Transformation challenges and administrative capacity of the environmental administration in North Rhine-Westphalia
How can an effective environmental administration be secured in times of external challenges and a shrinking supply of qualified personnel? This project delivers a situation analysis - against the backdrop of increasing workloads and future transformation challenges for the environmental administration in North Rhine-Westphalia, the projectaims to evaluate the administration's performance in environmental and nature conservation, as well as the challenges arising from the transformation.
The focus is on the areas in which the environmental administration of North Rhine-Westphalia is challenged to adequately fulfil its tasks and the areas in which increased demands will be placed on the environmental administration in the coming years. A previous report compared the current staffing situation in North Rhine-Westphalia with that in similar German states (Länder) and found it to be significantly lower. The project is intended to accompany a possible increase in staffing levels as agreed in the coalition agreement for the 18th legislative period to strengthen environmental administration and to identify areas where performance deficits exist or where special future needs are to be expected.
Firstly, this involves evidence-based identification of areas in which tasks are currently challenged, as well as recording the requirements for adequate task performance. Secondly, the foreseeable transformation requirements are to be determined. This applies to both the existing task portfolio and tasks that will be assigned to environmental administration as a result of the transformation. Thirdly, potential for the optimal deployment of available personnel should be identified, taking efficiency and effectiveness into account. Fourthly, recommendations for overcoming the challenges are to be developed. Fifthly, the MUNV is to be supported in implementing possible courses of action, taking into account the experiences of comparable administrations.
The scope of the investigation covers enforcement areas in the core tasks of traditional environmental protection and nature conservation at the administrative levels of the highest and upper authorities as well as the lower authorities at the level of districts and independent cities.
