The conservation of natural resources will be the focus of discussions at a high-level kick-off event on resource efficiency in the world’s leading industrial nations, which is taking place today and tomorrow as part of Germany’s G7 Presidency. G7 representatives and around 150 representatives of industry, politics, science and civil society will talk about how metals and minerals can be used more efficiency to ensure equal benefit for the environment and the economy.
At the launch of the event at the Federal Environment Ministry, Minister Hendricks stressed that "the careful and efficient use of natural resources is a mark of forward-looking societies in view of the fact that the world’s population is growing. This growth also means that the burden on the climate and environment is increasing too. For everyone to enjoy the same standards of living as we do, we have to make more efficient use of our resources worldwide and achieve more with less. We will work to achieve this goal in the G7."
Some figures to illustrate: around 50 percent of industrial CO2 emissions can be attributed to the production and processing of just five basic materials - steel, cement, paper, plastic and aluminium. Over 68 billion tonnes of raw materials were used in 2009. This is more than double the amount in 1970 and around a third more than in 2000. Forecasts in the case of business as usual predict continued exponential growth. The world’s population is also predicted to rise to over 9 billion by 2050, and many emerging economies are experiencing rapid economic growth and considerable improvements in prosperity. As a result, demand for raw materials is increasing strongly, as is the burden on the environment.
The German government therefore plans to propose the establishment of an alliance for resource efficiency to its G7 partners. This would be a forum for the G7 to exchange experience, make contacts, pool knowledge and improve coordination between policymaking and industry.
"With a 45 percent share, material and resource costs are by far the largest cost factor for the manufacturing industry. This means that resource efficiency, as a driving force for innovation in companies, has a key role to play for greater competitiveness, more jobs and improved environmental protection. The Federal Economic Affairs Ministry is working, together with industry, to secure these jobs and markets of tomorrow. Through this G7 initiative we are also placing our activities on a broad international basis", commented Matthias Machnig, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi).
In addition to Minister Hendricks and State Secretary Machnig, this BMUB/BMWi event in Berlin today is also being attended by Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director and Holger Lösch, Member of the Executive Board of the Federation of German Industries.
All G7 countries, the EU and a broad range of experts are represented at the event. The goal is to develop common ideas for the G7 summit at Schloss Elmau on 7 and 8 June on how to increase resource efficiency worldwide and which framework conditions would be helpful to achieve this.