658
D. Schostok
results of the progress reports and to prepare the basis for decisions at the Sustainability Conference. In addition, expert groups can be convened for very specific
questions on indicators and target values in which members of the task force can also
participate. The steering committees are responsible for the concrete design of the
focal topics decided upon by the Sustainability Conference and subsequently support
the implementation of the measures and activities initiated. The members consist of
institutions of the Sustainability Conference, youth representatives and appointed
experts. The four steering groups currently exist: Biological diversity, Sustainable
consumption, Climate protection and climate change adaptation. The steering groups
initially form working groups, which then focus on specific sub-themes. The Head
Office, which is located at the Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection, Agriculture and Consumer Protection of the State of Hesse, coordinates and accompanies
the sub-processes. In doing so, the Head Office wants to ensure that the Sustainability
Strategy of the federal state of Hesse links existing activities with each other, exploits
synergies and remains compatible with the European and national strategies (Hessian Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Agriculture and Consumer
Protection, n.d. a–e).
3.4 State of Lower Saxony
The State of Lower Saxony has appointed experts from the fields of politics, business, science and research, education and the arts for the Lower Saxony Council for
Sustainability. The Sustainability Advisory Board comprises a total of 11 personalities. Founded in autumn 2017, the committee is to advise the state government
on all sustainability issues and provide impetus for initiatives and actions. The triad
of ecological, economic and socio-social sustainability is to be considered (State
Government Lower Saxony 2017).
Since no freely available information on the structure and institutionalisation of
the Sustainability Advisory Council in the sustainability architecture of the State
of Lower Saxony is yet available, this Advisory Council is not considered more
extensively at this point.
3.5 State of Saarland
Saarland is the only federal state in Germany that has enshrined the establishment
of a Sustainability Advisory Council with the participation of non-governmental
members in a law: According to Sect. 44 of the Saarland Nature Conservation Act
as amended on October 28th 2008, an independent Council for Sustainability is
formed in each parliamentary term to advise the state government on questions
of sustainability policy. The § 44 SNG also stipulates from which organisations
and institutions representatives are to be sent to the Council for Sustainability. In
D. Schostok
results of the progress reports and to prepare the basis for decisions at the Sustainability Conference. In addition, expert groups can be convened for very specific
questions on indicators and target values in which members of the task force can also
participate. The steering committees are responsible for the concrete design of the
focal topics decided upon by the Sustainability Conference and subsequently support
the implementation of the measures and activities initiated. The members consist of
institutions of the Sustainability Conference, youth representatives and appointed
experts. The four steering groups currently exist: Biological diversity, Sustainable
consumption, Climate protection and climate change adaptation. The steering groups
initially form working groups, which then focus on specific sub-themes. The Head
Office, which is located at the Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection, Agriculture and Consumer Protection of the State of Hesse, coordinates and accompanies
the sub-processes. In doing so, the Head Office wants to ensure that the Sustainability
Strategy of the federal state of Hesse links existing activities with each other, exploits
synergies and remains compatible with the European and national strategies (Hessian Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Agriculture and Consumer
Protection, n.d. a–e).
3.4 State of Lower Saxony
The State of Lower Saxony has appointed experts from the fields of politics, business, science and research, education and the arts for the Lower Saxony Council for
Sustainability. The Sustainability Advisory Board comprises a total of 11 personalities. Founded in autumn 2017, the committee is to advise the state government
on all sustainability issues and provide impetus for initiatives and actions. The triad
of ecological, economic and socio-social sustainability is to be considered (State
Government Lower Saxony 2017).
Since no freely available information on the structure and institutionalisation of
the Sustainability Advisory Council in the sustainability architecture of the State
of Lower Saxony is yet available, this Advisory Council is not considered more
extensively at this point.
3.5 State of Saarland
Saarland is the only federal state in Germany that has enshrined the establishment
of a Sustainability Advisory Council with the participation of non-governmental
members in a law: According to Sect. 44 of the Saarland Nature Conservation Act
as amended on October 28th 2008, an independent Council for Sustainability is
formed in each parliamentary term to advise the state government on questions
of sustainability policy. The § 44 SNG also stipulates from which organisations
and institutions representatives are to be sent to the Council for Sustainability. In