The Resource Commission was launched in 2013 to generate and share knowledge and expertise on the sustainable use of natural resources. The commission examines key issues relating to better resource management and the Circular Economy and develops possible ideas, strategies, and pathways toward enhanced resource protection. Natural resources include not only raw materials but also land, environmental media (water, soil, air), flow resources (e.g. geothermal, wind, tidal, and solar energy), and biodiversity.

With the adoption of the German Resource Efficiency Programme (ProgRess) in 2012, Germany already committed itself to the conservation of natural resources and identified a number of measures to further increase their efficient and more sustainable use.

In previous appointment periods, the Resource Commission has focused, e.g., on visions for resources conservation in society, sustainable approaches to a circular economy, and the transfer of knowledge to society. In the next three years, the members of the Resource Commission will continue to advise the German Environment Agency with their wide-ranging expertise on issues such as the nexus between resource conservation and climate protection, the circular economy, and possible targets and pathways toward more sustainable resource use.