In 1972, an international team of scientists published the report "Limits to Growth." This dealt with the trends of industrialization, population growth, malnutrition, exploitation of raw materials and environmental destruction in relation to a growth-oriented world. It showed that unlimited growth is not possible in a limited world and it predicted problems and a potential breakdown for the economical, ecological and social systems.
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own need."
Definition of sustainability from the Brundtland Report, 1987
Inspired by the Agenda 21 action program (Rio Declaration of the UN 1992), the city of Aalen actively promotes sustainable and future-proof urban development by implementing the local Aalen Agenda 21. This association, founded in 1998 and consisting of residents of the city, is constantly working on new ways to improve sustainability and has been able to implement a variety of projects, for example in the areas of environment, energy and accessibility.
The Local Agenda 21 process in Aalen is based on the work of about two dozen agenda groups. One example is the intercultural garden, where 18 families from different cultures cultivate their gardens under the motto "Taking root in a foreign land".
