevant programmes should be assessed to discover if they contribute effectively to achieving the objectives of sustainability outlined. The assessment requires prior indicators and formal internal and external assessment processes.

In Department leadership and governance

The Department leadership and governance model must promote the principles of sustainable development. They must specifically be reflected in:

— Leadership. Senior Department officials must exercise effective leadership, transmitting the principles and objectives of sustainability in their conduct, reflected in their actions and intervention and in the effective perception of Department staff.

— Objectives. Leadership must translate into the existence of clear objectives and priorities which clearly show progress towards sustainability and the contribution to the government’s global sustainability strategy.

— In decision-making and assigning responsibilities. The Department must have a clear functional structure, which defines the responsibilities to guarantee that the policy delivery processes effectively incorporate objectives in accordance with the principles of sustainable development.

— Monitoring and assessment. The existence of clear objectives must equally be reflected in policy monitoring, in such a way that it is possible to assess the results and impacts achieved through the appropriate reports of the phases of the implementation processes.

— Implication of stakeholders. The principles of sustainability require us to seek the active participation of stakeholders and collaboration with other Departments and public organisation, sector associations, companies, third sector organisms and the general public. This must, therefore, be reflected in the Department’s activities and in the way it relates to stakeholders through workshops, forums, communications, information provided, etc.

In the people of the Departments

Department staff must be familiar with, have enough knowledge of, have the skills/abilities required and the appropriate incentives to perform their work in a way that is consistent with the principles of sustainable development.

They must specifically be reflected in:

— Knowledge. The people that work at the Department must understand and know how the principles of SD should be applied in their daily work.


— Skills. Having the skills, abilities and tools to be efficient and effective in their work, aligned with the principles of sustainable development. Transferring the principles to the decision they make in the context of their work and their personal lives in relation to work, e.g., when travelling, purchasing goods and services and supplier management.

— Staff policy. Must take into account social, economic and environmental impacts. Must meet the commitment to give equal opportunities in recruitment.

In Department operations and procurement management

The Department must manage its infrastructure and develop its operations consistent with the principles of sustainable development.

They must specifically be reflected in:

— Operative mechanisms• Inrelationtoitsenvironmentalmanagement

systems.• Inrelationtogeneratingcarbonemissions.• Inrelationtothesocialandeconomic

impact of its activities on the environment.• Inrelationtocontractmanagement.

— Impact of its activities: there must be a robust system to collect information on impacts (job creation, electric and water consumption, carbon emissions, etc.). There must equally be a set of indicators to allow assessment and monitoring.

— Procurement management: the Department must manage its goods and services procurement and contracting consistent with the principles of sustainable development. They must specifically be reflected in:• Procurementandcontractingprocedures.• Relationswithsuppliersandthesupply

chain.• Theimpactofprocurement.

��

annExEs

88

The Basque Strategy for Sustainable Development sets guidelines and lines of action, but the implementation of the specific actions corresponds to the Departments and departmental organisms. These have their own strategies and plans that frame and direct their actions but that must necessarily be aligned with the objectives set in EcoEuskadi 2020.

This Annex includes the relevant Plans and Initiatives for the current legislature, which highlights the alignment existing among its objectives and those of the Strategy for Sustainable Development. It is not surprising to find that overall there is a strong relation between the formulations of one and the other. This is so not only because there is a coincidence in the time they have been developed, but also because the incorporation of the culture of sustainability happened some time ago, at least in terms of strategic approaches. Hence, the management model of the Strategy for Sustainable Development itself — which establishes a certain control and assessment mechanic of the sustainability of the plans — and the Guidelines for incorporating principles of sustainability document that serves as support and a complement, are greatly important.

It is appropriate to stress again that sustainable development is not limited to incorporating the vision of environmental sustainability into economic development programmes. Also true is the opposite: that environmental sustainability actions must contemplate their economic impact. And that in both cases the social dimension of economic and environmental actions is usually forgotten. A threefold dimension that should never fail to be present when formulating policies and designing relevant projects and actions.

