Estratègies per al desenvolupament sostenible - Generalitat de ...

6. Creation of mechanisms to monitor (measurement and analysis), report onand improve the department’s performance 4 .The involvement of the private sector and civil society are also key factors. Privatesector participation is more likely, the more open the strategy is to voluntaryagreements and to market-based instruments, even if they are balanced againsttax and regulatory instruments, as in the case of the Dutch agreements betweenthe government and companies 5 . It is always necessary to remember thatinvolvement is more likely, the more the strategy corresponds to their aspirationsand the greater the incentives they have to compensate for the costs of participation.It is therefore crucial for the analysis of agents to be done right at the start offormulation of the strategy. Having prompt information on the motives and interestsof the different agents as well as the existence and features of the “policycommunities” in which they may be involved may prove to be of great value forthe strategy.3.6. The identification of agents and a definition of their respective role in the strategyis another key initial task. The affected interests should first be identified so asto immediately determine the most suitable representatives of each interest. Tothis purpose it is necessary to concentrate on the groups that are most probablyaffected by the strategy and on those which have the power to implement orfrustrate its potential results.Since not all agents need nor wish to be involved in all aspects of the strategy,the Secretariat needs to clarify the expectations and skills of each agent andattempt to arrive at a negotiated agreement of the role that it will assume in thestrategy. Strategies require the formation of networks of interdependent agents,the co-operation among whom is as important as it is difficult to attain. For thisto be efficient the respective roles need to be defined as, otherwise, there maybe conflicts, withdrawals or a lack of implementation.4 Government of Canada (1995), A Guide to Green Government, Catalog EN 21-136/1995 E, Ministryof Supply and Services.5 See OECD. Environmental Performance Review of the Netherlands. Paris: OECD. 139