A step to endorse sustainability: Thoughts on a council on sustainable development

Though sustainable development is widely accepted, its realisation is hampered by numerous factors, many of which are located within the political system. The paper discusses some of these hindrances and the council on sustainable development which is designated to counterbalance and attenuate them. Special attention is given to the council’s functions and tasks, competencies and composition. Also, contradictions of different requirements and the contingencies of day‐to‐day politics are explored. Two existing national councils (USA and Switzerland) are discussed as exemplars. This paper argues that these councils do not have enough competencies and legitimisation to bring about a turn in politics towards sustainable development. Yet, they are a first step to having the idea of sustainable development represented institutionally within the political system.