Swissôtel Tallinn, 28 April 2009 – Today, the commission advising the Government on sustainable development, along with its newly appointed members, convened for its first meeting. The commission includes experts from 17 significant representative organisations, such as the Estonian Academy of Sciences, Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Estonian Trade Union Confederation and Estonian Society for Nature Conservation.

The Commission on Sustainable Development is an independent advisory body from which the Government expects specific proposals and long-term in-depth analyses to ensure Estonia’s sustainable development. The Commission also monitors the implementation of the national Sustainable Estonia 21 strategy and makes recommendations for its improved utilisation.

Today, the Commission elected the Rectors’ Conference, established by six public Estonian universities, as its Chair and designated the development of people’s skills, public health and energy conservation as the principal issues for itself this year.

The representative of the Rectors’ Conference on the Commission, Rector of the Estonian University of Life Sciences, Mait Klaassen, emphasised that people’s skills, well-being, number and health are key issues for Estonia’s development. “We have to consider how to preserve and develop also in the longer term the most valuable of Estonia’s resources – its people,” Klaassen said.

According to Keit Kasemets, Director of the State Chancellery’s Strategy Office, which supports the work of the Commission, it is good that issues crossing several areas are being analysed by experts from different areas. “The work of the Commission draws great support from the best knowledge and inter-disciplinary work in Estonia, which reach us via the Rectors’ Conference,” Kasemets said.

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