About the Council

The German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) advises the Federal Government on issues of sustainability policy. It acts in this capacity as an independent entity, and since 2001 its members have been appointed every three years by the Federal Government. The Council consists of 15 public figures, comprising individuals from civil society, the business sector, the scientific community and the political arena. The Council also carries out its own projects aimed at advancing the topic of sustainability in practical terms. In addition, it helps shape topically focused momentum within policy and societal dialogue. The Council is supported in its activities by an administrative office based in Berlin.

Brief profile

The German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) was first called into being by the German federal government in April 2001. The Council currently consists of 15 public figures. Since 2023, Reiner Hoffmann, former president of the German Trade Union Confederation, has been the Chair of the Council, deputised by Gunda Röstel, Commercial Director Stadtentwässerung Dresden GmbH and Authorized Representative GELSENWASSER AG.

The Council is tasked with:

  • generating contributions to the German Sustainable Development Strategy
  • specifying concrete areas of action and projects
  • making sustainability a public issue of vital importance

In selecting the topics it deals with and the forms of action it employs, the Council operates independently. Results of its ongoing work include the German Sustainability Code; recommendations regarding the German Sustainable Development Strategy, the global Sustainable Development Goals, climate policy, raw materials policy, circular economy and fiscal sustainability; Germany-wide networking of players from all areas of society through the RENN (Regional Hubs for Sustainability Strategies); strategy dialogue with city mayors on sustainable urban development; as well as articles on the subject of sustainable business, among other things. The Council is supported in its activities by an administrative office.

Further details of its work and functioning can be found in its Rules of Procedure.

Work programme

To the subpage: Work programme of the German Council for Sustainable Development 2023-2026

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Work programme of the German Council for Sustainable Development 2023-2026

(only in German)

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Work programme of the German Council for Sustainable Development, 2017 to 2019

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Work Programme of the Council for Sustainable Development until June 2016 and Working Steps in 2014

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Work programme of the German Council for Sustainable Development, 2010 to 2013

Rules of Procedure

Here you will find the rules of procedure of the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) in the version of 17 January 2020.

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RNE Rules of procedure 2020

Rules of procedure of the German Council for Sustainable Development as of 17 January 2020