PLANNING FOR A SUSTAINABLE EUROPE? - TU Berlin

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However, energy – easily one of the most controversial topics both during the Rio
Summit and in the ensuing string of UN Conferences on Climate Change and Sustainable
Development - also did not receive its own chapter. The obvious explanation here is that
in view of the persistent disagreements on global energy or transport policy matters, the
drafters of Agenda 21 and its subsequent documents preferred to conceal this
embarrassing fact by mainstreaming the topics under different headings.
In the last few years, partly in light of the five-year review of the Rio Summit, the
EU has presented several important documents with regard to sustainable development.
Two key documents, the 1998 Decision on the Review of the Fifth EAP and the EU's
New Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS) both assign particular relevance to the
transport sector. They therefore deserve a quick introduction:
5.2.4 The Decision on the Review of “Towards Sustainability”
The Fifth EAP provided for a review of its measures and actions to be undertaken
before the end of 1995. With the 1998 Decision, the EU, somewhat belatedly, reacted to
this provision as well as the EAA's Dobris Assessment on Europe's environment
(European Environment Agency 1995) and the Commission's own progress report on the
Fifth EAP. Additionally, since both the adoption of Agenda 21 internationally, and the
adoption of the EU's White Paper on Growth, Competitiveness and Employment
happened after the adoption of the 5 th EAP, the Commission decided that a clearer
definition of key priorities and issues for the remaining two years of the EAP was needed
to speed up the EAP's objectives.