Statement published by Wissenschaftsplattform Nachhaltigkeit 2030 on sustainability and COVID-19

The current COVID-19 pandemic has shown the need for innovative and sustainable concepts in order to overcome the difficulties faced by society today. With their statement "Overcoming the Corona Crisis Sustainably" (Nachhaltig aus der Corona-Krise!), Wissenschaftsplattform Nachhaltigkeit 2030 presents recommendations to the German government, demanding the significant, sustainable strengthening of existing political structures. The paper is partly based on statements and interviews by scientists and humanities scholars, including MPIWG director Jürgen Renn. 

The paper recommends the strengthening of systemic thinking and action in politics with the help of science, with a particular focus on further development of the German Sustainability Strategy (DNS). The DNS should be equipped with stronger management competence within the German government, including a permanent scientific "crisis scan" as part of a sustainability policy, and the concepts of resilience and sustainability should be linked more closely, the Wissenschaftsplattform argues.