Sustainable Consumption and Production policies in the European Union

Transcription

1 Sustainable Consumption and Production policies in the European Union Towards a circular economy SWITCH-Asia TAC, Manila November 2014 Thomas Wiley - DEVCO

2 Sustainable Consumption and Production in the EU The EU is committed to sustainable development, growth and jobs. Achieving this means promoting better products, more efficient production methods and improved consumption patterns. Integrate environmental stability with economic grow Moving to energy and resource efficient economy. Provide better deal for consumers Improve the overall environmental performance of products

3 Towards a circular economy for Europe: policy context Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth Resource Efficiency Flagship Initiative 7 th Environment Action Programme Thematic objective to turn the EU into a resourceefficient, green and competitive low-carbon economy Watch here examples of circular economy in European Union

4 7 th EAP Priorities

5 Setting a resource efficiency target 7 th EAP: "A long-term and predictable policy framework will help to stimulate the level of investments and action needed to fully develop markets for greener technologies and promote sustainable business solutions. Resource efficiency indicators and targets underpinned by robust data collection would provide the necessary guidance..." European Resource Efficiency Platform, 2014: "secure at least a doubling of resource productivity as compared with the pre-crisis trend equivalent to an increase of well over 30% by 2030"

6 From a linear economy

7 to a circular economy

8 An enabling framework for Resource Efficiency Design and innovation Horizon 2020: large scale innovation projects, skills development, market application and partnership; a coherent product policy, Eco-design; cascading use of biomass Unlocking investment Environmental taxation, innovative financial instruments, accounting rules, fiduciary duties; resource stress tests, potential of the bonds market, GPP and European Funds Harnessing the role of business and consumers Building on the Environmental Footprint pilots, broad stakeholder cooperation under Horizon 2020, action on SMEs and green employment Towards a recycling society waste as a resource Waste targets review, phasing out landfilling of recyclable waste, work with Member States on implementation, extended producer responsibility, marine litter, food & construction waste

9 Circular Economy Package Specific waste challenges Waste target review Enabling Framework Resource Efficiency target Resource Efficiency Platform recommendations Marine litter Sustainable buildings COM Sustainable food incl. impact assessment Legislative proposal Impact assessment Fitness check (packaging) Green employment initiative SME's green action plan Progress report on RE Roadmap Analysis of the impacts

10 2030 Waste Targets Food waste 30% MUNICIPAL WASTE PREVENTION ECODESIGN REUSE & RECYCLING (incl compost) min 70% Producer Responsibility INCINERATION Separate Collection LANDFILL zero recyclables or biodegradable waste by 2025 (<25%) phase out by 2030 (=<5%) Marine Litter 30% Landfill Charges

11 Eco-Innovation and Circular Economy Green Action Plan for SMEs Eco-innovation Action Plan Product Policy Environmental Management Environmental Footprint

12 Green Action Plan for SMEs Draws together new or revised EU level action that promote resource efficiency and circular economy among SMEs - information, capacity building, cooperation and networking, eco-innovation Different funding available (depending on activity): Horizon2020, Regional and structural funds, European Investment Bank, Life+, CoSME

13 Eco-Innovation Action Plan Eco-innovations=Products, services and processes to optimize the flow of resources Funding opportunities to bridge from research to market Tackles eco-innovation barriers and boost drivers, with a focus on SMEs Top 3 barriers Uncertainty of demand/return on investment Lack of funds Insufficient access to subsidies Top 3 drivers High or increasing energy prices Current high material prices Secure partners/market share

14 Environmental Technology Verification ETV (action under Eco-Innovation Action Plan) New technologies can boost resource and energy efficiency in enterprises. ETV gives reliable information on the performance of such new technologies through third-party testing and verification, meaning: Producers can prove their performance claims and show that technologies deliver stated resource savings SMEs boost their credibility, enter new markets and differentiate from competitors Users have good information to compare technologies Investors can better estimate risks

15 Product policies

16 Ecodesign and Energy Labelling - obligatory Ecodesign Energy-related products need to meet certain requirements in order to be allowed access to the single market; Covers all significant environmental impacts of products over the lifecycle; So far, mostly been used to address energy efficiency of products in the use phase Work is on-going to better include material-efficiency Energy Labelling While any product meeting the above requirements can be sold, there is always an obligation to label its performance Only consumption of resources in use-phase is labelled

17 The EU Ecolabel Third-party verified label which promotes products with a lower environmental impact (the "best products") Criteria are mainly based on Life Cycle Assessment studies Criteria established for 30 Product Groups Awarded to more than products (as per December 2013) Represents a growing international market with a logo recognised throughout Europe

18 EMAS Voluntary environmental management instrument designed by the EU Measures, evaluate and report environmental issues in an organisation Aims to continuously improve the environmental performance of an organisation Good for the environment Helps reducing resource consumption and pollution Good for business Increasing competitive advantage in green markets and compliance with environmental regulation while supporting cost reduction

19 Environmental Footprint A promising tool for improved product policy and environmental management. Opens the door to competition based on environmental performance with a common, reliable tool for measuring performance. Measures environmental impacts across the life cycle and pilots the approach with industry. Manages financial risk related to environmental issues along the supply chain. Responds to consumer interest in green products

20 Piloting with... Batteries and accumulators Decorative paints Hot & cold water pipe systems Liquid household detergents IT equipment Metal sheets Non-leather shoes Photovoltaic electricity generation Stationary Intermediate paper products T-shirts Uninterrupted power supplies Retailer sector Copper sector Leather Thermal insulation Beer Coffee Fish Dairy products Feed Meat Pet food Olive oil Pasta Wine Packed water

21 SWITCH-Asia Priorities and Developments

22 Developments for Regional Indicative Programme for Asia adopted Regional Integration Aid to Uprooted People Promotion of a Green Economy Erasmus for All

23 SWITCH-Asia Components Lessons learnt: Draw on the lessons learnt from the finished National Policy Support Components in Thailand and soon Indonesia. Policy Support Component Network Facility New: Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are added to the National Policy Support Components More multimedia and success stories made available by the Network Facility Team Grant projects on the ground running innovative SCP activities Reach 100 Grant projects by 2015

24 SWITCH-Asia New call being prepared to be launched before the end of November, emphasis will be placed on activities encouraging sustainable consumption Projects will be required to address and develop on one of the 10YFP programmes Access to finance aspect will continue to be encouraged Projects will have to have a high replication value and address sectors of relevance in their country. Projects will have to build on existing networks in their respective countries. Guidelines will be published on the EuropeAid website

25 Milestones for SWITCH-Asia in Launch of the Sustainable Development Goals- Defining new global framework for the programme - Actively contribute to the uptake of the 10YFP in Asia through its demonstration programmes. - Establish links and exchange of practices with the SWITCH- Med and SWITCH-Africa Green within the EU SWITCH-TO-GREEN Flagship. - Promote success stories of collaboration between Asia and Europe within the European Year for Development

26 Circular economy Resource Efficiency Contact: Alina NEACSU European Commission Directorate General for Development and Cooperation - EuropeAid Geographical Coordination Central Asia, Middle East/Gulf, Asia Regional Programmes Alina.Neacsu@ec.europa.eu