SDG Watch Austria welcomes visibility of sustainable development in the government program

SDG Watch Austria welcomes the anchoring of the 2030 agenda and the 17 goals of sustainable development in the government program of the new federal government and recommends that to set the goals systematically and solution -oriented on mechanisms of cross -departmental cooperation and cooperation with civil society and science. At the same time, the platform warns caution in reducing bureaucracy in order to avoid serious damage to the content of meaningful structures and processes

“We see the commitment to the 2030 agenda in the government program very positively, especially because processes related to budget and legislative proposals are to be viewed more out of the perspective of sustainable development and the parliament is to be more integrated. It is important that institutions and mechanisms are now strengthened for interministerial cooperation, cooperation with civil society organizations and science “says Gertraud Findl, control group member of SDG Watch Austria.

It is also relevant to build on the projects that Austria had only announced to the United Nations in July 2024 in a second voluntary implementation report, explains the steering group member Bernhard Zlanabitnig: “This includes avoiding a shift in negative social or ecological effects abroad, dialogue formats with civil society or the integration of science into the implementation of the 2030 agenda, but also a strengthened federal and state cooperation.”

“It is central to integrate and build the expertise from science and civil society and build on them in order to enable sustainable development in Austria and worldwide. In addition, it is important to systematically take into account the needs of the Austrian population as well as that of people in countries in the global south. This requires strengthening dialogue formats, direct cooperation and opportunities for participation “adds Lukas Wank, steering group member of SDG Watch Austria.

At the same time, the platform warns that sustainable development only be regarded as a “diligence” and to present voluntariness with consistency. Clear targets and rules are essential for a future -proof Austria – from business, society to an intact environment.
The platform also emphasizes on the occasion of the currently impending watering of the EU Lief chain law and the sustainability reporting: “To move the necessary changes to the future or to weaken the necessary measures and their review, just because they require bureaucracy, neither pays off in terms of content nor financially and can therefore not be a way forward”says Anja Appel, member of the SDG Watch Austria steering group.

The platform SDG Watch Austria, which counts over 230 civil society organizations as members, has been committed to a systematic implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Austria since 2017 and had one in autumn Catalog of claims to the negotiating parties sent.