The OECD groups 30 member countries sharing a commitment to democratic government and the market economy. With active relationships with some 70 other countries 
, NGOs and civil society, it has a global reach. Best known for its publications and its statistics, its work covers economic and social issues from macroeconomics, 
to trade, education, development and science and innovation.   
     
The OECD plays a prominent role in fostering good governance in the public service and in corporate activity. It helps governments to ensure the responsiveness 
of key economic areas with sectoral monitoring. By deciphering emerging issues and identifying policies that work, it helps policy-makers adopt strategic 
orientations.   
  
  
A healthy environment is a pre-requisite for a strong and healthy economy, and both are needed for sustainable development. The OECD provides a forum for 
countries to share their experiences and to develop concrete recommendations for the development and implementation of policies that can address environmental 
problems in an effective and economically efficient way.  
   
While OECD countries have successfully tackled some of the environmental problems they face, many others remain or are emerging. Increasingly the problems 
they face are more complex, and will require co-operative action at the international level (e.g. climate change) or co-ordinated packages of policies across 
regions and/or sectors (e.g. biodiversity, agricultural pollution, transport).  
   
OECD supports its governments in addressing these problems primarily through the work of its Environment Policy Committee, through Joint Working Parties 
on Agriculture and Environment and on Trade and Environment and through Joint Meetings of Tax and Environment Experts. Overall, these activities contribute 
to the cross-cutting work of the OECD on sustainable development.