Traduction de «Forum urbain pour le développement durable » (Français → Anglais) :

Stakeholder Forum on Sustainable Development in the EU

On Friday, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the European Commission presented the initial conclusions of the stakeholder forum on sustainable development held by them on 12 and 13 September.

F. whereas there is little complementarity and insufficient coordination between the different international forums responsible for sustainable development (Convention on Biological Diversity, Kyoto Protocol, Convention to Combat Desertification, etc.),

RECALLS that Decision No 1600/2002/EC laying down the Sixth Community Environment Action Programme, particularly its recital 27 and Articles 2(2), 4 and 7(2)(h), refers to the need for concerted efforts to ensure a better and healthier environment and to contribute to a high level of quality of life and social well being for citizens by encouraging sustainable urban development and establishes a thematic strategy on the urban environment as a priority action; WELCOMES the Commission Communication "Towards a thematic strategy on the urban environment"; SUPPORTS its analysis of environmental problems and conditions in urban areas in Euro ...[+++]pe as a basis for the forthcoming thematic strategy; ALSO SUPPORTS the four priority themes - management, transport, construction and urban design - all of which have clear links to economic and social issues and are relevant for the sustainable development of urban areas; STRESSES the need to address also strategic environmental issues to reduce cities' impact on the wider environment; CONSIDERS that actions under the thematic strategy on the urban environment should, among other things, contribute to the reduction of air and noise pollution; and UNDERLINES the importance of a continued focus at Community level on source-related measures, in particular for transport; AGREES that further development of the suggested actions and measures for the thematic strategy on the urban environment should have regard to:

F. whereas there is little complementarity and insufficient coordination between the different international forums responsible for sustainable development (Convention on Biological Diversity, Kyoto Protocol, Convention to Combat Desertification, etc.),

3. Is convinced that local development and employment initiatives are preconditions for lasting development which contribute not only to an improvement of the living environment in urban and rural areas but above all represent the proper framework for the creation of permanent employment opportunities and hence are an important first step in finding a solution for the EU's crisis areas whic ...[+++]h have degenerated into social exclusion and where local infrastructure has been destroyed. It is, therefore, incomprehensible that only 10% of the entire amount for the period 1994-1999 has been allocated to local development, while on the other hand, a large proportion of the large-scale projects promoted by considerable contributions from the Structural Funds have no more than short-term effects on employment and in some cases actually hamper or prevent the creation of jobs linked to the area; calls therefore on the Member States to introduce greater variety into their employment programmes and to include in them a chapter on local employment; calls on the Commission to support the Member States in such efforts and to insist, as being crucial to the efficient use of appropriations, on the proportion of Structural Fund allocations earmarked for local employment initiatives being raised;