Circular economy support systems backed

29th July 2015


Related Topics

Related tags

  • Business & Industry ,
  • Pollution & Waste Management ,
  • Products ,
  • Ecodesign

Author

Jessica Evans

MEPs have backed a resolution calling on the European commission to include binding waste reduction targets, revamped ecodesign laws and measures to uncouple growth from resource use in its proposals for a circular economy.

The resolution, proposed by Finish MEP Sirpa Pietikäinen, stated that a 30% increase in resource productivity across the EU by 2030 could boost GDP by nearly 1% and create two million jobs. "To make this happen, we need a set of indicators and targets," said Pietikäinen. "We need a review of existing legislation, as it fails to incorporate the value of ecosystem services. We need a broadening of the scope of the ecodesign directive [and] a renewal of the waste directive."

To tackle the problem of scarce resources, the MEPs called for extraction and use of resources to be reduced, and the link between growth and the use of natural resources severed. They also want resource efficiency indicators, including mandatory measurement of resource consumption, to be established and apply from 2018. In addition, the MEPs said the commission should set an EU-wide target to increase resource efficiency by 30% by 2030 against 2014 levels.

The vote in the European parliament came after a new report on developing a circular economy in Europe was published jointly by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the McKinsey Centre for Business and Environment and Stiftungsfonds für Umweltökonomie und Nachhaltigkeit. Growth within: a circular economy vision for a competitive Europe looked at the benefits of adopting circular economy principles when developing new technology. This approach would be worth €1.8 trillion by 2030 to the EU economy, says the report. Other outcomes include a halving of CO2 emissions compared with current levels.

The targets are due to be published by the end of the year.

Subscribe

Subscribe to IEMA's newsletters to receive timely articles, expert opinions, event announcements, and much more, directly in your inbox.


Transform articles

Facing the climate emergency challenge in local government

It’s well recognised that the public sector has the opportunity to work towards a national net-zero landscape that goes well beyond improving on its own performance; it can also influence through procurement and can direct through policy.

19th March 2024

Read more

Dr Julie Riggs issues a call to arms to tackle a modern-day human tragedy

15th March 2024

Read more

Disgraced environmental consultant Peter Lovebrother is another month nearer retirement…

13th March 2024

Read more

The UK government’s carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) strategy is based on optimistic techno-economic assumptions that are now outdated, Carbon Tracker has warned.

13th March 2024

Read more

The UK’s new biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirements could create 15,000 hectares of woodlands, heath, grasslands, and wetlands and absorb 650,000 tonnes of carbon each year.

13th March 2024

Read more

The UK government’s latest Public Attitudes Tracker has found broad support for efforts to tackle climate change, although there are significant concerns that bills will rise.

13th March 2024

Read more

Multinational corporations are undermining their net-zero commitments with excessive air travel and no plans to reduce ‘the low hanging fruit’ of carbon footprints, a study by Transport & Environment has found.

13th March 2024

Read more

The UK government’s climate adaptation plans are ‘inadequate’ and falling ‘far short’ of what is required, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has warned today.

13th March 2024

Read more

Media enquires

Looking for an expert to speak at an event or comment on an item in the news?

Find an expert

IEMA Cookie Notice

Clicking the ‘Accept all’ button means you are accepting analytics and third-party cookies. Our website uses necessary cookies which are required in order to make our website work. In addition to these, we use analytics and third-party cookies to optimise site functionality and give you the best possible experience. To control which cookies are set, click ‘Settings’. To learn more about cookies, how we use them on our website and how to change your cookie settings please view our cookie policy.

Manage cookie settings

Our use of cookies

You can learn more detailed information in our cookie policy.

Some cookies are essential, but non-essential cookies help us to improve the experience on our site by providing insights into how the site is being used. To maintain privacy management, this relies on cookie identifiers. Resetting or deleting your browser cookies will reset these preferences.

Essential cookies

These are cookies that are required for the operation of our website. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of our website.

Analytics cookies

These cookies allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors to our website and to see how visitors move around our website when they are using it. This helps us to improve the way our website works.

Advertising cookies

These cookies allow us to tailor advertising to you based on your interests. If you do not accept these cookies, you will still see adverts, but these will be more generic.

Save and close