Resource efficiency in the Federal Ministry

The Reset2020 – Resources.Efficiency.Technologies initiative, known as Reset2020 for short, aims to support measures to increase resource efficiency and improve the circular economy in Austria, as well as to stimulate exchange, networking and cooperation between various stakeholders from business, science, administration and society.

At the heart of Reset2020 is the careful use and optimized utilization of material resources in the spirit of the circular economy model and cascading use. Both the production and consumption sides are to be supported in the transformation to a more resource-efficient and thus more sustainable society, while simultaneously minimizing environmental impacts. Resource efficiency is therefore understood as a classic cross-cutting issue that requires increasing resource efficiency through ecological, economic, and social approaches and solutions.

Therefore, in Reset2020, promoting innovative environmental technologies plays an equally important role in increasing resource efficiency, as does identifying and actively communicating efficiency potential or, for example, supporting resource-saving consumption patterns and lifestyles.

In this sense, the six broadly defined fields of action – "Innovative Environmental Technologies," "Sustainable Raw Material Management," "Renewable Raw Materials," "Sustainable Procurement," "Sustainable Production," and "Sustainable Consumption" – highlight areas with particularly high potential for increasing resource efficiency and improving the circular economy, as defined by Reset2020.

The Reset2020 action areas increasingly focus on communicating and supporting existing and new environmental policy agendas of the Federal Ministry, which aim to create a circular and thus resource-efficient economy and a more sustainable society. These range from environmental policy instruments and measures, funding, consulting, management and accounting systems to information and networking activities.

The Reset2020 initiative also contributes to the implementation of existing national and European strategies and programs, in particular the "National Resource Efficiency Action Plan" (REAP), the "Europe 2020 Strategy for Smart and Inclusive Growth," and the European Union's "Circular Economy Package," which is currently under review.

Reset2020 is designed as an ongoing initiative that responds flexibly to changing conditions and therefore continuously develops its fields of action. The annual key topics (links to key topic articles) provide information on current challenges and issues related to resource efficiency and the circular economy.