Abstract

Sustainable Development is meant to be a strategic framework to give guidance to individuals and institutions in order to meet the needs of today without keeping future generations from fulfilling theirs. The European Union is increasingly integrating this goal in its programs and strategies. This study analyses und discusses the current and future potential of a central area of EU policy, the structural funds policies, for Sustainable Development. It focusses on the extent to which these program policies in the state of Berlin have been integrated in the program and the project levels and how this goal can be enhanced in the future. The methods included the study of literature and documents, as well as expert interviews and a workshop with relevant participants from several departments and institutions. In addition to a Sustainability criteria set the study proposes a three-step procedure for the assessment of specific projects with regard to their impact on sustainable development (EU guidelines, Sustainability-Check, sector-specific assessment). Based on its proposals for action the study concludes with an action plan which includes recommendations such as a series of workshops for specific groups of relevant people, a systematic transfer of best-practices models to other regions (EU network), a sustainability campaign for applicants and potential partners in order to clarify the requirements and enhance chances related to the concept of Sustainable Development.

Autor*innen

Göll, Edgar; Nolte, Roland; Sauerborn, Klaus

Forschungsfelder

Technikfolgenabschätzung und Partizipation