More from less – material resource efficiency in Europe

The EEA, together with Eionet* and the European Topic Centre on Waste and Materials in a Green Economy (ETC/WMGE), set out in 2015 to review national approaches to material resource efficiency and explore similarities and... [ view full abstract ]

The EEA, together with Eionet* and the European Topic Centre on Waste and Materials in a Green Economy (ETC/WMGE), set out in 2015 to review national approaches to material resource efficiency and explore similarities and differences in policies, strategies, indicators and targets, policy drivers and institutional set-up. The main objective is to encourage countries to share experience in the development of material resource efficiency policies. The work also contributes to broadening the knowledge base underpinning resource efficiency and the circular economy, and increases understanding of policy approaches. The approach and scope were developed in close consultation with Eionet so as to reflect countries’ priorities and needs. The scope includes material flows entering or leaving the economy, as measured by the material flow accounting framework: biomass, non-metallic minerals, metal ores and fossil energy materials, and secondary raw or waste-derived materials. Also within the scope are the transformations that materials undergo throughout the full life cycle of extraction, production, end-user consumption and disposal, as well as initiatives to close material loops in a circular economy.

An overview of the results from More from less will be presented regarding:

• Key trends in material use and resource productivity in the European Union

• National strategies and plans

• Drivers of material resource efficiency

• Priority resources and sectors

• Closing material loops in a circular economy

• Targets

• Indicators

• Institutional set-up

Considerations for policy regarding : key concepts, opportunities for synergy , circular economy, targets and indicators and institutional arrangements and support will be presented as well. Despite a growing number of national strategies, the wide scope and conceptual complexity of the issue of material resource efficiency leaves much room for improvement in policy initiatives and their implementation. Further integration of policies regarding energy, material resources and waste would appear to be particularly beneficial.There is scope for an increased focus on upstream measures to close material loops ( such as eco-design, business models, consumer behavior and corresponding incentives. 

The need for capacity building is also widely recognized, with the exchange of national experiences and propagation of effective practices seen as central to the harmonisation of key concepts and methods, as well as to increased policy coherence and impact. As a follow-up on More from less an Eionet Workshop was held in October 2016 at EEA, where selected country examples were explored and discussed more into detail. Highlights of these country examples will be presented as well. 

*The European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet) is a partnership network of the EEA and the 39 countries.

More information : http://www.eea.europa.eu/theme...