Suiting Action to the Words
The need for sustainable development in politics, science and economy is beyond question. But though this need is acknowledged, it lacks the social backup urging its political implementation and making sustainability a top priority. In fact, what can be observed is:
- extensive sustainability rhetoric – raving above all about the reconciliation of ecology and economy,
- effusive enthusiasm about win-win situations induced by efficiency-enhancement, excluding questions about the sustainability of our production and consumption patterns,
- growth reservation in all relevant (environmental) issues,
- the myth of (full) employment thanks to growth dominating discourse and decisions,
- he weary smile of media representatives indicating the non-communicableness of sustainability issues to the »public«.
That is why we need a socio-political shift in direction. That is why we need to discuss in public and in detail how we can make our country sustainable on global scale.
Such a debate is not only required, but also feasible. For one thing, there is the obvious need for socio-political guidance, for ethically sustainable goals that goes beyond the individual bumbling about. For another, the reaction to the study »Greening the North« issued in 1996 by BUND and MISEREOR showed how a vision of sustainability based upon facts can release impulses and movements. The principle of »Well being instead of well having« hit a public nerve. »Sustainable Germany« accomplished to structure and guide the public discussion on sustainable development. Plus, the study was a vital input for the development of the National Sustainability Strategy.
And last but not least, developments headed into the wrong direction don’t go unheeded. More and more people fight against for example opencast coal mining and new coal power stations, against airport development and release of genetically modified plants. And successfully so: so far six of the 25 originally planned coal power stations could be halted. Likewise the creation of genetic engineering free zones goes ahead: in mid-2008 almost 28,000 farmers were cultivating an area of almost one million hectare GE-free. And the number of GE-free communities is increasing.
Together, development organisations and BUND can initiate developments for more sustainability in more areas.
Professor Dr. Hubert Weiger
Chairman BUND
