The project „Environmental Policy in the 21. Century – Approaches for Overcoming New Challenges“ pursues two aims: firstly, to define and explain blind spots and deficits of the environmental policy in the 20th century. In doing so, an overview of central environmental and sustainability patterns of arguments will be generated and assessed regarding their legitimacy for new environmental policies. These will be illustrated in an „environmental and sustainability policy map of discourse“. Secondly, based on the analysis of passed environmental policies the overall aim of the project is to clarify main ideas, concepts and strategies for an effective and ethically grounded environmental and sustainability policy in the 21st century on the basis of which a sustainable development can be achieved in both, countries of the global North and South. Hence, the project encompasses analytical as well as conceptual aims: Based on the „environmental and sustainability policy map of discourse“ contextual and strategic recommendations for the formulation of an environmental and sustainability policy in the 21st century will be developed.