Culture as the fourth dimension of sustainability | Umweltbundesamt

The key-focus of the conference was the cultural dimension of environmental and sustainability policies, as well as the sustainability dimension of cultural policy. With partners from the environmental and cultural sector, an interactive debate on the interactions and irritations between climate protection, culture and technological innovation took place. "We often forget that sustainability has an additional fourth dimension: a cultural one. Artists track down this dimension", said Dirk Messner, the president of the UBA."In times of social upheaval, we need a change in values for a better life in a safe and multifaceted environment. With the fifth UBA transformation conference, we have illuminated how this value shift can be successful".⁠

A culture of sustainability must be embedded in individual mindsets, institutional practices and community structures. All of this is necessary in order to promote cultural changes and accelerate the transformation towards sustainability.

Challenges and disruptions are not always obstacles— they can serve as critical moments to rethink and refine previous approaches. Constructive and even challenging dialogue is, therefore, essential in order to foster meaningful collaboration between the sustainability community, the cultural sector and other important interest groups

From another transformative perspective, we consider "culture" from two different perspectives: as a series of connected values and norms, through which people perceive and react to their environment, as well as the experience of culture through cultural production and participation.

The meaning of culture, as well as cultural and community values for the sustainability transformation is in this context from a central meaning.  This idea was discussed at the event on the basis of the following key questions:

• What are elements of the culture of sustainability? Which approaches exist?

• What are the biggest disruptions and future challenges for the sustainability transformation and communal shifts. 

• How can climate and environmental sector actors, in light of the multitude of sustainability challenges, work together and become meaningful catalysts?

The event was jointly organised by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) and the Cultural Policy Association (KuPoGe)