Hardly any other term has undergone such a development in recent years as "sustainability". The concept of sustainability is based on the principle of preserving the basis of life for future generations, i.e. not using more than the environment's ability to regenerate allows. The current use of the term is based on the fundamental understanding of the three dimensions of sustainability: social, economic and ecological. The "strong sustainability" approach also makes it clear that natural resources are the basic prerequisite for all areas of human development. Economic and social behavior take place within the planetary boundaries of the ecosystem and cannot be substituted for one another.

The United Nations 2030 Agenda forms the global framework for sustainable development and takes all three dimensions of sustainability equally into account. Municipalities in particular have a key responsibility in implementing and achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) derived from it. Many municipalities publish their own sustainability reports in order to evaluate and transparently communicate the progress of sustainable development on site.

Bonn's sustainability report covers a total of 55 indicators in the four key categories of "well-being", "social justice", "environmental quality and resource efficiency" and "economic efficiency", thereby pursuing the primary goal of providing information about the city's sustainable development and making it measurable. The fifth sustainability report (2016 to 2018) is available for download and can be picked up as a print version in single copies at the Office for Local Sustainability of the City of Bonn, City Hall, Floor 9A.

The fifth Sustainability Report (2016 to 2018) is available for download and can be picked up as a print version in single copies at the Office for Local Sustainability of the City of Bonn, City Hall, Floor 9A.

The decision was made to digitalize Bonn's sustainability reporting to ensure up-to-date and effective reporting. The sustainability dashboard published in spring 2025 enables the further development of municipal reporting. The dashboard provides citizens, decision-makers and the administration with constantly updated data on developments in a wide range of topics. It thus provides a sound basis for making forward-looking decisions on the path to a more sustainable future.