The 2030 Agenda was adopted by all member states of the United Nations in September 2015. Through this agenda, the international community declares that the world's global social, environmental and economic challenges can only be solved together. The agenda applies to all countries - developing countries, emerging economies and industrialized nations alike - who must make a joint contribution. At the heart of the agenda are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The goal of sustainable development had previously been adopted for the first time at the 1992 UN conference in Rio de Janeiro with the Agenda 21 action program. The guiding principle: Think globally - act locally! subsequently also underlined the importance of local authorities as the smallest political unit in the implementation of sustainable development. In 1997, the Bonn City Council also initiated a Local Agenda 21 process. The "Committee for the Environment, Climate and Local Agenda" serves as a political body for Local Agenda topics. Here, those interested in local politics have the opportunity to take part in the public meetings of the committee.