German resource efficiency program

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The German Resource Efficiency Program aims to help achieve the goals of the German sustainability strategy, to make products and consumption more resource-efficient and to expand the circular economy .

ProgRess is based on the idea that resource efficiency serves both economic and environmental goals.

On February 29, 2012, the Federal Cabinet passed the German Resource Efficiency Program (ProgRess). The ProgRess II update was adopted on March 2, 2016.

Development process

The published reports are based on a draft text by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), which is coordinated in a consultation process with experts, representatives of social groups and associations and with the federal states of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB). The public was involved in ProgRess via the Internet, and in ProgRess II there was a moderated dialogue process.

Starting position

The worldwide primary material input ( minerals , ores , fossil fuels , biomass ) has more than doubled in the last 30 years. It rose from approx. 36 billion tons (1980) to approx. 78 billion tons (2011) and is estimated to increase to 140 billion tons by 2050 if today's consumption patterns persist.

60% of the agricultural biomass is used as fodder, 8% is used materially or energetically and 32% of the "growth" is used as plant food.

In the national sustainability strategy in 2002, the federal government set the goal of doubling raw material productivity (based on 1994) by 2020. Raw material productivity expresses how much gross domestic product (GDP) is generated per tonne of abiotic primary material used.

ProgRess II

While ProgRess only takes material flows into account, ProgRess II considers energy and material flows together.

The four guiding principles remain unchanged:

  • Combine ecological necessities with economic opportunities, innovation orientation and social responsibility.
  • Seeing global responsibility as the central orientation of our national resource policy.
  • Gradually make economic and production methods in Germany less dependent on primary raw materials , further develop and expand the circular economy .
  • Secure sustainable use of resources through social orientation and qualitative growth in the long term.

Raw material productivity increased between 1994 and 2014, but only half achieved the target of doubling raw material productivity at the current rate.

In addition to raw material productivity, a reduction in resource consumption should also be sought.

The program reaffirms the priority of food security and at the same time advocates an expansion of the material use of renewable raw materials.

Citizens Advice

200 randomly nominated citizens have worked on recommendations in five citizens ' workshops, the so-called citizens' advice :

  • Create awareness. Do i really need this?
  • Promote innovations in resource-saving materials and products
  • Levy primary raw material tax
  • The connections of power packs, charging cables and accessories as well as batteries for electronic devices should be standardized regardless of the manufacturer.
  • Technical products should be durable and repairable.
  • Mandatory labeling of all goods and goods should be introduced with regard to the required resource consumption for production and disposal.
  • A law on the take-back of production goods with an obligation to recycle in the country of return should be introduced.
  • The use of plastic bags should be drastically reduced through a legal regulation.
  • The economy should be obliged to maintain a maximum ratio of packaging and product volume for packaging.
  • A comprehensive reusable system should be created through a legal regulation.
  • More incentive systems should be created for public (local) transport and car sharing systems.
  • The proportion of regional and seasonal products in supermarkets and public institutions should be increased through a legal regulation.

Criticism of the Expert Council

The German Advisory Council on the Environment criticizes that:

  • ProgRess II does not propose any quantitative targets for the period after 2020
  • the proposed target system is inherently inconsistent
  • important indicators still need to be developed
  • the proposed mix of instruments falls far short of the need for action
  • important strategic European debates (e.g. on the circular economy) would only be dealt with superficially

The Expert Council recommends that the program should go beyond pure consensus politics.

Criticism of the environmental protection associations

It is criticized that the program often remains vague and leaves gaps that could be filled with life.

In the second edition, too, there would be no clear statements as to whether the federal government is aiming for an absolute reduction in raw material consumption.

It is criticized that a restructuring of the tax system towards a taxation of raw material consumption could at least be provided for in the research projects.

Overall, the program would fall far short of the mark because the planned resource savings are not sufficient and the goals are not supported by concrete measures.

