National Council for Sustainable Development

Conseil National du Développement Durable (CNDD)

National Council for Sustainable Development (CNDD)
c/o Ministry for Sustainable Development
20, avenue de Ségur
F-75302 Paris 07 SP
Tel. +33 1 42 19 29 91
Fax +33 1 42 19 29 89
contact-cndd@premier-ministre.gouv.fr
http://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/-Le-CNDD-.html
or see Dossier on the Prime Minister's Site

Current and Future Activities

Background and Mission

Council Members and Staff members

Working Structure

Activities in the EEAC Network

List of Publications

Current and Future Activities

Present Priority Fields

French strategy for SD (elaboration and follow up);
Societal civil debate: "Grenelle de l'Environnement";
Society and sustainable development;
Public territorial strategic projects;
Climate change.

Future Priority Fields

Energy and territorial planning.

Background and Mission

Establishment

The National Council for Sustainable Development (CNDD) was created by the Decree 2003-36 of 13 January 2003 issued by the Prime Minister. It followed the previous CFDD (Commission Française du Développement Durable).

It was renewed recently in March 2006 with a for a three-year period for its members.

Mission

The National Council for Sustainable Development will help to shape the government’s policy in favour of sustainable development. In this capacity, it will take part in defining, monitoring and assessing the National Strategy for Sustainable Development.

The Prime Minister may ask for the Council’s opinion in any matters relating to sustainable development. The Council may be consulted on bills and draft regulations having an impact on sustainable development. The National Council for Sustainable Development may, on its own initiative, issues proposals or recommendations.

Council Members

The CNDD has around 80 Council Members divided in four groups: local authorities representatives of local governments, representatives from business, economic and trade or professional organizations professional organisations and trade unions, representatives from voluntary associations and non governmental organizations active in the sustainable development field and consumer associations and qualified professionals chosen for their expertise in the field of sustainable development. The Council ’s composition was renewed in March 2006 for a period of three years. Currently, the CNDD composition is undergoing certain restructuring.

See full list of Council Members

Staff Members

The CNDD has a secretariat with around six staff. Sylvie Bouleau is the Secretary-General.

Working Structure

Substructure and Working Groups

The work of the CNDD is carried out by the plenary assembly and working groups.

The plenary assembly has three main roles: gathering information on the ongoing work, deliberating at the beginning or on the conclusions of the working groups and facilitating the dialogue between the members and the government ministers and their representatives.

The working groups are open to both CNDD members and non members. The composition of these groups varies according to the subject and the working process. The President appoints the coordinators for the working groups. The structure is flexible in order to respond to any evolution regarding the debate.

Type of Advice

The Prime Minister may ask for advice from the CNDD on any subject related to sustainable development. It may also be consulted on legislative drafts that might have an impact on this subject. The Council can also issue recommendations and proposals at its own initiative.

Activities in the EEAC Network

The CNDD became a member of EEAC in 2007.
The Council hosted the 17th Annual Conference 2008 in Bordeaux on Sustaining Europe for a Long Way Ahead: Making long-term sustainable development policies work.
During the year 2008 Michel Ricard, the former president of the CNDD, was co-chairing the Working group Sustainable Development and was a member of the EEAC Steering Committee.
The CNDD is an member in the Working groups Sustainable development and Biodiversity.

List of Publications Available in English

Recommendation to the Government for the revision of the SNDD scheduled for 2008 (June 2008);
Opinion on governance on biodiversity (January 2007);
Opinion on the European Commission's Communication on the EU Sustainable Development Strategy - COM(2005) 658. March 2006
In the name of living environment, December 2003;
Towards a Sustainable Development Imprint – December 2003;
Recommendations of the National Council for Sustainable Development – Autumn 2003;
Participants Comments – Autumn 2003.