Explore and critically assess the EU's understanding of, commitment to Essay

Explore and critically assess the EU's understanding of, commitment to and strategy for sustainable development - Essay Example It has held several other meetings with the main agenda of enforcing and further expounding the definition of sustainable as per the arising issues. EU has enshrined sustainable development in the article 2 of its Treaty. In 2000, the Lisbon European Council meeting fused sustainable development in it socio-economic reform agenda. Later in 2002, the Gothenburg Summit adopted the Strategy for Sustainable Development. But the implementation of the strategy has not been as smooth as initially thought. This is reflected in the 2005 progress assessment which showed that there had been worsening trends since 2001. It was found that there had been little or no change and in some cases negative trend in the areas of climate change, public health, poverty levels, social lives, degradation of natural resources and threatened biodiversity. In the same year the head of states went further to adopt guiding principle on which sustainable development agenda will be based on. These guiding principles are what can be used as a base to understand the EU understanding of sustainable development. According to Jordan (2005), EU gives the understanding that there are various areas in human life that needs to be integrated in the development agenda if the world has t... In line with this it launched the European Climate Change Program in 2000. In 2005 it went further and started the EU's green house gas Emission Trading Scheme and a second climate change program. Its commitment to the issue of climate and development has not slowed and in 2007 it made commitment to reduce emission by 20% by 2020. EU worked tirelessly in campaigning for other countries to honor the Kyoto Protocol after United States withdrawal in 2001. Although it has faced problems in implementing the Kyoto Protocol commitment, it has made progress and efforts are needed to reach the emission cut of 8% by 2012. Although seen as a concern to the environment, this strategy may end up hurting the economy of the whole region. EU has been crictsized for going it alone in the fight against climate change regardless of the effects it will have on the economy. There has also been criticism from other bodies that the policies on environment currently pursued by EU are not enough and there is need to do more to save the situation. According to Skeldon (1997), the go it alone approach used by EU may not have the desired effects on climate change and there is need for world efforts to tackle the problem. The other problem that EU addresses in its sustainable development is the issue concerning public health. This has been a very important issue for all countries in the world and each one strives to make the health of its citizens better. EU has developed a health forum through which information is channeled to the public on the need for community health awareness. Through the forum, health professional can make their contributions in