Observatorio de la sostenibilidad en España (OSE)

Working methodology

• Working in accordance with the reference frameworks of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy (EU SDS) and the Spanish Sustainable Development Strategy (SSDS)
• Offering the best “available indicators” based on the most up-todate information from the most rigorous and reliable sources
• Trying to get as close as possible to the best “necessary indicators” so as to be able to steer the information in an operational direction
• Using the new technologies and a networking approach
• Taking advantage of the Network of Observatories on Sustainability in Spain: exchanging information on successful experiences, best practices and the development of technical and scientific capacities to do with sustainability

 

Main products /services

1. An annual indicator-based report on sustainability in Spain
2. Sectoral and thematic reports on different aspects of sustainability

 

Reports on Sustainability in Spain published so far (Sustainability in Spain 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009)

 

Thematic Reports on Sustainability published so far

• Land Cover Changes in Spain. Implications for Sustainability (2006), Corine Land Cover, analysing the inter-relations and processes of territorial sustainability.
• Calidad del Aire en las Ciudades. Claves para la sostenibilidad urbana (2007) (Air Quality in the Cities. Keys for Urban Sustainability), looking at one of the main dangers to urban quality of life and one of the main risks of urban unsustainability.
• Water and Sustainability. Water basin functionality (2008), highlighting the importance of the functionality of the river basins as “water factories”.
• Local Sustainability: An Urban and Rural Approach (2009), surveying the new relations between urban and rural systems with a strategic countryside-city dialogue.
• El Patrimonio natural, cultural y paisajístico. Claves para la sosteniblidad territorial (2009) (The Natural, Cultural and Landscape Heritage. Keys for Territorial Sustainability), dealing with the intrinsic relations between natural and cultural capital in a territorial context.
• Green Employment in a Sustainable Economy, in colaboration with Fundación Biodiversidad (2009)

 

Consolidation of Databases and Information

• Collection and co-ordination of the most relevant and important data on sustainability
• Links to data- and information-producing centres
• Development of indicators, scenarios, models, etc.