Qualitative and sustainable growth requires new ways of policy shaping and constitutes thus always also a “governance reform agenda”.
On the basis of the ongoing EU discussion on governance for sustainable development the following questions arise.
Issues
- What are, in general, the weak points and the strong points of the existing governance practices before the background of content-related requirements of a qualitative and sustainable growth?
- Which governance practices can best serve the sustainable regulation of financial markets, effective climate and environmental protection, and an employment policy which is successful on the long run?
- Which actors shall be involved in the specific governance processes and what is then in particular the role of the state?
- At which level should the decision-making processes take place and how should the structure of the regulatory systems laying down the actions of the social players look like?
- How can the effects of policies and measures be assessed in advance in order to ensure that the decision-making process serves the requirements of a qualitative and sustainable growth?
Governance – What concerns everyone can only be solved by everyone (Friedrich Dürrenmatt)
The small town of the Little family has been rapidly increasing in the course of the past few years. Due to the industrial plant sitting project and the technical college not only the population figure has increased, but the town has also grown in terms of area and will also reach its limits in the course of the next few years. Due to the increased pressure for use the conflicts of interest are sharpening.
The competent authority has thus launched the project “future area small town”. As all citizens are affected by the future shape of their town planners, representatives of authorities, interest groups and the population should jointly develop guiding principles for the future shape of the small town and its surroundings. Mr. and Mrs. Little participate also in the citizens’ participation project in order to contribute their ideas about the future shape of the small town. Not only do they participate in the online-survey, but they also invest their limited leisure time in participating in developing in future workshops the guiding principles for their town. They both hope that the project is not a PR gag of the mayor, who wants to win the municipal elections next year.
