Co-evolution – Sustainability as a cultural, technical and economical challenge

In view of the question regarding the appropriate point of application for sustainability solutions, the three dimensions technology, utilization systems and culture can be differentiated.
We base our work on one of the central insights of sustainability research, namely that each of these dimensions can contribute significantly to solutions, but that these contributions generally result from the interplay of the different dimensions and simultaneous changes (co-evolution) in technology, utilization and market systems and the attitudes of actors. Whereas technical solutions can often be realized easily and are relatively accessible, the greatest problem-solving capacity in view of sustainable development can be attributed to the cultural dimension (values, attitudes and patterns of interpretation): the cultural dimension comprises the basic determinants of life styles, consumption patterns and strategies of economic actors.

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