Official translation
GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
RESOLUTION No. 888
ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND APPROVAL OF ITS REGULATIONS
28 July 2000
Vilnius
Taking into account the provisions of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania has resolved:
1. To establish the National Commission for Sustainable Development:
Prime Minister (Chairman of the Commission);
Minister of Environment (Deputy Chairman of the Commission);
Minister of Social Security and Labour (Deputy Chairman of the Commission);
Minister of Economy (Deputy Chairman of the Commission);
Vice Minister of Environment (responsible for environment quality);
Vice Minister of Environment (responsible for territorial planning);
Vice Minister of Culture;
Vice Minister of Health Care;
Vice Minister of Transportation;
Vice Minister of Education and Science;
Vice Minister of Public Administration Reforms and Local Authorities;
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs;
Vice Minister of Agriculture;
Government Chancellor;
Advisor to the Government Chancellor on Environmental Issues;
Representative of the President’s Office;
Director of the Environment Strategy Department of the Ministry of Environment;
Head of the International Relations and Agreements Division of the Ministry of Environment;
Chairman of the Nature Protection Policy Club;
Chairman of the Lithuanian Green Movement.
Where relevant, the following persons shall be invited;
Representative of the Institute of Ecology;
Representative of the Institute of Botany;
Representative of the Institute of Geography;
Representative of the Institute of Environmental Engineering at Kaunas Technological University;
Representative of Institute of Chemistry;
Representative of Vilnius University;
Representative of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University;
Representative of the Lithuanian University of Agriculture;
Representative of the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture;
Representative of the Environmental Protection Policy Centre;
Representative of the Lithuanian Association of Municipalities;
Representative of the Lithuanian Industrialists’ Confederation;
Representative of the Lithuanian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Crafts;
Representative of the Lithuanian Employers’ Confederation.
3. To establish that the personal composition of the Commission shall be approved by its Chairman on written proposals of the heads of institutions specified in point 1.
Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius
Minister of Environment Danius Lygis
APPROVED
by Resolution No. 888
of 28 July 2000
of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania
I. GENERAL PROVISIONS
1. "Sustainable development" means long-term continual development of society with a view to satisfying the needs of the human family at present and in the future, exploiting and augmenting natural resources in a rational manner and preserving the Earth for future generations.
2. The National Commission for Sustainable Development (hereinafter referred to as the “Commission”) shall be an institution to address issues of sustainable development policy formation and co-ordinate the preparation and implementation of projects in this field by ministries, government bodies and other institutions.
3. The Commission shall act in accordance the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, laws and other legal acts passed by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, international agreements concluded by the Republic of Lithuania, presidential decrees, Government resolutions, other legal and administrative provisions and the present regulations.
II. OBJECTIVES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION
4. The main objective of the Commission shall be to ensure the implementation of the basic principles on sustainable development set forth in the 1992 Declaration and Agenda 21 of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development; to this end, it shall:
4.1. co-ordinate short- and long-term programmes and strategies on economic development, environmental protection, cultural and social development with a view to ensuring sustainable development, adequate management and economic growth, rational exploitation of natural and human resources;
4.2. take into account the environmental, economic, social and cultural needs of Lithuania, provide for priority directions in economic development; in order to achieve the above purposes, propose measures for prudent use of resources;
4.3. encourage all executive authorities and industrial and business representatives to draw up strategies of action based on the principle of optimal exploitation of natural resources, taking into account the social and economic needs of residents;
5. In attaining the assigned objectives, the Commission shall:
5.1. according to the established procedure and after co-ordination with all concerned institutions, submit to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania proposals on the feasibility and procedure of drawing up a sustainable development strategy and co-ordinate its elaboration and implementation;
5.2. establish sustainable development priorities, taking into account Lithuania’s environmental protection, social, economic and cultural indicators;
5.3. analyse and assess economic and social processes, the state of environment, economy and society in Lithuania, tendencies towards change in global processes as regards sustainable development, mostly focusing on their impact on Lithuania and the Baltic region;
5.4. according to the established procedure, submit to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania proposals on draft laws and other legal acts, national and strategic programmes;
III. DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF THE COMMISSION
6. The Commission shall submit to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania annual accounts of its activity; it shall also submit information to the UN Commission for Sustainable Development and other international organisations.
7. In attaining the assigned objectives, the Commission shall have the right to:
7.1. according to the procedure established by laws and other legal acts, receive draft acts and programmes as well as any information necessary to attain its objectives from ministries, other executive authorities, county governors and other institutions;
IV. ORGANIZATION OF WORK
9. The work of the Commission shall be directed by its chairperson or, in the event of his/her absence, one of the deputies.
10. The chairperson of the Commission shall:
11. Secretary of the Commission shall:
11.1. organise sittings of the Commission, draw up and co-ordinate agendas together the chairperson of the Commission and his/her deputies;
13. Decisions shall be taken at Commission sittings. Any decision shall be recorded in the minutes. The minutes shall be signed by the chairperson and secretary of the Commission.
14. Commission sittings shall be valid if they are attended by at least two-thirds of its members. Decisions shall be taken by a simple majority of the votes of those present at the sitting. In case of an equal distribution of votes, the vote of the chairperson shall be decisive. Where the chairpersons is not present, his/her deputy shall have the decisive vote.
15. The Commission shall act in accordance with the working procedure and plan of action approved by the Commission.