Baden-Württemberg drew up its first environmental policy plan in 2000. The plan was extended in 2007 for the next five years. New environmental policy guidelines were established for the next five years after extensive consultation with the business associations and representatives of public interests. The environmental policy plan with the new target year of 2012 defines water protection, climate protection, clean air and the protection of biodiversity as key areas of concern. The plan is based on the fundamental conviction that successful environmental protection can only be achieved in harmony with the needs of society and with economic exigencies.

Rather than being a straitjacket for the period up to 2012 the environmental policy plan is flexible enough to take on board new developments and insights arising from discussions of Baden-Württemberg’s sustainability strategy or work on its general traffic plan.

The environmental policy plan makes environmental policy transparent and understandable. Successes and failures are made visible. A sustainability council made up of independent environmental experts from the worlds of academia and business is responsible for evaluating the environmental policy plan and assessing its achievements.