Due to this interaction, it is not recommendable to pass judgement in an isolated way or in absolute terms whether a particular plan or strategy is sustainable or unsustainable. It is preferable that the evaluation is produced in relative or comparative terms, i.e., evaluating whether a particular option is more or less sustainable, and why, than another option that is considered equally feasible. Contrasting with the option of not doing anything is usually particularly illustrative.

Below is the interrelation between the strategic objectives of EcoEuskadi 2020 and the strategic plans and initiatives of the Basque Government, as well as the level of development of each of them.

Annex 1.

Fitting goVErnMEnt Plans and thE stratEgiC objECtiVEs oF ECoEuskadi 2020


Strategic Objective 1. to position the basque Country as an innovative, competitive, eco-efficient and open economy

Dept. of Industry, Innovation, Trade and Tourism

— Business Competitiveness Plan 2010-2013. In progress.

— Energy Strategy for the Basque Country 2020 - 3E 2020. In advanced stage of development.

— Basque Information Society Plan 2015. In advanced stage of development.

Dept. of Education, Universities and Research

— University Plan 2011 – 2014. In progress.

— 3rd Vocational Training Plan 2011/2014. In progress.

Dept. of Environment, Land Planning, Agriculture and Fisheries

— Competitiveness plan of the Basque agricultural sector. In advanced stage of development.

Presidency— Science, Technology and Innovation Plan 2015 In advanced stage of development.— Strategic Framework for External Action 2010-2020. In advanced stage of development. Not included in the

plans of the 9th Legislature but among the significant actions.

Strategic Objective 2. to consolidate a fully integrating and cohesive basque Country based on employment, education, prevention and solidarity

Dept. of Employment and Social Affairs

— Strategies for sanitary and social care in the Basque Country. Agreed in February 2001, this is the basis for the future Strategic Plan for sanitary and social care that will replace the plan for the period 2005-2008. Not included in the calendar of Plans of the 9th Legislature.

— Basque Employment Plan 2011-2013. Under development.

— 3rd Plan on Immigration, Citizenship and Intercultural Coexistence 2011-2013. In advanced stage of development.

— Strategic plan for social services in the Basque Country 2011-2014. In progress.

— 3rd Interinstitutional Family Support Plan. In advanced stage of development.

— 2nd Strategic Plan on Occupational Health and Safety in the Basque Country 2011/2014. In progress.

Dept. of Health and Consumption

— Strategy to address the challenge of chronicity in the Basque Country. In progress. Not included in the plans of the 9th Legislature but among the significant actions.

— Basque Health Plan 2012-2020. Under development.

Dept. of Culture

— III Gazte Plana (Youth Plan) 2020. In advanced stage of development. Not included in the calendar of Plans of the 9th Legislature.

Strategic Objective 3. to strengthen social protection systems in order to continue guaranteeing harmonious, healthy and equitable development


— Strategic plan for social services in the Basque Country 2011-2014. In progress.

Dept. of Home Affairs

— Plan against gender violence. In progress.

Presidency

— 5th Plan for Equality of Men and Women 2010-2013. In progress.

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Strategic Objective 4. to preserve our natural resources and biodiversity with respectful and balanced planning of the territory, infrastructures, equipment and housing

Dept. of Housing, Public Works and Transport

— Master Plan on Sustainable Mobility. 2020 Horizon. In progress.


— Land Planning Guidelines. Revised in 2010. Not included in the calendar of Plans of the 9th Legislature.

— Environmental Framework Programme 2011-2014. In progress.

— Sustainable Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. In progress.

— Basque Country Coastal Development Programme 2011-2013. Under development. Not included in the calendar of Plans of the 9th Legislature.

— Food Industry and Quality Strategic Plan of the Basque Country 2010-2013. In progress. Not included in the calendar of Plans of the 9th Legislature.

