German Sustainability Strategy

Question 1

Germany development of a nationwide strategy in 2002
“Perspectives for Germany”

Answer 1

• The Sustainable Development Strategy is designed to facilitate the practical orientation towards sustainable action by politics and society
• Main goal: achieve environmentally, economically and socially balanced development
• protection of the natural foundations of life and social responsibility
• Basic rule: Each generation must solve its own problems and not burden the next generations with them. It must also make provisions for foreseeable future problems

Question 2

Germany’s Sustainability Strategy - timeline

Answer 2

• 2002: 1 st Strategy
  *Every 4 years: Progress report on strategy (1 st one in 2004) –> Evaluates strategy, also used for update; always accompanied by stakeholder dialogue
• Every 2 years: Indicator report (1 st one in 2006) → Published by the Federal Statistical Office, informs about progress reg. meeting the goals
• 2015/2016: Strategy update –> Revision of the strategy to align it with the 17 SDGs laid out in the 2030 Agenda
• 2018: Updated version of the 2016 Sustainable Development Strategy
• 2021: Latest progress report & update of the strategy ––> “Setting the right course for the Decade of Action ahead”

Question 3

Sustainability Management Concept

Answer 3

For testing and development of measures in their areas of responsibility, government ministries draw on the management concept for sustainable development. This contains the following three elements:

1. Principles of sustainable development
   – Contain the fundamental requirements for sustainable policies. They serve the operationalisation of the guiding principle of sustainable development, and are orientated towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
2. Indicators and targets
   – 75 indicators in 39 areas which reflect issues that are particularly relevant for Germany’s implementation of the 2030 Agenda
3. Monitoring
   – Regular reports and reviews

–> Germany version of SDG implementation with focus on specific targets

Question 4

–> 2) Indicators and targets

Answer 4

• Indicator concept was changed thoroughly during the revision process for the 2016 Sustainable Development Strategy
• Indicators and targets now cover the topics of the Agenda 2030 and refer to the SDGs

Further changes:
* Pays more attention to the impacts of our actions beyond national borders (e.g. fight poverty and hunger, efforts to protect the global environment/climate, respect for and realization of internationally accepted human rights standards)
* Has more indicators & connection with concrete political targets for each indicator, information on activities to reach the targets is described

Note:
* Each of the 17 SDG, but not all the 169 SDG targets are considered. Only key targets/ indicators which identify and reveal where relevant action is needed
* In addition, Germany will report on ALL indicators of the SDG indicators set

• A weather symbol – from sunshine to thunderstorm – illustrates how far the indicator has moved on the politically desired path towards its target

Question 5

–> 3) Monitoring the indicators

Answer 5

Role of Federal Statistical Office:
– Independent monitoring and reporting
– Compiling of indicators
– Analysis of indicators‘ development
– Calculation of “status“
 Every two years: Report on indicators
 Every four years: Report on indicators as part of the progress report of the federal government

Question 6

Indicator report 2021 – Some findings

Answer 6

• Evaluation of target achievement for all indicators in %
• sunny: 40,5% targets will almost be achieved
• cloudy: 14,9% Development in direction of target, but target will be missed by 5%- 20%
• heavily cloudy: 24,3% Development in direction of target, but target will be missed by more than 20%
• Thunderstorm: 9,5% Development of indicator in wrong
  direction
• rest no evaluation possible

Question 7

–> 1.) Principles of sustainable development

Answer 7

1. sustainable development as a guiding principle in all areas and in all decisions
2. global responsibility (inclusion of countries from the Global South)
3. Maintain the natural foundations of life
4. Strengthen sustainable operations (e.g. structural change for global
   sustainable consumption and production)
5. Maintain and improve social cohesion in an open society (e.g. Preventing poverty and social marginalisation)
6. Use education, science and innovation as drivers of sustainable development