European Environment and Sustainable Development Advisory Councils | Bodies

At the inaugural session of the Council on 11December 2009, the Prime Minister, one of five government members of the Council, was elected the president of the Council, while the deputy chair is the Minister of Urban Planning and Environment. The new Rules of Procedure of the Council were adopted, which allow the Council to form working groups in order to discuss specific topics in more detail and with higher level of expertise. Thus far, workings groups (WG) for three major topics of the Council's work of plan for 2010 were formed:

At its inaugural session, the Council adopted the Second Annual Report on the Implementation of the National Sustainable Development Strategy of Montenegro. The first regular session of the new Council was held in January 2010, when the Council adopted its Work plan for 2010.

The Office for Sustainable Development (OSD), in its role as the Secretariat of the Council, is currently preparing the necessary steps for the NCSD's membership in European and international sustainable development networks and organisations.

Present Priority Fields

Future Priority Fields (2011 and onwards)

Background and Mission

Establishment

The National Council for Sustainable Development was established in 2002 as an advisory body of the Government on the issues of sustainable development, chaired by the Prime Minister and composed of representatives of different societal stakeholders. In 2006, the NCSD composition was expanded so as to include a wider range of actors and interest groups. In the period from 2006 to 2008, the Council continued to be chaired by the Prime Minister of Montenegro, while the vice chair was the Deputy Prime Minister for Economy. The Head of the Office for Sustainable Development served as the Secretary General of the Council. The remaining 42 members included representatives of the following sectors:

During November 2006 – January 2007, UNDP and the Government of Montenegro conducted an external review on the role, results and procedures of the NCSD and OSD. This review proposed capacity strengthening of the OSD, which was identified as necessary to enable the NCSD realize the objectives assigned by the Government of Montenegro, and the downsizing of NCSD to enhance its effectiveness and efficiency in deliberations. In February – May 2008, a supplemental review of the NCSD/OSD was conducted. On the bases of the new Report as well as consultations with national stakeholders and international best-practices, the OSD proposed a reform of the Council to the Government, which the Government accepted.

Within the last half of 2008, The Government has adopted two pieces of regulation regulating the Council’s activities:

On the basis of these two decisions, the number of NCSD members was reduced to 23, a category of independent personals/experts in the area of sustainable development was introduced, the organization of the Council was reformed by introducing the working groups and the creation of local councils for sustainable development was envisaged in nearby future. The inaugural session of the reformed NCSD was held on 11 December 2009.

Mission

The main mission of the NCSD, as the multi-stakeholder body representing various sectors of Montenegrin society, is to give policy advice to the Government of Montenegro on the issues of sustainable development. In particular, the NCSD assesses Government’s strategic and long-term development policies and strategies developed within the three pillars of sustainable development defined in the National Strategy for Sustainable Development. As a result of the reform, in addition to reviewing and assessing the strategic documents submitted for its consideration by the line ministries, the Council now also has a task of proactively giving the advice to the government on topics of its choice.

The NCSD has a mission to promote the concept of sustainable development so as to help policymakers and citizens better understand and monitor progress towards achieving the full implementation of the sustainable development principles in Montenegro.

Council members

In the past year, the National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD) has undergone an overhaul reform. The inaugural session of the new Council was held on December 11, 2009. The Council now has 23 members, which represent various social structures: government (5), local self-governments (3), academia (2), business sector (4) and NGOs (4). A new category of independent persons/experts in the area of sustainable development (4) was included in the new composition of the Council. The head of the Office for Sustainable Development is a member and serves as the secretary of the Council. The NCSD is chaired by the Prime Minister and co-chaired by the Minister of Urban Planning and Environment.

Apart from the Prime Minister and the Minister for Urban Planning and Environment, there are three more Ministers represented in the Council. The Head of the Government's Office for Sustainable Development serves as the Secretary General of the Council.

The following groups of actors are also represented: local municipalities, academia, business, and NGOs. There are also four independent persons/experts in the area of SD. The Government Decision on Establishing the NCSD gave mandate to the Office for Sustainable Development to conduct the necessary consultations with relevant stakeholders in order to determine composition of the Council. Following these consultations, the Board of the Union of Municipalities selected three mayors to the Council, the two Universities appointed a member each, the Chamber of Commerce, the Trade Union and two largest business associations nominated their representatives, while the NGOs were selected through an open call for proposals organized by the OSD.

