In the period from 2013 to 2016, a critical analysis of problems which Montenegro faced in the previous period was conducted from the aspect of priority development issues and on the basis of the best international practices and processes. After the expiry of the five-year Action Plan related to the previous strategy of sustainable development, activities on the development of the new National Strategy for Sustainable Development until 2030 were initiated. It is important to underline that the process of preparation of the Strategy was performed through a comprehensive consultative process in which participated the representatives of all relevant social groups, including the non-governmental sector as well as the widest interested public. The National Strategy for Sustainable Development until 2030 reflects a high degree of consensus of all social structures of Montenegro.

The new National Strategy for Sustainable Development until 2030 was adopted by the Government of Montenegro on 7 July 2016. This Strategy promotes the sustainable development policies and sets long-term guidelines for sustainable development of Montenegro.

Through the National Strategy for Sustainable Development until 2030, Montenegro positioned itself among the first countries in the Western Balkans which fully adopted and integrated in their national systems the requirements of the United Nations established in the Agenda for Sustainable Development until 2030, taking in consideration different national circumstances, primarily the process of accession to the European Union, capacities and levels of development, whilst taking due account of national policies and priorities.

The National Strategy for Sustainable Development until 2030 is an umbrella, horizontal and long-term strategy of Montenegro and represents the platform for the transposition of Sustainable Development Goals into the national framework.

On the basis of own experiences and lessons learned and experiences of key international players, and taking in consideration obligations towards future generations, this document provides an innovative assessment of the current situation, identification of key unsustainable development trends and requirements of sustainable development until 2030. It defines strategic goals as well as the national resource management measures through a four-dimensional development concept based on human, social, natural and economic resources. Strategic goals are defined as responses to problems identified as key moving forces of national unsustainable trends. Defined strategic goals are linked to measures and sub-measures contained in the Action Plan for Sustainable Development of Montenegro until 2030. Measures and sub-measures represent a response to national requirements and at the same time to global obligations established in the Agenda for Sustainable development until 2030.

Most of the measures prescribed in the NSSD are directed at the relevant national institutions, but the Action Plan (AP) also contains measures that address some of the local sustainable development issues.  

The Government’s Decision on the Establishment of the National Council for Sustainable Development, Climate Changes and Integrated Coastal Zone Management from November 2015envisages direct relationship between the NCSDCCICZM and the municipalities in the future process of forming local councils for sustainable development.

The Division for SD and ICZM (now the Direction for Mediterranean Affairs) has acted as the coordinator in this process, starting with the formation of the first Local Council and the Local strategy for SD for the municipality of Danilovgrad.

Ministry in charge: The first National Strategy of Sustainable Development of Montenegro (hereinafter: NSSD) adopted in 2007 was a step towards making an effort to materialize and make concrete the declarative commitment of Montenegro to be an ecological state. In the period of its drafting, it relied on the guidelines and goals set in strategic documents of that time, such as the Directions for Development of Montenegro as an Ecological State, Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy and other strategies at the national level, as well as on the Mediterranean Strategy of Sustainable Development (MSSD), conclusions reached at the two global summits on sustainable development and their key documents (1992 and 2002) and on other instruments for achievement of sustainable development. Since its adoption, the NSSD has been revised in the evaluation process in its part containing the Action Plan when a number of goals, measures and related indicators were revised, which was done in accordance with the reports on implementation and progress made by other programmes, and also in accordance with their results that had been achieved in Montenegro in the meantime. Since the time-frame for implementation of the Action Plan of this Strategy has expired and since many changes have taken place in Montenegro in the meantime, particularly in terms of reforms related to EU integration and harmonization of national legislation with the EU Acquis, and also given that new sustainable development programmes and initiatives have been launched at the national and international levels, conditions are in place for revision of the NSSD which needs to be harmonized with the new policies and strategies, especially global intergovernmental process of defining Post 2015 Agenda.  

Stakeholder consultations: The horizontal integration is also assisted by the work of the National Council for Sustainable Development, Climate Changes and Integrated Coastal Zone Management, which was established by the Government in 2002 as a cross-sectoral advisory body on the issues of sustainable development. Since its establishment, the National Council for Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (NCSDCCICZM) has been chaired by the Prime Minister and composed of representatives of different societal stakeholders. After reforms in 2006, 2008 and 2013 and finally 2015 mandate of the Council as well as in the methods of its work (by introducing the possibility for the Council to set up working groups for specific topics) has been broaden .

