Investing in the Future

The state can achieve a wide range of goals with public investments, for example, in infrastructure, education, digitisation, health care, social housing or, also, in measures to combat climate change. It can, for instance, promote the economy and thus contribute to more growth and jobs; it can ensure more equal opportunities and participation and thus reduce social inequality; or it can also protect the climate and natural world more forcefully and thus secure the natural foundations of life for all. 

Investments by the state are essential for stable, economically successful, socially just and ecologically sustainable economic and social development. Above all, public goods must be provided by the state in sufficient quantity and of appropriate quality. They increase the prosperity of society as a whole – not only directly but also indirectly by improving the framework conditions for private investment. 

Providing money alone, however, is often not enough. Realising investment projects successfully often requires additional accompanying measures, for example, those reducing the shortage of skilled workers or eliminating excessively long approval procedures or inordinate amounts of bureaucracy. Successfully getting the major challenges of the future under control means overcoming investment obstacles of all kinds, both financial and non-financial.