Strategic Objective 5. to minimise energy dependence on fossil-based energies and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of climate change

Dept. of Industry, Trade and Tourism

— Energy Strategy 3E 2020. In advanced stage of development.

— Business Competitiveness Plan 2010-2013. In progress.


— Basque Plan on Climate Change 2020. Under development.



— Master Plan on housing and urban regeneration 2010-2013. In progress.

— Master Plan on Sustainable Mobility. 2020 Horizon. Under development.

Strategic Objective 6. to develop a more sustainable integrated mobility model that facilitates structuring the inland territory and connection with the exterior in better conditions of competitiveness


— Master Plan on Sustainable Mobility. 2020 Horizon. Under development.

— Basque Railway Plan 2020 on rail and tram transport. Under development.

— Sector Territorial Plan of the intermodal and logistics network. In progress Not included in the plans of the 9th Legislature but among the significant actions.

— Basque Country airport plan. In progress. Not included in the plans of the 9th Legislature but among the significant actions.

Dept. of Home Affairs

— Strategic road safety plan 2010-2014. In progress. Not included in the plans of the 9th Legislature but among the significant actions.


Strategic Objective 7. to build an education and quality values system, aimed at achieving academic success, flexible and adapting educational and training contents to the qualifications required by the job market and society throughout life, including sustainability in all its dimensions


— Basque Employment Strategy 2011-2013. In development.

— Basque Government Strategic Master Plan for Development Cooperation 2008-2011. In progress. Not included in the calendar of Plans of the 9th Legislature.

Presidency

— Plan for democratic coexistence and delegitimisation of violence 2010/2011. In progress.

Dept. of Culture

— III Gazte Plana (Youth Plan) 2020. In advanced stage of development.

— Citizen Contract for the Promotion Cultures. Under development.

Presidency

— Government action plan against gender violence. In progress.

— 5th Plan for Equality of Men and Women 2010-2013. In progress.

Dept. of Education, Universities and Research

— 3rd Vocational Training Plan 2011-2014. In progress.



Strategic Objective 8. to deploy an innovative, efficient, accessible and transparent Public administration

Dept. of Justice and Public Administration

— Public innovation and electronic administration plan 2011-2013. In progress.

Presidency

— Science, Technology and Innovation Plan 2015.In advanced stage of development.

Strategic Objective 9. to contribute from the basque Country to meeting the Millennium goals and, in general, to the sustainable development of the most underprivileged countries.


— Basque Government Strategic Master Plan for Development Cooperation 2008-2011. In progress. Not included in the calendar of Plans of the 9th Legislature. The Development Cooperation Agency, dependent on the Presidency, has been set up.

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Annex 2.

Fitting thE objECtiVEs oF thE ECoEuskadi 2020 stratEgy and thE sustainablE dEVEloPMEnt stratEgiEs oF thE ProVinCial CounCils

28 The strategy of Álava has the twofold objective of Integrating the concept in the organisation and Supporting and guiding stakeholders in meeting the Aalborg Commitments. The goal of the Bizkaia 21 Programme is to help incorporate sustainability in all the provincial departments, while insisting of the necessary coordination with the rest of the Basque Public Administrations, and particularly with the Municipal Administration.

29 There is an extensive document that analyses in more detail the traceability of the lines of action, clearly showing the synergies between the documents mentioned.

The Provincial Councils of Biscay, Gipuzkoa and Álava have Strategies for Sustainable Development that are aligned with the EcoEuskadi 2020 guidelines. There are, however, some differences between them in approach and scope:

— EcoEuskadi 2020 started by identifying the risks of unsustainability of the Basque socio-economic model to then identify the challenges and the keys to sustainability. From this basis a Vision was defined, which comprises 9 strategic objectives deployed in lines of action.

