INDIKA NRW

In 2016, the first sustainability strategy for the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) was adopted and further developed in 2020. The strategy provides the strategic basis for political action for sustainable development in NRW. In its current version, the NRW sustainability strategy aligns to the Agenda 2030 of the United Nations and its 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) that were adopted in 2015. The strategy is closely linked to the national sustainability strategy and addresses ecological, economic and social aspects of sustainability.

In 2024, the sustainability strategy will be updated and further developed. This provides an opportunity to reflect upon the current sustainability targets and indicators and to discuss them in the consultation process.
The aim of the independent scientific research project is to analyze the current targets and indicators of the sustainability strategy and to provide suggestions for further development.

The key questions of the research project are:

• What is a plausible approach to develop (further) targets and indicators for a state sustainability strategy?
• How suitable are the current targets and indicators for a state sustainability strategy?
• What are suggestions for appropriate targets and indicators for the further development of the NRW sustainability strategy?
• How can the system of targets and indicators be used as a steering tool?

For the analysis of options to further develop the sustainability targets and indicators, the research project involves expertise of the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) and the Universities of NRW via the sustainability initiative Humboldtn.