Green Public Administration is when considerations for sustainability, long-term orientation, environment and climate change are incorporated into decision-making at all levels of governance. “Turning public administration green” also means formulating a vision to be shared with and by the people and upholding a commitment to find a balance between short-term, often economic, interests and long-term sustainability requirements. The transition towards a greener and more sustainable economy and society is a task for the whole society, and public administration undoubtedly can play a vital role to enable and facilitate the transition.
A Conference on “Green Public Administration in the Context of Good Democratic Governance: Exchange of Good European Practice”, is organised by the CDDG in cooperation with the Icelandic Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, on 26 April 2023 in Strasbourg.
Tackling climate and environmental-related challenges is high on the agenda of many governments of the Council of Europe member States, as the world is increasingly experiencing erratic weather patterns, leading to droughts, floods, and heatwaves, with detrimental consequences to people and eco-systems. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report published in March 2023 underlined the sense of urgency, pointing out that “Effective climate action is enabled by political commitment, well-aligned multilevel governance, institutional frameworks, laws, policies and strategies and enhanced access to finance and technology. Clear goals, coordination across multiple policy domains, and inclusive governance processes facilitate effective climate action. Regulatory and economic instruments can support deep emissions reductions and climate resilience if scaled up and applied widely.”
The Conference will, among others, showcase good practice from member States and international organisations, discuss opportunities and challenges for public administration at local, regional and national level with a view to identifying recommendations. The focus of the discussions will be on how to integrate environmental and climate change considerations into decision-making at all levels.