— The Councils of Álava and Biscay, Strategic Sustainable Development Plan of the Historical Territory of Álava 2011-2015 and Bizkaia 21 Egitasmoa Programme 2011-2016, have developed their strategies around the Aalborg Commitments, of which they are signatories. The commitments give rise to a series of strategic lines, and each line is deployed in

Programmes and Actions or Objectives and Actions. Therefore their structure is similar. Both Strategies have a strong orientation towards the Departments of the provincial institution itself and towards municipal administrations,28 and their horizon is medium-term (2015 and 2016 respectively).

— Meanwhile, the Provincial Council of has conceived its strategy, Building our shared future together. Gipuzkoa Strategy 2020-2030, as a global reflection on the desired development model for the Territory, with no special connection with the Town Councils or limiting itself to the scope of authority of the Provincial Departments. Thus formulating a Vision and advocating 6 great transformations desired. Its horizon is 2030, although it sets goals for the year 2020.

Below is a summary of the alignment of said Strategies with the EcoEuskadi 2020 objectives.29


Table 1.

interrelation between the EcoEuskadi 2020 objectives and the Commitments of the Provincial Councils of Álava and biscay

ECOEuskadi 2020 ÁlaVa 2011-2015 / bisCay 2011-2016

Objective 1. To position the Basque Country as an innovative, competitive, eco-efficient and open economy

8. To create and ensure a vibrant local economy that gives access to employment without damaging the environment

Objective 2. To consolidate a fully integrating and cohesive Basque Country based on employment, education, prevention and solidarity

7. To promote and protect the health and welfare of our citizens 9. To ensure integrating and solidary communities

Objective 3. To strengthen social protection systems in order to continue guaranteeing harmonious, healthy and equitable development

Objective 4. To preserve our natural resources and biodiversity with respectful and balanced planning of the territory, infra-structures, equipment and housing

3. To fully assume our responsibility to protect, preserve and guarantee equal access to common natural assets

4. To adopt and facilitate the prudent and efficient use of resources and to encourage sustainable consumption and production

5. To assume a strategic role for urban planning and design in ad-dressing environmental, social, economic, health and cultural issues for the benefit of all

Objective 5. To minimise energy dependence on fossil-based energies and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of climate change

Objective 6. To develop a more sustainable integrated mobility model that facilitates structuring the inland territory and connection with the exterior in better conditions of competitiveness.

6. To firmly promote sustainable mobility models, recognising the interdependence of transport, health and the environment

Objective 7. To build an education and quality values system, aimed at achieving academic success, flexible and adapting educational and training contents to the qualifications required by the job market and society throughout life, including sustainability in all its dimensions

Objective 8. To deploy an innovative, efficient, accessible and transparent Public Administration

1. To promote our decision-making processes through a more participatory democracy

2. To development effective management programmes, from de-sign to assessment, through implementation

Objective 9. To contribute from the Basque Country to meeting the Millennium Goals and, in general, to the sustainable development of the most underprivileged countries

10. To assume of global responsibility for peace, justice, equality, sustainable development and protecting the climate

On the one hand, Table Table 1 relates the 10 Aalborg Commitments, which are the starting point for the strategic formulation of the Provincial Councils of Álava and Biscay with the Strategic Objectives of

EcoEuskadi 2020. Objectives 3 and 7 do not directly fit into any of the commitments, although both strategies have Lines of Action that contribute to the same.

94 anExos

Table 2.

interrelation between the EcoEuskadi 2020 objectives major transformations for gipuzkoa 2030

ECOEuskadi 2020 giPuzkOa 2020-2030

Objective 1. To position the Basque Country as an innovative, competitive, eco-efficient and open economy

1. Economic transformation (TEC). Towards an open, competitive and sustainable economy based on innovation and knowledge

Objective 2. To consolidate a fully integrating and cohesive Basque Country based on employment, education, prevention and solidarity 2. Demographic-social transformation (TDS). To

manage our transition towards an older society and ensuring funding for the welfare stateObjective 3. To strengthen social protection systems in

order to continue guaranteeing harmonious, healthy and equitable development

Objective 4. To preserve our natural resources and biodiversity with respectful and balanced planning of the territory, infrastructures, equipment and housing

