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Green Economy, Sustainable consumption and production and resource efficiency – what does that mean?: Concepts such as Green Economy, Resource efficiency and Sustainable Consumption and Production are currently discussed as pathways to reduce environmental pressures in Europe and beyond. But what do these concepts mean? The European Environment Agency has interviewed some selected key stakeholders - from government, business, non-governmental organisations and academia - and asked them for their understanding of these concepts.
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Using resources more efficiently: Green Week 2011: Rethinking the way we use and manage resources is the subject of this year's Green Week, the European Commission's annual conference on environmental policy from 24-27 May, 2011.
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UNEP report maps the pathways to a green economy: The EEA welcomes the publication today of UNEP's report 'Pathways to a green economy'. It represents a valuable contribution to the current debate on moving the world to a sustainable path in the 21st century.
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Key message 8 — SOER synthesis: Increased resource efficiency and security can be achieved, for example, using extended life cycle approaches to reflect the full environmental impacts of products and activities. This can reduce Europe's dependence on resources globally and promote innovation. Pricing that takes full account of resource use impacts will be important for steering business and consumer behaviour towards enhanced resource efficiency. Clustering sectoral policies according to their resource needs and environmental pressures would improve coherence, address shared challenges efficiently, maximise economic and social benefits and help avoid unintended consequences.
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › … › The European environment – state and outlook 2010: Synthesis › Key messages
Tackling climate change requires a shift to a resource efficient, low carbon and green economy: Climate change is happening. The current global average temperature is already about 0.7-0.8 degree Celsius above the pre-industrial level. Even if greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations had stabilized in the year 2000, temperatures are predicted to increase by 1.2 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level by the end of the 21st century.
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Butterflies or business - Europe can have both!: The European Environment Agency (EEA) released today its fourth Environment State and Outlook report — SOER 2010 — a comprehensive assessment of how and why Europe’s environment is changing, and what we are doing about it. SOER 2010 concludes that a fully integrated approach to transforming Europe to a resource-efficient green economy can not only result in a healthy environment, but also boost prosperity and social cohesion.
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Water resources: quantity and flows — key message 6: Good water resource management is required to meet the needs of a resource efficient future, sustain human and economic development and maintain the essential functions of our water ecosystems. The solutions lie in more integrated and sustainable water management, integration of water aspects in sector policies (for example, the Common Agricultural Policy), improved accounting for water efficiency and the full implementation of the Water Framework Directive and other water policies.
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › … › Water resources: quantity and flows - SOER 2010 thematic assessment › Key messages
Material resources and waste — key message 2: Resource use and waste generation in the EU-27 have been decoupled from economic growth. However, in most countries resource use and waste generation still increase in absolute figures. Although resource efficiency continues to improve, the growth of material productivity has for decades been slower than the increase in labour productivity. There are no indications that the 6th Environment Action Programme (6th EAP) objective of the EU becoming 'the most resource-efficient economy in the world' is being met.
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › … › Material resources and waste — SOER 2010 thematic assessment › Key messages
Consumption and environment — key message 5: Instigating such changes and making more resource-efficient and environmentally sustainable consumption patterns mainstream is a significant challenge. It requires public authorities to put the framework conditions in place to enable business and consumers/citizens to act sustainably, and business and citizens need to take action by adopting more sustainable production and consumption patterns.
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › … › Consumption and the environment - SOER 2010 thematic assessment › Key messages
Urban environment - SOER 2010 thematic assessment: The global population is congregating in our cities. Eighty per cent of the world’s estimated nine billion people in 2050 are expected to live in urban areas. Our cities and urban areas face many challenges from social to health to environmental. The impacts of cities and urban areas are felt in other regions which supply cities with food, water and energy and absorb pollution and waste. However, the proximity of people, businesses and services associated with the very word ‘city’ means that there are also huge opportunities. Indeed, well designed, well managed urban settings offer a key opportunity for sustainable living.
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › Thematic assessments