Palacio Euskalduna, Bilbao
Date:
2005.11.29-30/12.01
Organiser:
Eusko Ikaskuntza - Basque Studies Society
16th Eusko Ikaskuntza Congress.
Development-IT, the future: Conclusions
1. Conclusions of the Congress
2. Conclusions of the Youth Forum
3. The Future
1. Conclusions of the Congress
Sustainable Development: opportunity and hope
As was foreseen, the Congress was a landmark within Eusko Ikaskuntza’s Special Multidisciplinary Program on Sustainable Development in the Basque Country.
The two first phases were carried out throughout 2004 and 2005. With the participation of 120 people, work was started on a prospective phase with the year 2020 as the horizon. An analysis was made of the foreseeable evolution of the determining factors in the horizon selected with an analysis obtained by means of a multi-factor process; a starting scenario was prepared and six working groups were constituted focussed towards land planning, energy, transport, corporate dynamism, the economy and taxation and the social dimension.
In phase 1 the situation was analysed under the orientation of the question "what has happened?" and in phase 2 the answers were provided to the question "how does this affect us?", and a phase of reflection was established which was the basis for the Congress, in which the objectives to attain and the results to be obtained were defined, together with the action that could be the leverage needed to obtain results.
International experts in the various fields covered participated in the Congress, and they contributed with their highly interesting opinions and experience in the development of the two remaining phases of reflection to take place after the closure of this Congress.
Especially relevant during the Congress were the opening by Lehendakari Ibarretxe, in which he expounded on the strategic proposal of Sustainable Development in the Government program, together with the Bizkaia 21 program, which covers all the Statutory Diputation Departments.
On the first day, certain key factors were contrasted: the reorientation of the model of economic growth, a redefinition of progress-development, the intervention of public administrations and taxation and determining factors such as the petrol-based model and the leadership of the European Union; reaching the commitment objectives for a low-carbon economy, including Sustainable Development in land planning and transport and giving an impulse to sustainable technological and social innovation; obtaining a higher degree of equal progress and a sustainable territorial model by means of a social reflection process.
On the second day the "reinvention of cities" was debated, a matter in which social forces have a determining role. It is considered necessary to reach urban planning proposals based on biological models, with accessible housing, liberating public spaces as a central element of civic life modifying transport, using new materials and promoting rehabilitation, the valuing of neighbourhood diversity and the rural-urban pact, all of which is to be attained by means of planning and knowledge, with the participation of the citizens.
On the third day the action undertaken by public administrations was analysed, suggesting a general political program that promotes the participation of citizens, institutions and economic, corporate, agrarian and trade union agents. As in any process of change the support of innovation in its widest sense from the scientific and technological fields will be indispensable, as will be its innovative application.
It is worth mentioning that an important number of communications was received, together with their excellent quality, all of which amounted to a crucial collaboration that exceeded all initial expectations.
As a final reflection Sustainable Development is considered to be something necessary, compulsory and timely, that needs collective appropriation, that is more of an opportunity than a threat, something we should not see with anguish but with hope, as it will mean a change towards a better-quality model of life and an opportunity for all, which will have to be based on the latent social demand and on education and communication as its pillars. From advanced levels of awareness and action in terms of environmental protection, we have now started to incorporate the economic and social dimensions.
2. Conclusions of the Youth Forum
Considering the decisive importance in the near future of today’s young people, a parallel Congress of young people from universities was held, in which they participated organised in 16 working groups.
Their conclusions coincide basically with those of the Congress working groups and they contribute complementary ideas with another development potential, like the indispensable coordination for action implementation, social implication as a factor of change from the base, taxation to contribute to energy savings and efficiency, valuing the wealth of nature, awareness-raising as from childhood, promotion of linguistic-cultural diversity, the integration of the environmental factor in industry and an awareness that avoids manipulation from the media.
3. The Future
Eusko Ikaskuntza is now starting the third and fourth phases of its Strategic Reflection process by means of completely open participation forums, reflecting on "what we can do and what we are going to do", opening a new line of work which will allow for socialising Sustainable Development, integrating efforts with public administrations, academic, social and economic organisations, seeking a change in behaviours.
As a final summary, the Congress considers that WE ALL MAKE THE FUTURE, AND IT STARTS TODAY.
