Germany and Europe must become more productive and competitive again. The necessary transformation can only succeed if it is designed with foresight and actively promotes climate neutrality and ecological sustainability. In a joint project with FiFo on behalf of the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), the German Institute of Urban Affairs (Difu) and the Öko-Institut are investigating the extent to which regional structural policy in Germany is meeting these demands. The focus is on the German Integrated Funding System (GFS) with its 22 programmes. In a short policy paper and a concept paper, the three postulates of ecological sustainability, foresight and transformative ambition are presented with regard to their significance and possible operationalisation for regional policy.