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Green Economy
We cover a range of issues that bring economic analysis into policy making at the national, EU and global level. Our work focuses on different tools to support the transition to a green, resource efficient and circular economy including market-based instruments, cost and benefit assessments, sustainability indicators and environmental accounts.
We also explore the role of nature in the transition to a green economy and are at the forefront of analysis of the economics of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Our research aims to support the integration of environmentally-sound economic signals in decision making, to encourage recognition of the true value of environmental resources and ecosystems.
The ‘green economy’ is one that pursues human progress without exceeding ecological thresholds, that ensures sustainability and simultaneously aims to reduce social disparities. Our work in this area has focused particularly on the policies and tools that are needed to support the transition to a green, resource efficient and circular economy, within the EU and internationally. There is a wide and expanding range of options.
We have examined marked based instruments to support the transition, including the use of environmental taxes and environmental tax reform (ETR), assessed the potential for reforming environmentally harmful subsidies (EHS) and explored the setting of incentives that reward environmentally progressive behaviour. Our work also aims to contribute to an improved understanding of the benefits and costs of environmental policy to provide an informed and balanced view to policy makers.
The analysis and assessment of the multiple benefits of nature to people, society and the economy is another focus of the team. Our work on assessing nature's multiple values seeks to support the integration of such values in decision-making and mainstream biodiversity and ecosystem services in relevant policy areas (e.g. agriculture, cohesion, water). The Programme has made a substantial contribution to the important international initiative The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB).
Another area of our work is the development and uptake of indicators of sustainability which take account of environmental and social factors contributing to human well-being, going beyond measures of economic performance such as the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This runs in parallel with work on environmental-economic and natural capital accounts, exploring the use of such tools in policy. For example we have been supporting the European ‘Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services’ (MAES) process.
Marine protected areas (MPAs) are an important policy tool for protecting vulnerable marine and coastal species and habitats.
By supporting the resilience of ecosystems, MPAs may also maintain and generate goods and services that can benefit different sectors in the “blue” European economy. However, MPAs are often seen as primarily imposing restrictions and costs on economic activities, creating aversion toward their establishment and protection.
Leading up to IEEP's Think 2030 conference, experts express their views on Europe's most pressing sustainability issues in the Think 2030 blog series, Pathways to 2030.
The sixth edition of Pathways to 2030 features Alex White, Acting Policy Manager for the Aldersgate Group, who discusses the green infrastructure investment gap required to meet the EU's 2030 Climate and Energy targets.
In a recently publicly published book chapter, Jean-Pierre Schweitzer and IEEP’s Susanna Gionfra brought together evidence of how nature-based education, utilizing green infrastructure and protected areas, presents an opportunity to mitigate the impacts of environmental and socio-economic challenges faced by urban citizens.
Leading up to IEEP's Think 2030 conference, experts express their views on Europe's most pressing sustainability issues in the Think 2030 blog series, Pathways to 2030. The fourth edition features Nick Molho, Executive Director of the Aldersgate Group, an alliance of major European businesses and civil society organisations.
Molho argues the EU needs a stable pipeline of investable green infrastructure projects to deliver its environmental commitments in a way that is timely, affordable and creates new economic opportunities. For this to materialise, he argues the next Commission will need to put in place a robust plan of action that sends clear market signals, supports innovation and drives the demand for low carbon goods and services.
Leading up to IEEP's Think 2030 conference, experts express their views on Europe's most pressing sustainability issues in the Think 2030 blog series, Pathways to 2030. The first edition features Nick Molho, Executive Director of the Aldersgate Group, an alliance of major European businesses and civil society organisations.
Molho argues that far from being a barrier to economic growth, well-designed and ambitious environmental regulations will allow the EU to decarbonise its economy and boost the competitiveness of its businesses and should play a key role in the next Commission’s priorities.
New inequality data and metrics reveal inequities of income, wealth, gender, education, health and environmental protection - highlighting the need to go Beyond GDP.
IEEP Lead of Global Challenges and SDGs Programme, Marianne Kettunen, co-authored the UNDP call for action to safeguard nature in order to secure water-related services and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The transition to a circular economy demands new tools and metrics. IEEP examines a range of methodologies including those recently adopted by the European Commission and China.
The final report of an IEEP-led study for the Pacific Community entitled ‘Towards greener taxes and subsidies in Pacific Island Countries and Territories’.
Plastic packaging is often presented as part of the solution to food waste, but this conflicts with waste linked to single use plastics. New research examines the role packaging plays in the food system as well as how supply chains and policies might be applied to reduce waste overall.
Plastic packaging is increasing in Europe’s food system: new research explores packaging’s role in the supply chain and its impacts on the environment.
A newly published study for the European Commission by IEEP and partners investigates civil society’s role in improving the effectiveness of environmental taxes to reduce pollution and better manage natural resources.
Circular economy policies are proliferating and increasingly linked with other policy areas, including climate change. As seen at COP23, the circular economy can be better exploited to decarbonise the economy.
It is clear that the 2030 Agenda will not be achieved without a more circular economy.
If all citizens of the world were to have the same consumption patterns as European citizens by 2050, the resources of two planets would be needed. Ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns - through a circular economy - will have positive knock-on effects for a number of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Where: Room JDE 61, EESC, rue Belliard 99, 1040 Brussels
Speakers:
Christophe Yvetot, Representative to the EU, UNIDO – EU’s circular economy and sustainable industrialisation pathways in the developing world: opportunities, challenges and best practices
Werner Schmidt, Director, European Investment Bank – What instruments are there for financing the circular economy in developing countries?
Richard Gower, Senior Associate, Tearfund: How do we ensure that the circular economy benefits the world’s poor?
Marianne Kettunen, Deputy Head of Green Economy Programme, IEEP: Recommendations for policy design in the EU
A new IEEP study has developed policy options to enhance the ambition of extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes for plastic packaging. The study explores the potential of more advanced eco-modulation of fees for plastic packaging, to better take into account its environmental impacts.
IEEP spoke with Rob Hopkins (Transition Network) and Garry Peterson (Stockholm Resilience Centre) about the merits of building resilience and the challenges in measuring it.
