2.2.3 Management rules:

 • citizens, producers and consumers, business and trade unions, academia, churches and associations are key actors with the state in the sustainable development. They are expected to participate in the public dialogue about the model of sustainable development. They should be autonomously guided in their decisions and actions towards these goals.

• The companies are responsible for their production and their products. This includes providing information to consumers about health and environmental properties of the products as well as sustainable production methods. The consumer is responsible for the selection of the product and its socially and environmentally friendly use.

• Renewable natural resources (such as wood or fish stocks) may be used only in the context of their ability to regenerate over time. Non-renewable natural resources (such as minerals and fossil fuels) may be used in the long term only to the extent that their functions can be replaced by other materials or by other energy sources. The release of substances or energy can not be greater than the adaptability of ecosystems in the long term: for example, the climate, forests and oceans.

Dangers and unacceptable risks to human health should be avoided.

• structural change triggered by technical developments and the international competition is to be made economically successful and built environmentally and socially in a responsible manner. To this end, the policy fields should be integrated so that economic growth, high employment, social cohesion and environmental protection go hand in hand.

• energy and resource consumption and transport services must be decoupled from economic growth. At the same time it is desirable that the growth-related increase in the demand for energy resources and transport serviceswill be more than compensated through efficiency gains.

• The public budgets have to take care of intergenerational equity. Federal, state and local governments should establish balanced budgets as soon as possible and continuously reduce the debt in a further step.

• A sustainable agriculture must be natural and environmentally friendly. It must comply with the requirements of an animal-friendly husbandry and preventative, particularly concerning health protection.

• To strengthen social cohesion, poverty and social exclusion have to be avoided as far as possible. All social classes opportunities are opened to participate in the economic development. All should participate in social and political life.

• The international framework must be designed so that people can lead a decent life on their own terms in all countries. They should share in the economic developments. Environment and development form a unit. In an integrated approach the combat against poverty is to be linked with respect for human rights, including economic development, environmental protection and good governance.