The German sustainability strategy and climate change act
In the time between the conference in Rio in 1992 (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, UNCED), Germany was a global leader in the field. Therefore, it is not surprising that the first German Sustainability strategy was adopted by the government in 2002. Since then it is updated every four year. Since the UN 2030 Agenda was launched in 2015 the German Strategy was not developed based on the 2030 Agenda. Instead, it was adapted to it afterwards and it serves since 2017 as the Strategy for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The most recent update was produced in 2021 and it now covers also tasks including
- Action against the COVID-19 pandemic
- Economic Stimulus and Future Technologies Package
- European Green Deal
Of course, the future of the Strategy is in limbo. If the future government would be lead as in the last sixteen years by the Christian democrats no major changes of the Strategy and its implementation should be expected. If a different coalition government should agree on a revised climate policy and sustainability policy an update of the strategy and its status may be necessary soon.
Short before the Federal election the Bundestag adopted a revised version of the Federal Climate Change Act. Based on the act the governments implements a plan Klimaschutzplan 2050 as a frame for Germany's climate and energy policy. It has to be noted, as much as the international agendas UN Agenda 2030 and the Paris Agreement UNFCCC are negotiated and monitored in separate arenas, as much these agendas are implemented in Germany rather parallel instead of implementing it in an integrated and coordinated manner. That sounds pragmatic and may be an effort to reduce complexity. However, the agenda goals are far too much interrelated and interdependent. A better coordination between the too should be aimed at when it comes to the next update of the German Sustainability Strategy and Climate Change Act.
The German model is no blueprint for other countries. However, informed by the German model of Sustainability Strategy, Climate Change Act and their development of almost twenty years, other countries and international organizations may identify even better ways for their own way towards climate neutrality and sustainable development.
Sources
Website of the German Federal Government on Sustainability (in English)
https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-en/issues/sustainability
Website of the German Federal Government on Climate Policy (in English)
https://www.bmu.de/en/topics/climate-adaptation/climate-protection/national-climate-policy
Summary Version in English (Update 2021)
https://www.bundesregierung.de/resource/blob/974430/1937922/29d69a8890ac45d1f4326bce2334b2ae/2021-06-29-dns-englisch-data.pdf?download=1
Full version in English (Update 2021)
https://www.bundesregierung.de/resource/blob/974430/1937922/29d69a8890ac45d1f4326bce2334b2ae/2021-06-29-dns-englisch-data.pdf?download=1