In the RESCUE project, the German Environment Agency (UBA) explores the nexus between climate protection and associated resource requirements. Using six scenarios, different development paths are explored and insights gained on how to reduce future resource use and greenhouse-gas emissions in Germany.
The public law of local planning serves the purpose of spatial allocation and development of construction sites, roads, infrastructure and areas that are to be kept free of development.
Every industrialised economy is dependent on a secure supply of raw materials. Manufacturing industry and the energy sector in particular require immense amounts of such materials. It is for this reason that Germany extracts its own deposits and also imports significant amounts of those raw materials which are not available domestically.
The Resource Commission supports the German Environment Agency (UBA) with proposals for the sustainable management of natural resources and a circular economy. The Resource Commission consists of experts from science and research, administration, industry, and civil society. The third appointment period ended in May 2024 and the Resource Commission is currently inactive.
Raw materials and energy are key resources when it comes to product manufacturing as well as product use – which, however is inextricably bound up with other resources as well. For product use can have an environmental impact on air, water and soil resources, and can even be harmful to ecosystems and biodiversity.
Despite the growing demand for natural resources and the environmental problems entailed by this demand, in Germany there are as yet no laws on the books that adequately address this issue. Resource conservation law should take into account the entire value creation chain and should mandate both multi-sector and sector-specific instruments.
In order to conserve resources successfully, we need laws and economic conditions that promote resource efficiency and reduce resource use. The goal is to increase economic opportunity through measures such as cost reductions. At the same time protection against increasing raw material prices and extreme price fluctuations is required.
