EU sustainable development policy
In the European Union, Germany advocates sustainable policies and ambitious implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Sustainable development is one of the goals agreed under the Treaty on European Union:
"[The Union] shall work for the sustainable development of Europe based on balanced economic growth and price stability, a highly competitive social market economy, aiming at full employment and social progress, and a high level of protection and improvement of the quality of the environment."
(Article 3 (3) second sentence of the Treaty on European Union (TEU))
The 2030 Agenda with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) serves as a framework for shaping sustainable policies worldwide. Together with its partners in the EU, Germany was a driving force behind the successful negotiations on the 2030 Agenda. Its adoption in September 2015 marked the first time that an ambitious set of targets was laid down for all key areas of sustainability.