3. Environmental and territorial transformation (TAT). Towards environmental sustainability, expressing an honest commitment to future generations

Objective 5. To minimise energy dependence on fossil-based energies and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of climate change

Strategic Renewable Energies Programme*

(Environmental and territorial transformation)

Objective 6. To develop a more sustainable integrated mobility model that facilitates structuring the inland territory and connection with the exterior in better conditions of competitiveness

Strategic Sustainable Mobility Programme (electric car and train)*

(Environmental and territorial transformation)

Objective 7. To build an education and quality values system, aimed at achieving academic success, flexible and adapting educational and training contents to the qualifications required by the job market and society throughout life, including sustainability in all its dimensions

4. Transformation in learning and knowledge (TAC). Gipuzkoa, a land that learns

Objective 8. To deploy an innovative, efficient, accessible and transparent Public Administration

5. Transformation of the public-political space (TEP). Towards the comprehensive modernisation of the public administration and further institutional streamlining. A new governance based on new values

Objective 9. To contribute from the Basque Country to meeting the Millennium Goals and, in general, to the sustainable development of the most underprivileged countries

*Included in the economic transformation.

Meanwhile, Table 2 juxtaposes the EcoEuskadi 2020 objectives and the Transformations of the Gipuzkoa 2030 Strategy. The comparison shows that some of the

Transformations included in Gipuzkoa involve several EcoEuskadi 2020 objectives. The only objective not expressly covered is international solidarity (Objective 9).

95

Annex 3.

synthEsis oF thE PartiCiPatory ProCEss: PartiCiPation has lEFt its Mark on thE ECoEuskadi 2020 stratEgy

The social and public response to the participatory process developed in the EcoEuskadi 2020 Strategy has left its mark. This was possible thanks to joint work and effort. On the one hand, EcoEuskadi 2020 has generated and provided many and different spaces for participation; and on the other, the public and socio-economic agents have responded well.

After several months of work, between January and May 2011, and having finalised the participatory process, the evaluation below allows us to make conclusions on:

1. The participation figures;2. The main contributions; and3. The resulting commitments.

thE figurEs of participation in EcoEuskadi 2020

These are important numbers that reflect efforts to incorporate social debate into EcoEuskadi 2020. The Basque Government provided physical and virtual forums for participatory reflection and cooperation in order to gather the diversity of opinions and stances from a young, businesses, social, institutional and general public perspective.

As a complement to the participatory process, we must highlight the activity of the ecoeuskadi2020.net website, with over 14,000 visits, 40,925 page views and an average visit time of 3.10 minutes (data from June 2011).

Although the participatory process did not reach all the agents and entities involved, its main value is the qualitative and quantitative leap that its approach, organisation and development has meant for the Basque Government, and for Basque society in general. This process contributed to:

— Creating relational and meeting spaces for different groups.

— Creating debates that contribute shared knowledge, reflection and learning.

The issues dealt with varied according to the technical development process of EcoEuskadi 2020. Thus, depending to the moment, the participation process has considered how to address or direct:

— The main challenges of sustainability in the Basque Country.

— The 2020 Vision of a sustainable Basque Country.— The 8 keys to sustainability in the Basque Country.— The strategic objectives.— The lines of action.

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PartiCiPatiOn PartiCiPatOry sEssiOnsnO.

