The European ECO Forum commits to engage with members of civil society in countries of the region to map and monitor green economy-focused activities and progress of BIG-E. The project will also pay special attention to SCP and the targets of SDG-12, working in collaboration with UNEP and organisations involved in the 10YFP as well as research, academia and other institutions to help ensure access to relevant data and information to effectively engage in this civic monitoring activity.
One of the underlying objectives of this project is also to inform and educate citizens in their respective countries about BIG-E actions, as well as efforts to “green the economy”; special attention will be paid to those efforts highlighting SCP issues and SDG-12 targets. Rather than an academic research exercise, the project aims to engage citizens as well as focus public attention on the implementation of country and organisational commitments and overall progress towards green economy aims. The initiative will report to the UNECE as a contribution to the review process of the implementation of the BIG-E and green economy objectives, providing an important civil society perspective alongside those of governments and international agencies.
The commitment falls under focus areas 4, 5, and 9 of the Batumi Initiative to shift consumer behaviours towards sustainable consumption patterns, develop clean physical capital for sustainable production patterns; and promote public participation and education for sustainable development.
Aside from the broader membership of European ECO Forum, there are at least 110 civil society organisations that are members of the Green Economy and Sustainable Production and Consumption Issue Group, who are expected to participate.
The commitment is relevant to SDG 12.