“Greater cooperation is needed across science, civil society, and policymaking to advance sustainability”
05.06.2018
“Greater cooperation is needed across science, civil society, and policymaking to advance sustainability,” urges Patrizia Nanz, co-chair of the Science Platform Sustainability 2030. “Much is already being done in different sectors. However, a more integrated approach is needed to make transformations towards sustainability in, with, and through Germany a reality.” In saying this, Nanz underscores a central finding of the “2018 Peer Review on the German Sustainability Strategy” — a key report prepared by a group of international experts on the progress towards its implementation.
The report was presented on 4 June at the 18th Annual Conference of the Council for Sustainable Development in Berlin. The science platform is named in the report as a new implementation body, and its role was also discussed within the thematic forums at the conference. “The science platform”, explains Nanz, “will strengthen dialogue and cooperation between science, policymakers and civil society, and ensure that the insights of science are fed into relevant political imple-mentation processes systematically.”
The new report acknowledges that science organisations in Germany are aware of their global responsibility and focussed on delivering the necessary insights. It also highlights the numerous civil society initiatives in Germany and the value of their contributions. However, the report stresses the need to “strengthen the interface between science and society” in order to “strengthen the German Sustainable Development Strategy solution capacity”. It also recom-mends that the German government “jump-start the institutional architecture and re-energise its working modality” with the aim of enhancing the effectiveness of institutional bodies tasked with implementing the strategy. “As a new element in the institutional architecture for sustainable development, the Science Platform Sustainability 2030 is integral to this process,” emphasises Nanz.
Founded in May 2017, the science platform is integrated within the steering, dialogue and im-plementation process of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The platform fosters research relating to sustainable development and seeks to strengthen dialogue between science, policymakers, business, and civil society.
Further information on the Science Platform Sustainability 2030 and the peer review: