Parliamentary group is reported on the implementation of the recommendations of the parliamentary hearings on SDGs
On December 17, the Parliamentary group on implementation of SDGs held an expanded meeting to hear the reports on the results of the implementation of the parliamentary hearings recommendations on “Partnership of the branches of government as a necessary condition for achieving Sustainable Development Goals”.
The event had gathered deputies, representatives of the ministries, the UN Resident Coordinator in Belarus, representatives of the UN agencies, coordinators of Partnership group on sustainable development together at the Council of the Republic.
Alla Bodak, the Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Council of the Republic on Legislation and State-building and the Head of the Parliamentary working group, opened the meeting. Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecki, the UN Resident Coordinator in Belarus, greeted the participants of the meeting as well.
At the beginning of the meeting, Alla Bodak has introduced one of the core improvements in legislative support for the implementation of SDGs — the establishment of the law “On legal and regulatory acts of the Republic of Belarus”. According to the law, the impact of any proposed legal act has to be considered within the framework of Sustainable Development Goals. The law will come into force on February 1, 2019, and will contribute to achieving SDGs in Belarus at the legislative level.
The report on the implementation of SDGs in preserving the continental ecosystems and fighting the climate change was introduced by Iya Malkina, the First Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. The Deputy Minister reported on the results that had already been achieved: starting with the recovery of 11% of damaged peatlands and finishing with the 42% reduction in energy sector emissions. The Ministry announced plans to create the strategy of low-carbon development of Belarus until 2030 and to join the Gothenburg Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone and other initiatives.
Gennady Trubilo, the First Deputy Minister of Housing and Communal Services, spoke on the implementation of SDGs in providing Belarusians with drinking water and dealing with household wastes. By 2017, 90,64% of Belarusian population has been provided with clean drinking water. In order to achieve the Goal №6, it’s necessary to build 1400 more stations on water de-ironing. It is also planned to increase the use of solid municipal waste from 20% in 2018 up to 50% by 2035.
The issues of quality education as the Sustainable Development Goal and the priorities for the reformation of the national educational system have also been discussed at the meeting.
The participants paid close attention to the representation and promotion of SDGs in media. Igor Buzovskiy, the Deputy Minister of Information of the Republic of Belarus, presented the report on the issue.
In December 2017, the parliamentary hearings marked the necessity of legislative support and the partnership of the governing structures in developing and implementing legislative tools for implementation of SDGs. The hearings concluded with the pool of recommendations for the government. Anna Starovoytova, the member of the Permanent Commission of the House of Representatives on international affairs and the Parliamentary working group on SDGs, reported on the work of Parliamentary working group on implementation of SDGs and cooperation with national and international structures.
The meeting was held thanks to the support of the Project “Support to the National Coordinator on Implementation of SDGs and Strengthening the Role of the Parliament in the Implementation of SDGs”, which is financed by the United Nations Development Program, UNICEF and United Nations Population Fund.