The Czech Republic has a large number of strategies at the national level (ranging from short-term to medium-term and long-term). Some strategies are cross-cutting, while others are thematic or sectoral. The latter should guide progress beyond the horizon of everyday activities and ensure that the efforts of the state mutually reinforce each other. However, strategies have relatively little significance for policymaking and fulfill the desired functions only to a limited extent. This undermines the Czech Republic’s ability to achieve especially long-term and complex goals, primarily the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the associated national development goals, both embodied in the intentions of the Strategic Framework Czech Republic 2030.
There are several reasons for the limited significance of strategies in policymaking, particularly at the macro and meso levels from the perspective of the project.
The first level is macro-level coherence, i.e., the mutual alignment of strategies. Despite the existence of the overarching Strategic Framework Czech Republic 2030 (Czech Republic 2030) – which also serves as the national translator of the SDGs – the link between strategies and this framework is often loose or formal. More often, it can be said that strategies are not in direct conflict with Czech Republic 2030 rather than clearly fulfilling it.
Another issue is the sheer number of strategies, which makes it very difficult to maintain not only alignment with the highest-level goals but also horizontal coherence among the strategies themselves and to ensure their successful implementation.
The second level is meso-level coherence, i.e., coherence within individual strategic documents and cycles.
The effectiveness of strategies is undermined by the fact that working with them is often administratively demanding, and with the large number of strategies, doubly so. Basic monitoring of strategies occurs relatively frequently – which, given the number of strategies, is itself a considerable burden – but it tends to focus more on outputs/task completion than on outcomes, and is rarely meaningfully linked in time to the evaluation of related strategies.
There is also only a very loose connection between strategies and the allocation of financial resources. This is partly due to the established budgeting system and partly because each new government tends to restructure priorities and resources based solely on short-term intentions (government program statements), often without any awareness of long-term challenges, needs, and efforts.
The effort to increase the level of digitization and automation of processes leading to greater efficiency and flexibility of the office is the main reason for the creation of a new information system – the Dataset Management System (hereinafter referred to as “DSMS”). The immediate benefit of the project will be greater efficiency in the way indicator data is collected for the needs of Agenda 2030 and Czech Republic 2030, how it is transmitted to UN Custodian Agencies, and subsequently published as open data. This will be ensured by the delivered IT solution – DSMS – and the associated process adjustments.
Subject:
A report identifying specific steps to improve policy coherence for sustainable development, i.e., a proposal for strategies to be removed or adjusted, identification of strategy financing needs, and an overview of existing funding sources.
An information system for monitoring sustainable development indicators, including a data repository and simplified data import and management.
Objective:
The fundamental long-term objective is to enhance policy coherence in relation to long-term goals, specifically the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and, more precisely, Czech Republic 2030 – the overarching strategic framework at the national level. Czech Republic 2030 encompasses cross-cutting themes and is built upon the three pillars of sustainable development (social, economic, and environmental), which are further complemented by regional dimensions, global development, and good governance. Within the project, the degree of policy coherence for sustainable development is guided by the goals and nature of the Czech Republic 2030 framework.
Duration:
July 1, 2023 – May 31, 2026
Funding Sources:
National Recovery Plan: 46,733,000 CZK
State Budget (Ministry of the Environment): 2,849,140 CZK
Pillar: 1. Digital Transformation
Component Title: 4.4 Increasing the Efficiency of Public Administration
Reform/Investment – Challenge Identification:
Reform 1: Enhancing efficiency, client-oriented approach, and the use of informed decision-making principles in public administration
Call Number: 38
Milestone/Target Title: Completion of five measures to support informed decision-making and improve policy coordination and strategic planning at the center of governance.
Project Registration Number: CZ.31.3.0/0.0/0.0/23_099/0010365
The main beneficiary of the support is the Ministry of the Environment.
Project partners include the Ministry of Regional Development, the Ministry of Finance, the Czech Environmental Information Agency, and the Czech Statistical Office.
Contact:
Mrs. Lucie Sršňová, Head of Sustainable Development Unit, e-mail: lucie.srsnova@mzp.gov.cz