Criticism from associations

The Federal Association of the German Waste Management, Water and Raw Materials Management (BDE) complains that the program would be limited to a list of approaches without listing concrete measures to strengthen recycling and increase resource efficiency.

A further development of the circular economy can only succeed if clear measures are defined.

The Association of German Engineers (VDI) is of the opinion that it would have been necessary to anchor resource efficiency in the "DNA" of the business models of German companies.

The Federal Association of Consumer Organizations criticizes the fact that the federal government has repeatedly announced that it would present a law on recyclable materials to collect and recycle much larger quantities of recyclable materials, but has not yet implemented it.

The consumer advice centers praise ProgRess II because there the extension of the use of products is seen as an important step towards the conservation of resources. However, this aspect would not be treated in a focused manner.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ German Resource Efficiency Program II, program for the sustainable use and protection of natural resources , Federal Environment Agency (UBA), publisher: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), March 2016, p. 8
  2. ↑ a b c d e German Resource Efficiency Program II, program for the sustainable use and protection of natural resources , Federal Environment Agency (UBA), publisher: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), March 2016, p. 9
  3. ↑ a b c Short commentary on ProgRess II , Advisory Council for Environmental Issues (SRU), September 2015
  4. ↑ a b c Overview of the German Resource Efficiency Program (ProgRess) ( Memento of the original from May 17, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB)  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.bmub.bund.de
  5. ↑ German Resource Efficiency Program (ProgRess), program for the sustainable use and protection of natural resources , Federal Environment Agency (UBA), publisher: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), 2012
  6. ^ German Resource Efficiency Program II, program for the sustainable use and protection of natural resources , Federal Environment Agency (UBA), publisher: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), March 2016, p. 10
  7. ^ German Resource Efficiency Program II, program for the sustainable use and protection of natural resources , Federal Environment Agency (UBA), publisher: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), March 2016, p. 12
  8. ^ German Resource Efficiency Program II, Program for the sustainable use and protection of natural resources , Federal Environment Agency (UBA), publisher: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), March 2016, p. 13
  9. ^ German Resource Efficiency Program II, Program for the sustainable use and protection of natural resources , Federal Environment Agency (UBA), publisher: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), March 2016, p. 16
  10. ^ German Resource Efficiency Program II, Program for the sustainable use and protection of natural resources , Federal Environment Agency (UBA), publisher: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), March 2016, p. 21
  11. ^ German Resource Efficiency Program II, program for the sustainable use and protection of natural resources , Federal Environment Agency (UBA), publisher: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), March 2016, p. 49
  12. ↑ Citizens 'advice of the Citizens' Dialogue "Discussion: Resource-Conserving Living", on the continuation of the German Resource Efficiency Program (ProgRess II) , Citizens in Dialogue, developed in 2015
  13. ↑ Results , Citizens in Dialogue
  14. ^ German Resource Efficiency Program II, program for the sustainable use and protection of natural resources , Federal Environment Agency (UBA), publisher: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), March 2016, p. 141ff
  15. ↑ a b c ProgRess II - certainly beyond the planetary boundaries , by Johanna Sydow (Germanwatch) and Benjamin Bongardt (Nabu), Germanwatch, 3/2016
  16. ^ NABU statement on the progress report (2012-2015) and the update (2016-2019) of the program for the sustainable use and protection of natural resources , (version as of December 17, 2015)
  17. ↑ Statement on ProgRess II ( memento of the original from May 17, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , FEDERATION  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.bund.net
  18. ↑ a b ProgRess II leaves too much potential untapped , Forum Ecological Social Market Economy, August 10, 2015
  19. ↑ a b BDE criticizes ProgRess II as too vague , Recycling Magazin, March 7, 2016
  20. ↑ ProgRess II: VDI welcomes the continuation of the resource efficiency program , Recycling Portal, March 4, 2016
  21. ↑ a b Statement by the Federation of German Consumer Organizations , September 14, 2015