EU backs green infrastructure

9th May 2013


Greeninfra

Related Topics

Related tags

  • Local government ,
  • Central government ,
  • Construction ,
  • Consultancy

Author

IEMA

The European Commission will develop a new finance mechanism for green infrastructure projects in a bid to mainstream initiatives such as floodplain restoration

Strengthening natural processes to provide environmental benefits should become a systematic part of spatial planning, according to the European Commission in its new strategy to boost investment in green infrastructure.

In the document, the commission argues that infrastructure projects which use natural process, such as wetland areas absorbing rainfall, offer biodiversity benefits and are “often more cost-effective and durable” than traditional civil engineering solutions to issues such as flood prevention.

The commission concludes that green infrastructure principles should become a standard part of planning and development processes. However, it acknowledges that such projects are seen as complicated and risky by investors and commits itself to working with the European Investment Bank to create a new finance facility for projects by 2014.

“We should provide society with solutions that work with nature instead of against it,” said Janez Potočnik, EU environment commissioner. “Building green infrastructure is often a good investment for nature, for the economy and for jobs.”

Martina Mlinaric, senior policy officer at the European Environment Bureau, welcomed the move. “Making investments in green infrastructure will deliver significant benefits in both economic and ecological terms. The move from grey to green is vital to reaching the objectives which the EU set for 2020, and not only in the field of environment,” said Mlinaric.

The commission also pledges to create new guidance for member states by the end of 2013 to help them incorporate green infrastructure into policies on land-use, energy and climate change up to 2020, and to support more research into quantifying the benefits of green infrastructure.

Subscribe

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


Transform articles

IEMA discusses climate and energy policy with Labour party

The Labour party’s climate policy team took part in a panel discussion with IEMA representatives at Westminster this morning, outlining what they plan to do should they win the next general election.

29th November 2023

Read more

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt unveiled the “biggest permanent tax cut in modern British history” in his autumn statement today, as well as significant investment for the net-zero transition.

22nd November 2023

Read more

Despite rising costs and supply chain issues, eight in 10 UK businesses leaders intend to maintain or increase investment in sustainability action over the next two years.

22nd November 2023

Read more

Global temperatures are on track to increase by 3°C above pre-industrial levels this century under current government policies, the UN has warned.

20th November 2023

Read more

Green technologies are driving job growth in the world’s energy sector, but skill shortages are an increasing concern, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned.

15th November 2023

Read more

Over 70 environmental organisations in the UK have signed up to a new campaign committing to make the green jobs workforce more diverse and inclusive.

9th November 2023

Read more

More than 40 organisations and businesses have backed IEMA’s campaign to get green skills and training on the agenda at COP28, including Nestle UK, the British Chambers of Commerce, and OVO Energy.

9th November 2023

Read more

Just 1% of the world's largest publicly-listed companies are aligning future capital expenditure with long-term decarbonisation goals, new research has found.

7th November 2023

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