Global population growth and prosperity will result in increased raw material- and energy consumption. Countries such as China, India and Russia likely achieve today’s European living standards and related raw material and energy consumption by 2060. OECD (2019) states that the extraction of ores will likely increase globally from 2.6 Gt (1970) and 9 Gt (2019) to 20 Gt (2020), which cannot be covered by recycling alone. In addition, the German energy transition requires additional raw materials, black-start capable gas power plants, large underground energy storage sites and energy imports, aimed to balance fluctuating wind- and solar energy, among others, and replace the current 77% primary energy derived from gas, oil and coal. The responsible use of the geological subsurface for the extraction of raw materials and energy as well as energy storage locally and abroad is thus essential for a success of the planned German energy transition “Climate neutrality 2045" announced by the Federal Government (2021), aimed to counteract anthropogenic climate change. While Germany imports metals and energy and continuously loses applied know how of mining and refining industry being offshored, China, India, South Korea, Japan and the USA are pursuing different strategies to keep know-how and secure supply chains. The subsurface storage of CO2 (CCS) has been implemented by neighboring countries such as Norway and Denmark to reduce emissions, while the technology is still being discussed in Germany. This contribution discusses some challenges of energy- and raw materials supply, driven by increased anthropogenic climate change and environmental footprint.