Sustainability in the extraction of natural resources

The Federal Government presented the first national sustainability strategy back in 2002. It has been developing this strategy every four years since 2004, most recently in 2024, with broad participation from relevant stakeholders and citizens. As of 2016, it was aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda adopted in 2015 and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The Sustainable Development Goals consider the environmental, economic and social dimensions. The Federal Government emphasises that the promotion of sustainable development is the fundamental “goal and benchmark of government action in all areas and all decisions” in order to “meet the needs of present and future generations – in Germany and in all parts of the world – and to enable them to lead a life in full development of their dignity”. The goal is a progressive, innovative, open and liveable Germany that lives up to its international responsibilities and is characterised by a high quality of life, effective environmental protection and inclusive and integrative policymaking.

In January 2025, the Federal Government at the time published the further development of the German Sustainable Development Strategy (DNS) under the title “Transformation gemeinsam gerecht gestalten” (Shaping transformation fairly together).¹ It defines key areas of transformation – including climate action, social justice and circular economy – and serves as a roadmap for implementing the global sustainability goals. A special focus is on a socially just transition that actively involves all social groups and respects the ecological limits. Resource-efficient and circular use of natural resources is emphasised as an important building block for sustainable business.

In the context of the extraction of natural resources, the topics covered include interventions in nature and landscape, environmental protection, renaturation and recultivation, employment and social affairs, as well as circular economy and corporate responsibility and due diligence. The aim of the German Sustainable Development Strategy is to use resources sparingly and efficiently and thus to increase Germany’s total natural resource productivity. The goal is to achieve an annual increase in natural resource productivity of 1.6% by 2030. In addition, with its National Circular Economy Strategy (NKWS), the German government has set three strategic goals at the end of 2024 with the aim of significantly and permanently reducing the current increase in primary natural resource consumption by 2045. According to the 2025 coalition agreement between CDU, CSU and SPD, the NKWS is to be implemented pragmatically. This signals to the private sector, society and politics that more efforts in the area of the circular economy and an efficient, sustainable, ecologically and socially responsible use of natural resources as a whole are needed. The Federal Statistical Office publishes a set of sustainability indicators to measure the goals of the German Sustainable Development Strategy and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.²

¹ Federal Government (2025): Transformation gemeinsam gerecht gestalten: Deutsche Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie 2025. (Shaping transformation fairly together: German Sustainability Strategy 2025).

²  www.dns-indikatoren.de (accessed 9 December 2025).