Three questions for Prof. Dr Kai Niebert
Let’s get to it: What does sustainability mean to you? What do you associate with the term?
Prof. Dr Kai Niebert: Gone are the days when sustainability solely meant trying to prevent social or environmental disasters. We must aspire to improve people’s lives and the state of nature. Sustainability should be the promise of a better life!
What is your personal priority in your work as part of the Council for Sustainable Development?
Historically, it has fallen to politics to overcome the great environmental and social hurdles, which is exactly why sustainability has to be political. This must be the starting point for the RNE to build a bridge between the real-world environments in which people actually live and the political frameworks that all too often make sustainable living a burden. In future, these frameworks instead have to promote sustainability.
In the context of sustainability, what do you believe will pose the greatest challenge in the coming years?
We cannot allow ongoing crises to slow the vital transition towards a sustainable future. As the German Council for Sustainable Development, we need to harness these crises to accelerate this transformation.
Prof. Dr Kai Niebert has been a member of the German Council for Sustainable Development since January 2023.
Curriculum vitae
Prof. Dr Kai Niebert detailed CV available to download (PDF, 82 KB)
Quote
“Gone are the days when sustainability solely meant trying to prevent social or environmental disasters. We must aspire to improve people’s lives and the state of nature. Sustainability should be the promise of a better life!”
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Prof. Dr. Kai Niebert, Photo: © Thomas Entzeroth
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