Since 2004, the future has had a secure place at the German Bundestag. The establishment of the Parliamentary Advisory Council on Sustainable Development brought sustainability to the level of parliament. “Making sure that life today is not at the expense of tomorrow!” is the guiding principle behind policymaking geared towards sustainability, assuming responsibility for those alive today and future generations alike. In parliament, the advisory council assumes the role of a “watchdog”. It “barks” as soon as an initiative fails to bear in mind the National Sustainability Strategy. Hearings and position papers allow debates to be initiated, making the advisory council an important as well as living part of parliament.