PartiCiPants

General Public

Social networks:

Facebook

Twitter

Openideiak

Tuenti

Posts by people from the University

450 friends

180 followers

142 members

38 members

19

Agenda 21 forums in Town Halls 73

NGOs 9

Future Workshops (Qualitative analysis):

Groups

No. people

9

72

Public survey (Quantitative analysis) 1.200

Economic, social and institutional

agents

General seminars 534

Basque President's Advisory Council on Socio-economic Affairs. 30

Basque Government Interdepartmental Sessions: social, environmental and economic

45

Udalsarea 21, Basque Network of Municipalities for Sustainability 23

Bai +5 forum 83

Garapen / Regions (Development agencies and Associations of municipalities)

27

Izaite (Association of Basque Companies for Sustainability) 40

Q Epea, Network of Public Entities for Excellence 5

Technological Centres 10

Ihobe 22

Departmental sessions 20

Youth

Universities:

Processes in lecture rooms

No. university associations

294

3

Vocational Training:

No. centres

No. students

23

841

Other youth associations 120

Schools (16-18 years)

No. centres

No. students

10

385

Below is a summary of the participation spaces open during the EcoEuskadi 2020 development process, interrelating these spaces with the issues discussed and the key to sustainability dealt with in depth.

The numbers that summarise the participatory process of EcoEuskadi 2020 are:

97

Entity Date

Issues discussed and addressed

Vision 2020

Key 1

Key 2

Key 3

Key 4

Key 5

Key 6

Key 7

Key 8

GEN

ERA

L P

UB

LIC

Local Agenda 21 Forum of Legazpi

24/03/2011

Local Agenda 21 Forum of Nerbioi Ibaizabal

04/04/2011

Local Agenda 21 Forum of Zarautz

29/03/2011

Advisory Council on the Environment of San Sebastian

06/04/2011

Local Agenda 21 Forum of Debabarrena (Debegesa)

30/03/2011

Socio-economic agents' forum of Goierri (Goieki)

13/04/2011

Romani cultural association KALE DOR KAYIKO

19/04/2011

26/04/2011

NGOs 06/04/2011

YO

UT

H

University of Deusto:La Comer-cial – 5th year

28/03/2011

07/04/2011

University of Deusto: La Comercial – 2nd year

15/03/2011

19/04/2011

University of the Basque Country: Polytechnic College of San Sebastian

14/04/2011

23 vocational training centres

March and April 2011

10 middle and high schools

March and April 2011

AIESEC: global network of university students and graduates

27/04/2011

Eusko Ikaskuntza -Youth12/03/2011 02/04/2011

Bosko Taldea Federation of the Basque Country

April 2011

Key 1. Scarce natural resources and in the process of depletion Key 2. Energy dependence and climate change Key 5. Profound demographic changes Key 6. Unbalanced generational change

98

Entity Date

Issues discussed and addressed

Vision 2020

Key 1

Key 2

Key 3

Key 4

Key 5

Key 6

Key 7

Key 8

SOC

IO-E

CO

NO

MIC

AG

ENT

S IZAITE14/03/2011 18/03/2011 05/04/2011

BAI+5 2011

Q-EPEA. Public entities for excellence

18/04/2011

GARAPEN01/04/2011

15/04/2011

Technological Centres 29/03/2011

INST

ITU

TIO

NS

UDALSAREA 21, Technical Committee

05/04/2011

IHOBE25/03/2011 08/04/2011

Basque Government - departmental session on Land Planning

09/03/2011

Basque Government - departmental session on Health

29/03/2011

Basque Government - Social departmental session

04/04/2011

Basque Government - public administration interdepartmental session

12/04/2011

Basque Government - eco-nomic-environmental interdepartmental session

18/04/2011

OP

EN S

PAC

ES

Open days: Challenges of sustainability in the Basque Country

25/01/2011

26/01/2011

Open days: Proposals for action

09/05/2011 10/05/2011 11/05/2011

Social networks 2011

E-mail 2011

Key 3. Globalisation of competition Key 4. Unsustainable mobility and transport Key 7. Fragility of a changing system of values Key 8. Unequal international development


thE main contributions to EcoEuskadi 2020Many documents have been written as a result of

the participation in the EcoEuskadi 2020 Strategy. It is complicated, almost impossible, to summarise all the nuances of the contents and reflections that arose in the spaces for debate.

