Manifesto of the Club of Rome EU-Chapter
As CoR EU Chapter, we act as a catalyst for Europe’s contribution to a sustainable and just world by accelerating, connecting, and amplifying efforts across all levels of society. Clarifying our position on the SDGs should inspire and guide our activities. To that end, a working group drafted a short ‘sustainability narrative’ in the form of our Manifesto. The essence of the Manifesto is the Call to Europe paragraph. The Manifesto and its implementation will be discussed further with our members on 11 March 2026, but written feedback from others is also welcome! (contact.eu-chapter@clubofrome.eu)
1. Sustainable development is our anchor, and is relevant to Europe
The vision of the Club of Rome EU-Chapter (CoR-EU) is having a sustainable world, one that respects earth system boundaries, in a just transition, enabled by the whole of society working in concert across EU, member state, regional, city, and global/international levels. As our foundation for ‘sustainability’ we embrace the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The SDGs form a comprehensive framework addressing economic, social, and environmental dimensions as three deeply interconnected facets of a single, indivisible whole (1). The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development describes the 17 SDGs and their 169 associated targets (2). These goals and targets stimulate action in areas of critical importance for humanity: people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership (3).
This UN adopted Agenda marked a fundamental shift:
It is explicitly universal. It applies to all countries— both developed and developing—recognising that sustainable development challenges are global and require collective action from everyone. All nations are called upon to implement the Agenda domestically and contribute to its achievement globally. It is relevant for EU domestic policies (4) as well as for its international relations.
It explicitly recognises that the 17 SDGs are integrated and indivisible. Progress across the economic, social, and environmental dimensions is fundamentally interconnected.
It establishes that sustainable development is about transforming systems and not just pursuing goals individually. It is systems thinking that needs to shape policy design in every country. The Agenda emphasises the need for bridging silos and calls for revitalised Global Partnerships for Sustainable Development (SDG 17), recognising that achieving the ambitious goals requires collaboration not only among governments but also with civil society, private sector, academia, local authorities, and individuals.
2. Our call for action to Europe
Beyond Limits: A European Manifesto to Reignite the Sustainable Development Goals As CoR-EU Chapter, we act as a catalyst for Europe’s contribution to a sustainable and just world by accelerating, connecting, and amplifying eorts across all levels of society. At a moment when global commitments to the SDGs are faltering, we call for a reinvigorated and accelerated collective effort to effectively place the Goals at the centre of Europe’s decisions and actions.
Across Europe, assessments show that social, economic, and environmental systems are under increasing strain (5). Strategic foresight and environmental assessments further demonstrate that these pressures are interconnected and mutually reinforcing, constituting a systemic challenge.6 Without decisive and coordinated action in this decade, these interacting pressures will continue to undermine Europe’s long-term stability, prosperity, and wellbeing.7
Europe must reignite and accelerate its commitment to the SDGs and act decisively to advance a sustainable, fair, and resilient society.
We call upon Europe to:
1. Reconfirm the EU’s political commitment to the SDGs by the Presidents of the Council, Parliament, & Commission. Heads of State in particular, should formally restate that the SDGs remain – by 2030 and beyond- the central guiding framework for Europe’s long-term transition to a sustainable and just society -building on Art 3 TEU- and on the collective and individual formal endorsement of the Agenda.
2. Prioritise at all levels- institutions, civil society, and business-, the efforts on:
- A just, orderly, and equitable phase-out of fossil fuels: Accelerating Europe’s energy transition in this critical decade, by addressing the structural legacies of a fossil-fuel-based economic model and aligning incentives with a clean, fair, and future-proof economy.
- Inclusive societies & dignified work: Ensuring all people have access to quality employment, health, wellbeing and family support, education and a voice in economic decisions.
- Planetary health: Respecting ecological limits while ensuring climate stability and
intergenerational justice. - Sustainable, equitable prosperity: Support economic development that reduces inequality,
is broadly shared, and serves human flourishing beyond the focus on GDP metrics.
3. Adopt systems approaches and reject siloed thinking. The economic, social, and environmental dimensions and the five sustainability pillars of people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership, are deeply interconnected and interdependent.
- SDG-aligned policymaking across the EU: Ensuring that all EU policies and funding decisions
are assessed for their contribution to the full SDG framework, addressing trade-os and
synergies, and embedding systems thinking at the heart of European governance. - Europe must implement SDG-relevant targets into the full suite of EU instruments with
application across all Member States and fully implement independent SDG Impact
Assessments for all EU legislation.
4. Appoint ‘Champions’ for Sustainable Development in each European Member State to drive the integration of all 17 SDGs across national and European policies. These Champions must:
- Review indicators: Evaluate all reported indicators and identify gaps, including those related
to digital transformation. - Strengthen political oversight: Ensure that, under each rotating EU Presidency, a review
meeting is dedicated to Europe’s progress on SDG implementation and verification of the
completeness, reliability and balance of respective SDG data and narratives. - Engage stakeholders & citizens: Convene at least two citizen assemblies per year to foster
dialogue, participation, and shared responsibility for SDG delivery.
References:
[1] UNDESA, 6 lessons from 80 years of UN progress toward sustainable development, https://desapublications.un.org/un-desa-voice/things-you-need-to-know/november-2025/6-lessons-80-years-un-progress-toward, p18-19.
[2] UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Sustainable Development Goals: THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development
[3] Pre-amble Agenda 2030, https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda
[5] EU sustainable development: bright spots and challenges – News articles – Eurostat