Overview of the German Resource Efficiency Programme (ProgRess)

On 29 February 2012 the Federal Cabinet adopted the German Resource Efficiency Programme (ProgRess). This was the result of the German government's decision in its Raw Materials Strategy of 20 October 2010 to develop a national resource efficiency programme. This paper provides an overview of the key contents of ProgRess.

1. Basis:

Natural resources, especially raw materials, are key production factors and are therefore foundations of our prosperity. More than 68 billion tonnes of raw materials were used worldwide in 2009. This is around one third more than in 2000, two thirds more than in 1990 and about twice as much as at the end of the 1970s. With a predicted world population of over 9 billion people in 2050 and rapid economic growth in newly industrialising countries, demand for raw materials continues to rise strongly. Per capita resource consumption is currently around four times higher in industrialised nations than in less developed countries.

This is a major challenge from an economic, ecological and social perspective. Rising and volatile raw material prices, and uncertainty about the availability of resources, are placing a strain on the German economy. It is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain some key raw materials such as crude oil, cobalt and heavy rare earths from readily accessible sources. At the same time, resource use has impacts on the environment across the entire value chain, ranging from the release of greenhouse gases and inputs of pollutants into the air, water and soil to damage to ecosystems and biodiversity. The current use of natural resources is already far exceeding the Earth’s regenerative capacity.

More responsible and more efficient use of natural resources will therefore be a key competence for any society seeking to ensure its future viability. Germany is in an excellent position to lead the way in the necessary global transformation towards a resource-efficient economy. Improving resource efficiency can limit environmental damage, strengthen the competitiveness of German industry, create new jobs and secure long-term employment.

Germany is willing to take on a pioneering role internationally by proving that resource efficiency in a highly developed country can be increased without a detrimental impact on prosperity while at the same time reducing raw material consumption. Germany can already demonstrate increased economic performance with reduced resource use: during the years 2000 to 2010 there was strong economic growth but resource consumption decreased by 11.1%.

In 2002 the German government laid down the goal of doubling raw material productivity by 2020 compared with 1994 in its National Sustainability Strategy. This goal makes Germany an international pioneer. The German Resource Efficiency Programme aims to contribute to reaching it.

2. Programme contents and goal:

The goal of the German Resource Efficiency Programme is to structure the extraction and use of natural resources in a sustainable way and to reduce associated environmental pollution as far as possible. By doing this we want to live up to our responsibility to future generations and create a prerequisite for securing a high quality of life for the long term.

The German government is striving to decouple economic growth as far as possible from resource use, to reduce the burden on the environment and to strengthen the sustainability and competitiveness of the German economy, thus promoting stable employment and social cohesion. Resource efficiency policy should contribute to taking on our global responsibility for the ecological and socials impacts of resource use. Our goal must be to reduce the use of resources.

ProgRess focuses on abiotic, non-energy resources, supplemented by the material use of biotic resources. The use of raw materials is connected to the use of other natural resources such as water, air, land, soil, biodiversity and ecosystems. However, as these resources are already covered by other programmes, processes or legislation, they are not addressed in any detail by ProgRess.

ProgRess gives an overview of numerous existing activities and describes approaches and measures for increasing resource efficiency. It covers the entire value chain. It is about securing a sustainable raw material supply, raising resource efficiency in production, making consumption more resource-efficient, enhancing resource-efficient closed cycle management and using overarching instruments.

3. Contents and measures:

ProgRess is divided into three parts: general information on the programme, strategic approaches along the entire value chain and specific examples. Proposals for government measures are made for the strategic approaches and examples. An annex to ProgRess details activities in the field of resource efficiency already being carried out by the German government, the Federal Länder and associations and institutions.

The first part of the programme analyses the opportunities and potential of resource efficiency in Germany and globally. It sets out guiding principles and objectives as well as potential indicators that can be used to measure progress in improving resource efficiency.

The German Resource Efficiency Programme is shaped by a total of four guiding principles:

• Guiding principle 1: Joining ecological necessities with economic opportunities, innovation support and social responsibility
• Guiding principle 2: Viewing global responsibility as a key focus of our national resource policy
• Guiding principle 3: Gradually making economic and production practices in Germany less dependent on primary resources, developing and expanding closed cycle management
• Guiding principle 4: Securing sustainable resource use for the long term by guiding society towards quality growth.

The second part of the programme contains specific measures on the basis of an analysis of the entire value chain. Five strategic approaches are considered:

• securing a sustainable raw material supply
• raising resource efficiency in production
• making consumption more resource-efficient
• enhancing resource-efficient closed cycle management
• using overarching instruments.

A total of 20 strategic approaches are identified and underpinned with measures. The programme attaches particular importance to market incentives, information, expert advice, education, research and innovation and to strengthening voluntary measures and initiatives by industry and society. Examples include measures for strengthening efficiency advice for small and medium-sized enterprises, supporting environmental management systems, taking greater account of resource aspects in standardisation processes, placing greater focus on the use of resource-efficient products and services in public procurement, strengthening voluntary product labelling and certification schemes, enhancing closed cycle management and increasing the transfer of technologies and knowledge to developing countries and emerging economies.

The third part of the programme presents examples of material flows, areas of life and technologies that are particularly relevant for the chosen strategic approaches and that specify these in more concrete terms. Examples include sections on bulk metals, rare and strategic metals, future technologies such as photovoltaics and electric mobility, sustainable construction, which is an especially significant sector for the resource balance, and the material flow of plastic waste.

An annex to ProgRess details activities in the field of resource efficiency already being carried out by the German government, the Federal Länder and associations and institutions.

4. Procedure:

Detailed discussions on ProgRess were held with relevant experts and representatives of civil society, associations and the Länder. Public participation was ensured through Internet consultation. Numerous opinions and contributions from associations, civil society and the scientific sector have been incorporated into the programme. The Federal Environment Ministry carried out a broad consultation process in the first half of 2011 involving meetings, talks and events. Around 100 written opinions were evaluated.

The German government has decided that it will report every four years on the development of resource efficiency in Germany, assess progress and continue and update the Resource Efficiency Programme accordingly.

By launching ProgRess, the German government is joining European efforts. The European Commission has devoted one of the seven flagship initiatives under the Europe 2020 strategy to the goal of creating a resource-efficient Europe and adopted a detailed roadmap on this in September 2011. In doing this the Commission has reinforced its call to the member states to draw up national resource efficiency programmes. With ProgRess, Germany is one of the first European countries to present a comprehensive resource efficiency programme.

5. Outlook

The German Resource Efficiency Programme does not mark the end; it is in fact the beginning of a process in policymaking, science and society. Implementing the measures contained in ProgRess will require a high level of initiative and activities by many people and close cooperation between politics, industry, science and civil society. It will also need public commitment. The programme aims to provide sound and long-term orientation for all stakeholders. Implementing this programme will contribute to the conservation of the ecological foundations of life, economic growth and long-term employment, and will safeguard the prospects of prosperity for future generation

• 29.02.2012: Röttgen: Using resource efficiency to increase competitivenes