RNE – Global and National Sustainable Development Goals and Expectations to the Institutions and Processes in Germany

In September 2015, the United Nations is expected to adopt the Post-2015-Agenda, which will contain universal goals for sustainable development. This agenda will not only set objectives for developing countries but will also address industrialised countries and their sustainability policies. Ecologic Institute supported the Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) in this project in analysing if and how the national sustainability strategy must be adapted and further developed in view of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The project had three components:

Strategic Consultancy

In the first part of the project, R. Andreas Kraemer from Ecologic Institute gave advice to the Council for Sustainable Development (RNE). He identified and examined sub goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are expected to have a particular impact on the German sustainability strategy.

Expertise on Selected Issues

In the second part of the project, Ecologic analysed Germany's performance in selected topics, i.e. how Germany can be located in the respective area, how far the German sustainability strategy (NHS) addresses the posed questions or if there are other processes outside of the NHS that cover the respective topic.

Experts at Ecologic Institute compiled five statements on selected SDGs: Timo Kaphengst and Stephanie Wunder examined SDG 2 on food and agriculture; Lucas Porsch gave a statement on SDG 8 on green economy; Ulf Stein and R. Andreas Kraemer gave a statement on sustainable water use (SDG 6); Stefanie Schmidt and Susanne Altvater gave a statement on SDG 14 on the sustainable use of oceans; and Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers examined SDG 12 on resource use and consumption.

The statements of the experts especially evaluated if Germany, with its present institutional framework and existing path dependencies, is capable of providing contributions to the achievement of the SDGs or if this framework must be redesigned. The assessment of the experts provided the background information to the statement of the RNE.

Round Tables and the Stakeholder Participation Process

In the third part of the project, Ecologic Institute, together with the RNE, organised round table discussions. Over 100 participating experts were invited to give their evaluation on selected SDGs and/or discuss especially complex topics at altogether four round tables. Finally, the stakeholders could comment on the statement before it was presented at a council meeting of the RNE.

The project and the stakeholder participation process that supported the RNE with its statement were headed by Doris Knoblauch.