TEAM Sustainability—The Contribution of Science to the Management of Governments’ Sustainability Advisory Councils

Abstract

The development of a sustainability strategy in accordance with the good governance criteria includes, among other aspects, the reflexive development of the sustainability strategy which is understood as the continuous questioning of decisions in a horizontal and vertical multi-level system. In this context, the involvement of non-state actors in sustainability management is a central aspect addressed by the good governance criterion of participation. This paper analyses the sustainability management and deepens the sustainability architecture in Germany and its federal states. A special emphasis is given to the governments’ sustainability advisory boards, which could unite non-state actors. Science can play a central role: Firstly, in pro-active participation and secondly as the organiser of these sustainability advisory boards. The latter has many advantages for both governmental and non-governmental actors as this paper points out. Methodologically, the presentation is based on a desktop research, which was extended by an impact analysis of the “TEAM Sustainability” as a part of the analysis of the sustainability architecture of the state of NRW. The presentation will be useful for all state actors involved in the further development of their sustainability architecture. Non-state actors, especially the scientific community, can also profit from the findings to strengthen their role in governmental sustainability advisory boards.