However, when analysing the documentation, we can identify the main lines of thought contributed to EcoEuskadi 2020 by the general public, young people, socio-economic agents and civil servants.

Below, we have stated the key reflections on which there is consensus or a majority of opinion, and which are also reinforced, with some nuances, by analysing the social discourse undertaken. These are therefore the most important contribution of the participatory process to EcoEuskadi 2020. They are as follows:

— The participating entities and people validate the need for a Sustainable Development Strategy for the Basque Country. There is social consensus on the need and urgency to address the unsustainable trends of the current system, reflected in the economic, social and environmental crisis. In short, the social commitment to truly integrating sustainability into the strategy and national model, and to the socio-economic and environmental policies that develop it.

— Political and social leadership is key to facing and assuming the changes associated with the new sustainable economic and social approach and model. A leadership that must be shared and driven by people, knowledge and innovation.

— Advancing towards sustainability requires sectoral technical and technological solutions, and also joint social responsibility. The majority of the proposals to address the challenges faced by the country are related to:

• Sustainable and innovative technical management in the different areas of action, such as: energy and climate change, mobility, land planning, resource management, production and consumption, etc. This management must be accompanied by a legal framework and fiscal support.

• Education, awareness raising and a commitment of Basque society as a whole (Administration, socio-economic agents and the

general public) to a sustainable development model for the Basque Country.

— Some conditions considered necessary to address a sustainable future in the Basque Country are:

• Placing people, particularly young people, at the core of the EcoEuskadi 2020 Strategy, giving special relevance to appropriately guiding educational, health, social, employment policies, among others.

• Working and strengthening our system of values as a society.

• Guaranteeing a transparent, coordinated and efficient administration.

• Developing a new governance or a new way of governing with the general public.

thE commitmEnts arising from participation in EcoEuskadi 2020The main goal of this participatory process was

to promote social debate, in order to incorporate its main conclusions into the Euskadi 2020 Strategy for Sustainable Development. This goal, and also the commitment to carry it out, has already been fulfilled.

We can therefore state that the main results of social participation have provided value and contributed to enriching and reinforcing reflection and the technical work behind EcoEuskadi 2020. This is a Strategy built for and by Basque society.

However, the work does not end here. Once the Euskadi 2020 Strategy for Sustainable Development has been approved, a new path has started, which concerns of us all.

Communicating and developing EcoEuskadi 2020 and its proposals, dedicating the necessary efforts and talent, assuming the behaviour changes required… must be a personal and collective commitment. A national commitment and challenge that we must shape, slowly but surely.

The following description of the participatory process, together with the results obtained, will be object of a document called “Participation leaves its mark on 2020”, attached to the Strategy for Sustainable Development.

100

Along with the participatory spaces created, the Basque Government has endeavoured to discover the public discourse on sustainable development and the strategic objectives of EcoEuskadi 2020. For this we have undertaken:

— Qualitative research with 72 participants in 9 discussion groups-future workshops, which analysed Sustainable Development as a concept and the Keys to Sustainability of EcoEuskadi 2020.

— Quantitative research based on 1,200 telephone interviews with Basque citizens, which analysed social perception of the quality of life of the Basque people was analysed as well as the importance of Sustainable Development for the good progress of the Basque Country in the near future. (See "Quality of life and sustainability" repost at www.ecoeuskadi2020.net)

The general goal was to identify the most significant elements of public discourse concerning EcoEuskadi 2020, integrating the results of the two phases of research conducted. Below is the interrelation between the objectives and the two research projects.

Annex 4.

CitizEnshiP and sustainablE dEVEloPMEnt

A summary of the qualitative results of the study could be specified in the following elements:

— Society still finds it difficult to understand sustainable development beyond aspects connected to the environment; this does not mean that society shows no concern for problems or situations related to the economic or social future of the Basque Country.

