Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development

The Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development (hereinafter referred to as the “SFSD“) was adopted by the Czech Government Resolution No. 37 of January 11, 2010 and constitutes the main strategy for the development of the Czech Republic. The Framework defines the basic principles of sustainable development that has to be followed in sectoral strategies and policy documents and creates a long-term framework for policy making in the context of international commitments of the Czech Republic as part of its membership in the UN, OECD and the EU, while respecting the Czech Republic’s specific conditions and needs.

The Framework includes a set of indicators. The state of sustainable development in the Czech Republic is reported every second year.

The Framework has been reviewed during the year of 2016. The review process is built upon the impact assessment of global megatrends and it also takes into account the recent developments in the global sustainable development agenda, including the, adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Agreement in 2015. The updated Framework focuses on all three pillar of sustainable development and newly also incorporates the wellbeing conceptual framework and includes a chapter on good governance for sustainable development.

Updating the SFSD – Background

The need to update the Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development (hereinafter referred to as the “SFSD“) is embedded in the Government Resolution No 37 of 11 January 2010, and by Government Resolution No 622 of 29 July 2015 the deadline for its submission to the Government was changed to 31 December 2016 (originally 31 December 2015).  

Planning, implementation, follow-up and review of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Czech Republic

The framework for the SDGs implementation in the Czech Republic has been established by the adoption of the Government Resolution on January 25, 2016, which tasked the Prime Minister in cooperation with the Minister of Environment to put forward a proposal for implementation of the SDGs on the government level. The resolution has been adopted after a series of consultations between the Government Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Czech Statistical Office.

Strategic framework “Czech Republic 2030

The main implementation platform of the Agenda 2030 in the Czech Republic is the strategic framework Czech Republic 2030 which is currently drafted by the Sustainable Development Unit of the Government Office and will be submitted to the Government by the end of March 2017. The Government adopted the strategic framework Czech Republic 2030 at April 19. 2017

The document sets out goals and targets to be accomplished by the 2030 and consists of a detailed development analysis and strategy for sustainable development that should be reflected in all sectoral and regional strategies. It outlines six national priority areas (people and society; economic model; resilient ecosystems; municipalities; global development; and good governance). Another segment of the document consists of an impact analysis of global megatrends on national development.

Among strategic goals of the Czech Republic 2030 which should directly contribute to accomplishment of the Agenda 2030 goals and targets is the active participation of the Czech Republic in international organisations based on national priorities, supporting good governance for sustainable development (SDG 16), ensuring policy coherence and mainstreaming the Agenda 2030 into both national and foreign policies.

Coordination at the national level

For the coordination of the above mentioned process, the Czech Republic intends to use the existing structures and enhance them where needed. The Government Office has the leading role in the implementation process, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the external dimension and development policies. The Government Council for Sustainable Development (hereinafter referred to as the “GCSD“), chaired by the Prime Minister, will serve as a coordination body to ensure that all key stakeholders are involved and informed about the process.  The GCSD is an advisory body to the Government and is responsible for the coordination of sustainable development policy-making among the central administrative authorities on an inter-sectoral basis. Representatives of all ministries, NGOs, parliament members, municipalities, industry, agriculture, trade unions, research, and academic society and other main stakeholders participate in the work of Committees (there are nine of them) and several working groups. There are currently three Committees dealing with the implementation of the SDGs – one focusing on its external dimension, one on the domestic implementation and one dedicated to sustainable development indicators led by the Czech Statistical Office.

Key principles for successful implementation

Adoption of the Government Resolution on July 29, 2015 on the sustainable development agenda established participation as a key method for the preparation of the strategic framework. The role of coordinator for participation ensuring involvement of key actors from nongovernmental, private and academic sector was established for this purpose and used throughout the process of drafting the Czech Republic 2030.  

To ensure successful implementation, the SDGs must be perceived in wider context than development cooperation or climate change and new actors must be involved in the process. The Czech Republic considers as key principle for success building strong global partnership based on participation the all relevant actors and mobilization of all required financial and nonfinancial resources.

The Agenda 2030 will be also reflected in the revised Conception of Czech development cooperation which will be published in 2018.

Monitoring and reporting

The Czech Republic is committed to support implementation of the SDGs on the national, European and global level. In its role of co-chair of ECOSOC for the period of July 2016 until July 2017 and chair of ECOSOC in the following period, the Czech Republic has committed to participate in voluntary reporting in the framework of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in July 2017. 

The progress in the priority areas and strategic goals of the Czech Republic 2030 will be monitored on a 2-year basis in a form of an analytical report, which will build upon the indicators, identify the main obstacles and drivers of progress on the SDGs and provide recommendations to all relevant actors. The sustainable development strategy is expected to have a direct link to other sectoral strategies, which will actually act as the main implementation hub. Through the overarching sustainable development strategy, the individual targets will be assessed in an integrated manner.