The Yangtze River Delta is highly dependent on external resources，and faces severe constraints on the total amount of resources and the environment，as well as the downward pressure on the economy in the medium and long term. Against this background，improving resource efficiency and managing materials sustainably throughout their life cycles are important elements of delivering environmental and climate protection，employment，social benefits and sustainable green growth. Resource efficiency is a way by which uses resources including stock resources efficiently and sustainably across the whole life cycle，by reducing the consumption of natural resources and promoting recycled materials and renewable resources so as to remain within the boundaries of the planet，respecting relevant concepts and approaches. The total amount of material resources input in the Yangtze River Delta region is at a high level，and the resource input patterns of the provinces are significantly different. Over a long period of time，the resource efficiency of the Yangtze River Delta has not significantly improved. In the future，the Yangtze River Delta should follow the practice of the G7 alliance on resource efficiency，establish resource efficiency alliance，and publish the Shanghai Framework on Resource Efficiency for Yangtze River Delta，take collaborative actions on resource efficiency goals，fiscal and taxation policies，promoting technological innovation，increasing infrastructure investment，and promoting supply chain participation. As the most resource-efficient province in the Yangtze River Delta，Shanghai should play a leading and exemplary role in it.