— In economic terms, the general public perceives that the Basque Country has known how to adapt to new times, viewing globalisation as an opportunity to improve and expand the boundaries of its market and assuming that the entry of foreign products could turn the local market into a vulnerable market. However, there is a perceived need to continue working to maintain the Basque Country as a competitive economy in the global market.

— From the perspective of socially sustainable development, a concern is detected on how to redirect value system, transmitting modernity and innovation to future generations, but always enriched with the traditional Basque values that have made us what we are today.


stratEgiC ObjECtiVEsECOEuskadi 2020

kEys tO sustainability(qualitative phase)

analysis ParaMEtErs(quantitative phase)

1. To position the Basque Country as an innovative, competitive, eco-efficient and open economy

Globalisation of competition

— Quality of life

— Local product consumption

— Competitiveness of businesses

— Defence against globalisation

2. To consolidate a fully integrating and cohesive Basque Country based on employment, education, prevention and solidarity

Unbalanced generational

change

— Employment

— Integration of immigrants

— Young people prepared for the job market

— Work for young people in the Basque Country

3. To strengthen social protection systems in order to continue guaranteeing harmonious, healthy and equitable development of people

Profound demographic

changes

— Ageing population

— Problems maintaining pensions

4. To preserve our natural resources and biodiversity with respectful and balanced planning of the territory, infrastructures, equipment and housing.

Scarce natural resources, in

the process of depletion

— Resource consumption— Environmental threats

— Scientific advances as an environmental solution

5. To minimise energy dependence on fossil-based energy, and to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of climate change

Energy dependence and climate change

— Climate Change

— Energy dependence

6. To develop a more sustainable integrated mobility model that facilitates structuring the inland territory and the connection with the exterior in better conditions of competitiveness

Unsustainable mobility and

transport— Traffic problems

7. To build an education and quality values system, aimed at achieving academic success, flexible and adapting educational and training contents to the qualifications required by the job market and society throughout life, including sustainability in all its dimensions

Fragility of a changing system of

values

— Unlimited consumption

— Declining solidarity

8. To deploy an innovative, efficient, accessible and transparent Public Administration

Responsible agents (transversal

analysis)— Coordination between the administrations

9. To contribute from the Basque Country to meeting the Millennium Goals and, in general, to the sustainable development of the most underprivileged countries

Unequal international development

— Helping the poorest countries

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— From the environmental perspective, the general public finds obstacles to empathise and care about that have apparently not yet arrived, so awareness and prevention in terms of climate change or lack of resources can be difficult. Even so, the general public is beginning to become aware that current consumption habits are undesirable.

— The responsibility to boost changes in the economic, social and environmental field is not assumed in most cases by the general public itself, although it is willing to collaborate. The responsibility to generate change is placed with agents such as institutions or companies, representing a deficit in joint social responsibility.

When summarising the results obtained in the quantitative phase, the following aspects should be highlighted:

— Over 80 per cent consider their quality of life to be good or very good. However, it is perceived that this quality of life may be threatened by competition and globalisation, so more than half of the population surveyed would agree with adopting defensive measures against globalisation, endorsing the consumption of local products even if they have a higher price.

— Almost everyone (95%) believes that employment is a fundamental aspect for the good functioning of society. Another aspect considered as a key for 75% is the ageing population and the viability of the pension system.

— 75% of the population considers that the current rate of resource consumption is excessive and jeopardises future generations. This would contrast with the perception of 46% that threats to the environment are exaggerated, and the confidence of 48% that scientific advances will solve these threats. On the other hand, almost 70 per cent of the population is aware of the importance of climate change.

— With regard to education, 64% of the public considers that young people are prepared for the job market and perceives having to leave the Basque Country to work as a problem. It is noteworthy the relevance given to education in values and the perception of over 70% that we are becoming less solidary with others, even while 84% agrees with the idea that rich countries should financially help poorer countries.

basque sustainable development strategy 2020

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