Several federal players are responsible for preparing and coordinating the federal policy on sustainable development.
The Interdepartmental Commission for Sustainable Development(only exists in French and Dutch)
The pursuit of sustainable development goals requires a transversal approach to policies and, thereby, the involvement of all federal public departments and other institutions in charge of their development and implementation of these policies.
This transverse preparation of federal policies is the main mission of the Interdepartmental Commission for Sustainable Development (CIDD-ICDO):
- It supports the government in the implementation of its Federal long-term strategic vision for sustainable development.
- It also develops the Federal Sustainable Development Plan and monitors throughout its execution.
- Its members pay special attention to several themes related to the field of sustainable development. They have therefore structured their contributions within various working groups. There are currently 9 of them, some of which have drafted specific action plans (Corporate Social Responsibility, sustainable procurement, sustainable mobility, etc.) based on the Federal Sustainable Development Plan.
CIDD-ICDO comprises representative(s) of all Federal Public Services (FPS) and Public Planning Services (PPS) and the Ministry of Defence. The regions and communities are also invited to nominate their representative. The Federal Institute for Sustainable Development (IFDD-FIDO) (only exists in French and Dutch) acts as its chair and secretariat.
The Sustainable Development Task Force of the Federal Planning Bureau.
The Federal Planning Bureau (FPB) is a public interest organization. It prepares studies and projections on economic, social, environmental policy issues and their integration with regard to sustainable development.
As part of coordinating the federal policy on sustainable development, the Federal Planning Bureau is in charge of preparing the biannual Federal Report on Sustainable Development. Since 1998, it is the Sustainable Development Task Force (TFSD) that performs this task.
The federal report on sustainable development has a very wide field of investigation. It must specifically include:
- a description, an analysis and an assessment of the federal policy instituted towards sustainable development,
- a description, an analysis and an assessment of the existing situation in Belgium as against the developments taking place internationally,
- a description of predictable evolutionary trends if policy remains unchanged and/or continuation of a given policy. This last prospective part allows the federal government and civil society to decide what the best measures are to achieve the objectives that have been set such as those of the federal long-term strategic vision for sustainable development.
It therefore serves as the working basis of the CIDD-ICDO when developing a new preliminary draft of the Federal Sustainable Development Plan.
Federal Council for Sustainable Development
The Federal Council for Sustainable Development (CFDD-FRDO) is primarily an advisory body. It replaces the National Council for Sustainable Development created following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. It is made up of representatives of various social groups:
- organisations active in environmental matters,
- organisations for development cooperation,
- consumer, worker and employer organisations,
- youth organisations and
- people from the academic world.
Representatives of the federal government, communities and regions, as well as councils expert on environmental and socio-economic issues are members without voting rights.
Its main mission is to deliver opinions, either on its own initiative or at the request of Ministers or members of the House of Representatives or the Senate. These opinions may concern any action on sustainable development taken or envisaged by the federal government.
According to the 1997 Act, it is required to issue an opinion on the draft federal plan for sustainable development prepared by the Interdepartmental Commission for Sustainable Development.
The CFDD-FRDO also plays the role of a forum by encouraging public debate on sustainable development and by encouraging the widest possible participation of stakeholders and citizens.
Federal Institute for Sustainable Development (only exists in French and Dutch)
The Federal Institute for Sustainable Development (IFDD-FIDO), under the aegis of the Prime Minister's Chancellery, has taken charge of the objectives of the Public Planning Services for Sustainable Development (PPSSD).
Its core mission remains unchanged: "to help all players to act for sustainable development focused on the needs of the current and future generations."
Implementation of the long-term vision for sustainable development has been entrusted to the IFDD-FIDO.