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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.
Despite new and promising announcements by the Trade Commissioner-designate Phil Hogan, the EU is struggling to turn words and good intentions into effective actions when it comes to using trade as a vehicle for sustainability.
The contribution and value of nature to human welfare and well-being – our natural capital – tends to be overlooked in many policy decisions and business choices. As a result, ecosystems are being degraded and natural resources are being used in an unsustainable way.
This policy brief intends to inform business and biodiversity professionals about innovative examples in the EU and Mexico that can help to transform the economics of nature conservation, resulting in increased finance for biodiversity.
Today we celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity aiming at increasing understanding of the diversity of life on the planet and awareness of its importance for human development. IEEP takes the opportunity to share some key positive lessons from recent EU biodiversity action and identify key remaining challenges towards 2030.
IEEP has developed a bottom-up, multicriteria methodology to assess costs and benefits of EU water policy, which has been applied in eight river basin districts across the EU. A similar methodology could support progress towards a number of EU, national and international policy objectives at the river basin and local level, including the achievement of SDGs.
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.
