Citizens’ Council Sustainable Food

The diet in Germany is detrimental to the environment and consumes too many resources. Scientists agree that a more plant-based diet holds the key to a better climate. The Federal Environment Agency and the Federal Ministry for the Environment want to exploit this potential and promote plant-based diets in Germany. Citizens shall be involved in the selection of the promoting measures. That is why ifok was commissioned to conduct a Citizens’ Council on Sustainable Nutrition together with NAHhaft e.V., the IÖW and the Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main. 

Representatively randomly selected citizens developed political recommendations for a more sustainable nutrition in Germany in a deliberative process. 

• Two citizens’ workshops are rounded off by a trial phase lasting several months and scientific support. 
• In addition, ifok uses outreach participation to involve social groups that are often underrepresented in the discourse so far. Citizens who were previously uninvolved express their opinions on the recommendations developed in a workshop. 
• Likewise, actors with political science or legal expertise examine the recommendations of the Citizens’ Council in terms of their feasibility and effectiveness. 

ifok designs, moderates and guides the participants

Together with the client and project partners, ifok developed the concept for the Citizens´ Council including several two-day citizens’ workshops, the outreach participation, and the closure event. We oversaw the random selection of participants, invitation process and travel home after the final event. ifok also moderated the events as well as the discussion in the small groups.

ifok services

Impressions from the project