OECD REPORTING: ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY COMMITTEE

UNCLAS PARIS 005154

SIPDIS

FROM USOECD

STATE FOR EUR/ERA
EPA FOR OIA/JAYRES AND JMORANT
EPA FOR OAR/KMASON
STATE FOR OES/CARTUSIO AND ABEDNAREK

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV ETRD KSCA FR OECD
SUBJECT: OECD REPORTING: ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY COMMITTEE
TASK FORCE ON STRATEGIC VISION, JUNE 29-30, PARIS,
FRANCE


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SUMMARY
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1. An ad hoc group of delegates of the OECD
Environment Policy Committee (EPOC) met on June 29-30,
2005 to consider the components of a strategic vision
for the environment. The purpose of the strategic
vision is to increase support for the EPOC's work, to
provide longer-term (5-10 years) strategic guidance for
EPOC delegates, to clarify processes/activities, and to
enhance and increase the communication of key
environmental messages. END SUMMARY.

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ATTENDEES
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2. Representatives from the United States, Australia,
Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, and Japan (former or
current Bureau members),as well as the Director,
Deputy Director, Division Directors and staff of the
Environment Directorate attended the meeting. Mats
Olsson, Deputy Director General of the Swedish
Environmental Protection Agency, who is also the
Chairman of the EPOC, chaired the meeting. The meeting
was an informal airing of views and opinions, leading
to a more detailed and expanded presentation for future
consideration by the larger EPOC committee and others.

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STRATEGIC VISION EXCERSISE
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3. The meeting included discussion of a background
paper, drafted by the Australian delegate, to summarize
the mandate, communications objectives and possible
draft structure for the strategic vision. The paper
also set forth some key challenges confronting the
environment functions at the OECD, such as changes in
global environmental governance, enlargement of the
membership of the OECD, shrinking budgets, large number
of disaggregated small activities, relationship between
EPOC and other organizational entities, and competing
demands on the environment program. There was also
discussion of the "value-added" dimension of OECD.
Attendees generally viewed the OECD's intergovernmental
focus, its economics strength, the multi-disciplinary
(sectoral or cross-media) aspects and its attention to
selected working methods (e.g. peer reviews, policy
analysis, data/indicators, etc) as strong points.


4. Each attendee was asked to list strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) with
respect to the OECD. This SWOT analysis consumed a
great deal of time, with each delegate offering a view
of key areas where OECD could be more influential or
provide additional strength to OECD or member nation
policy thrusts.


5. In addition, OECD Secretariat staff worked within
the ad hoc group to identify the main elements of a
strategic vision. These elements include:
A) a statement on the benefits of OECD work on the
environment,
B) key priorities over the short and long term (move
forward on the environmental strategy mandated by the
Environment Ministers),
C) identification of tools and priority work to
implement the strategy, and
D) development of better ways to communicate existing
and planned work.


6. The OECD Secretariat will prepare a revised draft
strategic vision keyed to elaboration of the Australian
paper and any additional points brought forward during
the ad hoc session. The Secretariat will then issue
the revision in September for comments via an
electronic discussion group, have further discussion of
the issues in November at the extended Bureau meeting
of November 9-10, present a revised version at the
March 2006 EPOC meeting and use it to prepare the 2007-
2008 Program of Work and Budget for the environment.
MORELLA