German Resource Efficiency Programme (ProgRess)

With the adoption of the German Resource Efficiency Programme (ProgRess) in February 2012, Germany was among the first countries to determine targets, guiding principles and approaches to the conservation of natural resources.

The German government is obliged to submit a report to the Bundestag on developments in resource efficiency in Germany every four years and to update the programme. The first update report, ProgRess II, was adopted by the Federal Cabinet on 2 March 2016; the second, ProgRess III, on 17 June 2020.

The central goal of ProgRess is to sever the link between economic growth and the use of raw materials. For this purpose, the programme focuses primarily on cooperation with business, voluntary action and innovation.

It contains measures aimed at increasing energy efficiency along the entire value chain – from raw material extraction and product design to production, use and the circular economy. In particular, measures 7 and 11 touch upon “critical raw materials” (CRMs): “Integrate environmental aspects into the EU approach on critical raw materials (priority action)” and “Roadmap Substitution of Critical Raw Materials to Pursue environmental and future technologies”. 

Want to know more about this policy ? Learn more (German)