Modernisierungsansätze zum Leitbild der nachhaltigen Entwicklung (Politikempfehlungen)

With its guiding vision for sustainable development (Leitbild der Nachhaltigen Entwicklung, hereafter LNE), routed in the German government’s strategy for sustainable development, Germany set its strategic orientation on sustainable development policy just over one and half decades ago.

The strategy introduces, amongst others, four guiding principles: generational equity, quality of life, social coherence and international responsibility. Important amendments to the strategy, like the introduction of an absolute capacity of ecosystems, were undertaken through progress reports. The guiding vision has not been revised or modernized since its original formulation in 2002. Since that time, a diverse set of developments have taken place with regard to both strategy and implementation.

Given these developments and the pressing need to strengthen the LNE’s effectiveness, a comprehensive update of the LNE for the future direction of environment and sustainability policy appears crucial. Based on the research on the application of the guiding vision in several federal ministries, this report provides recommendations and proposals to the process of updating, supplementing and strategically optimizing the LNE while bringing the guiding vision closer to current political and societal processes. The aim is to achieve a clear orientation of the guiding vision, a transparent handling of conflicting goals and a stronger connection with societal and resonant discourses.

Further publications

• Discourse on Vulnerability and Resilience - Sustainability 2.0 (in German only)
• Discourse on Models of Wealth and Development - Sustainability 2.0 (in German only)
• Discourse on time and time politics - Sustainability 2.0 (in German only)
• Sustainability 2.0 – Approaches to modernisation for the guiding vision of sustainable development (final report) (in German only)