From the Council

“We don’t need to own the mobile phone we use for work”

Around the world, electronic waste is piling up. Dr Rüdiger Kühr, co-author of the Global E-waste Monitor and director of the Sustainable Cycles Programme at the United Nations University in Bonn, shares some ideas on how we can stop this from happening.

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„We on the sustainability scene must reach those beyond the usual suspects"

As founding Secretary-General of the German Council for Sustainable Development from 2001 to 2020, Günther Bachmann advanced the topic of sustainability on all levels and in all areas of politics. He could hardly have dreamt of the changes that would be achieved – but in his opinion they are still not enough. We asked him for his personal view on the developments, successes and failures of those two decades.

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SDG Moment: A compass out of the crisis

On 20 September, the United Nations held the virtual SDG Moment with more than 30 heads of state and government to report on the status of the achievement of the global Sustainable Development Goals.

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Voluntary National Reviews: consensus-building as a driving force

There is little measurable progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda – but more and more institutions are working to change just that. Examples from all over the world show what methods can be used to transfer the Sustainable Development Goals into domestic policymaking. Many of those involved recently came together at the High-Level Political Forum hosted by the United Nations in New York.

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Germany needs a shoe size

The German Sustainable Development Strategy is currently being revised. The RNE demands that the global ecological footprint of our consumption be recorded in it. The data and methodologies are there.

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EU–Africa partnership for peace: joining forces for sustainability

In light of the German Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Council for Sustainable Development advocates a stronger partnership of equals with Africa. Council member Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul speaks about the need for and opportunities offered by a new EU–Africa strategy.

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Laying the financial foundations for a sustainable recovery from the coronavirus crisis in the EU

Recommendation of the German Council for Sustainable Development concerning the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework and the European coronavirus recovery fund; Berlin, 17 September 2020

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Systematically laying the foundations for a sustainable food system is essential

Recommendation of the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) for the State Secretaries’ Committee for Sustainable Development on 8 June 2020; Berlin, 30 April 2020

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Making Germany a leader in sustainable finance

RNE-Recommendation re the interim report of the Sustainable Finance Committee dated 05.03.2020

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A sustainable recovery from the coronavirus crisis

Eight recommendations by the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) for the recovery from the coronavirus crisis; Berlin, 13 May 2020

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Sustainable supply chains

Recommendation of the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) for effectively embedding sustainability and human rights in global supply chains; Berlin, 13 May 2020

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EEAC Network publishes paper on Covid19 response

The EEAC Network - a network that brings together 17 advisory bodies on climate change, the environment and sustainable development from 13 European countries and regions - has published a paper “Responding to Covid19: Building social, economic and environmental resilience with the European Green Deal”.

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