Government
Chair: Milo Djukanovic	Prime Minister
Vice-chair: Branimir Gvozdenović	Minister for Urban Planning and Environment
Predrag Nenezić	Minister of Tourism
Milutin Simović	Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management
Andrija Lompar	Minister of Transport, Maritime Management and Telecommunications
Ljubiša Perović	Head of the Office for Sustainable Development
Local Municipalities
Gzim Hajdinaga	Mayor of Ulcinj (a coastal municipality in the south of Montenegro)
Veselin Bakić	Mayor of Andrijevica (northern municipality)
Tarzan Milošević	Mayor of Bijelo Polje (northern municipality)
Academia
Prof. dr Mihailo Burić	University of Montenegro
Prof. dr Janko Radulović	Rector of the University of Mediterranean (second university in Montenegro)
Business Sector
Velimir Mijušković	President of the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro
Zoran Masonicić	President of the Trade Union of Montenegro
Dragiša Boričić	Vice president of the Union of Employers
Darko Konjević	Managing director of the Montenegro Business Alliance
NGOs
Biljana Gligorić	President of NGO “Expeditio”
Darko Pajević	President of NGO “Green Home”
Jovo Radulović	President of NGO “Production of healthy food”
Prof. dr Zoran Jovović	President of the NGO “Young ecologists of Niksic”
Independent persons/experts in the area of SD
Princ Nikola Petrović	former head of Montenegrin Mission in Paris and initiator of many important activities in the field of urban development, arts and architecture
Branko Lukovac	first head of Office for Sustainable Development, current diplomat
Miodrag Burzan	architect, former Minister of Ecology in the Government of Montenegro
Duško Vuković	journalist and former Coordinator of the Media Institute of Montenegro

Staff Members

The Office for Sustainable Development (OSD) was established at the end of 2005, with the financial and organizational assistance of UNDP during the first year of its work. The OSD functions as an organizational unit within the General Secretariat of the Government of Montenegro, and it reports directly to the Prime Minister, who has been the Chair of the National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD).

The Head of the Office is Mr Ljubisa Perovic, former diplomat, member of Montenegrin delegation participating at the World Ecological Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and one of the founders of the NGO Greens of Montenegro. There are two full time permanent employees at the Office - Advisor to the Head of the Office; a secretary and a part-time assistant.

Work Style

Tasks of the Council

Substructure and working groups

As a result of the reform, the NCSD started establishing working groups (WGs), to enable the Council to carry out more detailed research and to consider certain issues in-depth. The WGs meet in between the Council meetings. They are limited in scope and duration, and with clear and agreed terms of reference. At least one member from each of the different structures represented in the Council participates in each of the WGs. The coordinators of the working groups are elected from the non-government Council members, with the Office for Sustainable Developments staff performing the role of secretary for each of the WGs. The WGs report to the NCSD. If necessary, they can request expertise from outside of Council, or from abroad.

During the process of reform, an ad-hoc group on Energy was created in 2008 to give review of the Government's Action Plan for the Energy Strategy. The Group met several times before giving its final recommendation and advice, after which it was dismembered.

On the first regular session of the reformed Council, three working groups have been established, as listed under the Current and Future Activities section. For other topics from the NCSD agenda, working groups will be formed during the year.

Type of Advice

The current practice was for the NCSD to give advice on the strategic policies and strategies of the line Ministries or relevant state institutions. On the basis of the Government�s Annual Plan of Work, at its last session of each year, the Council chooses topics for its deliberation for the following twelve-month period. The conclusions of the NCSD are sent to the line Ministries or the Government as advices and non-mandatory recommendations.

With the NCSD reform, the Council has a right of initiative in developing advisory papers and studies on specific topic for the Government's consideration and public dissemination.

Council Meetings

The Council meets at least three times a year. The inaugural meeting of the reformed Council was held on December 11th 2009.. The first regular session of the reformed Council was held on January 29, 2010, while the second one is planned for April 2010.

List of Publications available in English

You can search for the full list of policy advice in our Search Engine which also includes the titles in English of publications available in original language only.

National Council for Sustainable Development (NSOR)

Nacionalni savjet za održivi razvoj

Current and Future Activities