In June 2016, the Council will have its first session in the renewed structure. The revised Council will focus more closely on the issue of resource efficiency, climate change and integrated coastal zone management, which is reflected in the change of its name – National Council for Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Integrated Coastal Zone Management. Council is chaired by the President of Montenegro and it has 26 members. The composition of the Council is as follows:

• President of Montenegro
• 5 Ministers
• 1 Representative of the Ministry of Finance
• 2 Representatives of the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism (one of them is Head of the Division for the SD and ICZM as secretary of the Council and another one is Director General of the Directorate for Climate Changes),
• Director of the Hydrometeorological Institute
• Director of the Public Enterprise for Coastal Zone
• 3 mayors (from three different regions of Montenegro),
• 1 representative from Academia
• 3 members of the business sector
• 1 representative of syndicate
• 1 representative of the investors
• 1 representative of banks
• 2 representatives of civil sector
• 3 independent experts (for sustainable development, climate change and integrated coastal zone management)

The Council has 4 working groups:

• WG for revision and monitoring the implementation of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development;
• WG Sustainable Management of Resources;
• WG for mitigation and adaptation to Climate Changes; and
• Fourth working group on integrated coastal zone management is in the process of establishment.

In accordance with the Decision on the establishment of the National Council, the Council usually meets twice a year.

The main institution in charge of the process of NSSD evaluation and review is the Direction for Mediterranean Affairs in the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism. Direction is also Secretariat to the National Council for Sustainable Development, Climate Changes and Integrated Coastal Zone Management.

Within the process of development of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development of Montenegro until 2030 special attention was given to the development of the indicators. To measure the progress in implementation of goals, measures and sub-measures of this Strategy, or sustainable development goals, it is necessary to implement the system of sustainable development indicators which enables a precise measurability of the monitoring of progress trends, both in the national and international contexts. In relation to that, the Strategy introduces the quantified system of monitoring of sustainability of the national development, by implementing sustainable development indicators which represent a particular value of this document. A complex set of indicators, which should enable an efficient monitoring and reporting, is made of sustainable development indicators taken from the UN list of sustainable development indicators, specific national indicators, indicators of certain international organizations and complex indicators. The set of four groups of sustainable development indicators should enable the collection and processing of data necessary for measuring the progress in achieving Sustainable Development Goals and the monitoring of trends related to them. In that respect, it is stipulated in the Strategy that one of the priorities is to establish an efficient system of monitoring of sustainability of the national development which would include the monitoring of implementation of sustainable development goals, measures and tasks established in the Action Plan to the Strategy and sustainable development indicators. In relation to that, the Strategy stipulates that it is necessary to establish the information platform for collection and processing of the data on sustainable development indicators thus ensuring the conditions for the preparation of the first bi-annual report, starting with 2019.

The Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism is in the process of preparing the first Report on the implementation of NSSD, for the period 2016-2019. The report will indicate the level of implementation of Sustainable Development Goals with respect to the measures and activities for the period 2016-2019, and include some data on sustainable development indicators, including an analysis of the level of introduction of indicators into the system of statistical monitoring. The draft Report was discussed at the session of the National Council for Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Integrated Costal Zone Management in December 2019. It is expected that the Government of Montenegro, will adopt this report by the end of June 2020.

The process of preparing and drafting the NSSD of Montenegro until 2030 lasted for almost 3 years and was set up in such a way as to enable interaction and exchange of information between different components and stakeholders in the process. It is important to underline that the process of preparation of the Strategy was performed through a comprehensive consultative process in which participated the representatives of all relevant social groups, including the non-governmental sector as well as the widest interested public. The National Strategy for Sustainable Development until 2030 reflects a high degree of consensus of all social structures of Montenegro.

In 2010, the municipality of Danilovgrad became the first local authority in Montenegro to institutionally define a sustainable development model, as well as to identify long-term priorities based on the balance of economic, social and ecological needs of its society. Municipality established the first Local Council for Sustainable Development in Montenegro (the inaugural session was held in December 2010) as well as prepared the first Local Strategy of Sustainable Development ) together with the Action plan for the implementation of LSSD (both documents were adopted by the local parliament).

An important development has emerged recently when National Council supported the adoption of Local Action Plan for Sustainable Development of the Capital city Podgorica in June 2017.