A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE IN OUR HANDS - To Parent Directory

Implementation & follow-upThe Commission’s progress report looks at how policies are working,how individual countries are doing, and puts forward ideasabout the next steps to take. One of their sources of informationis the data collected by Eurostat which regularly monitors theprogress being made on sustainable development in Europe.The first step in monitoring progress is to have a clear idea of whatis to be measured and to make sure that figures are comparableacross countries, and over time – comparing like with like.To make this possible, Eurostat has developed a set of ‘indicators’,which are regularly reported upon. Eurostat’s 2007 report onSustainable Development Indicators can be found at: ec.europa.eu/sustainable/The indicators can be clearly measured throughout the Union,showing what is happening on the ground. For example, the themepublic health has, as its main indicator healthy years lived, by gender.Measuring this factor across the EU will show where we are nowand, thanks to regular data collection, whether the situation isgetting better or worse. But how long men and women are livinghealthily is only a very broad indicator. There is a range of otherswhich reflect the complexity of the situation in more detail, suchas factors which influence the state of health, including obesity andsmoking, exposure to pollutants, and production of toxic chemicals.Indicators will be developed and new ones created with the inputof the countries that make up the EU.Regularly updated, the Eurostat information is there for you tocheck out on the net if you have access to it and will give you apicture of progress towards sustainable development objectivesacross the EU.The European Parliament has a part to play, contributing its views,cooperating with the Council and the Commission and liaisingwith national parliaments. The Committee of the Regions and theEconomic and Social Committee also provide input.080