CBSS at the 25th Baltic Sea States Sub-regional Cooperation Annual Conference: Baltic 2030 Action Plan and youth perspective on Sustainable Development Goals
During the 25th BSSSC Annual Conference themed “Cohesion = Togetherness” on 20-22 September 2017 in Potsdam, Germany, CBSS Baltic 2030 Unit co-organized and moderated the thematic session “Baltic 2030 Action Plan: Localizing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”. The Chair of the Baltic 2030 Expert Group on Sustainable Development (EGSD), Anne-Cerise Nilsson, introduced the Baltic 2030 Action Plan and the priorities of the CBSS and of the EGSD under the Swedish Presidency.
Birgitta Englin from the Swedish think-tank Global Utmaning presented the research on the Nordic Model and the key elements behind successful examples of sustainability governance.
Håkon Noren from Oppland County Council introduced the success stories on climate action in Oppland, Norway.
Elena Belova from Leontief Centre, St. Petersburg, Russia, shared examples of SDGs implementation at the local level in macro-regional cooperation, under the motto “make cities attractive for people, not for cars”.
Finally, youth representatives introduced the outcomes of the BSSSC Youth Event and proposed very clear messages for the future of the BSR, accounting for the integrated SDGs framework.
Key messages from the panel: 2030 Agenda and the Baltic 2030 Action Plan should become the framework for the BSR at all levels, from national to regional and local. Success requires true commitment and ownership from all, and political will to cooperate for the future of the cities and regions. Key to sustainability: cities and regions are smart, accessible, green and attractive, and designed to account for people and environment. Finally, it is fundamental to involve young people in the decision-making processes for shaping a sustainable future. Read more about the conference
One of the main messages from the Annual Conference Resolution: “Sustainable Development cannot be achieved by one region alone but rather by increasing coordination and cooperation. BSSSC commits itself as voice of the sub-regions in the CBSS Expert Group for Sustainable Development (EGSD) and to advocate and support the implementation of the Baltic 2030 Action Plan”.