Circularity strategy to future-proof German economy – environment ministry

Germany's government cabinet is set to adopt a national circular economy strategy tomorrow (4 December), said the environment ministry. The ministry spells out targets and aims for the strategy to help decouple economic growth from resource use, addressing sectors including construction, textiles and plastics. "New raw materials are still extracted from nature far too often. They are also rarely used sparingly or efficiently enough and too few are reused," environment minister Steffi Lemke said. "This is neither economically nor ecologically viable in the long term. The economy of the future will be a circular economy."

The circular economy strategy includes overarching targets for 2030 and 2045, such as on lowering primary raw material use, increasing the uptake of secondary raw materials, reducing raw material import dependencies and cutting waste. These should be achieved through measures like requirements for longevity, repairability, quality and re-usability of products. The government would also look into setting standards for second-hand products, requiring digital resource passports, setting recycling quotas and requiring green public procurement. "The circular economy is active risk management for the economy and a market of the future in which Germany is a global leader," the environment ministry said in a paper.

"Germany is creating new opportunities for companies with its circular economy strategy," Lemke said. "We are creating incentives for innovation and making our economy less dependent on raw material imports in times of fragile supply chains and scarce raw materials." The strategy itself does not contain legally binding legislation. It was drafted following a broad participation process, including other government ministries, associations and industry.

Circular economy concepts have increasingly shifted into focus amid energy transition efforts in recent years to increase supply security, reduce costs and make processes in the economy truly sustainable. Besides technologies, such as renewable power installations or electric vehicles, the construction sector holds a vast potential for better reusing and recycling raw materials.