EU policies are increasingly focusing on minimising natural resource use and maximising resource efficiency. At the same time, policies and legislation to address waste remain important to ensure excellent management of waste in the EU Member States.
IEEP works extensively on both natural resources and on product and waste policies. Our work consists of analysing existing policies, reviewing legislation and developing new measures.
IEEP’s work on resources includes research on natural resource use, resource efficiency, sustainable consumption and production, product policy and the circular economy. Our work on waste includes reviewing and proposing improvements to existing EU policy and law and Member State measures. The work ranges from large-scale research projects to detailed analysis of specific aspects of the legislation.
Regarding work in this area, please contact Emma Watkins.
Highlights
Can sustainable management of natural resources in Europe’s agricultural sector contribute to sustainable water use? What other sectors have a role to play in significantly improving water use across Europe and what are the good practices and tools that are available? A new report for the European Parliament explores these questions.
This report considers how environmental policy in the EU effects the UK and looks at some alternatives. Overall the impact within the environmental domain can be judged to be strongly positive to the UK. The action taken has been well balanced, with benefits for human health and welfare and the sustainability of the economy as well as the environment itself.
This guidance document has been prepared to support practitioners of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans to update their plans to incorporate biodiversity and ecosystem service values. Six in depth country case studies provide common lessons of good practice.
This Policy Brief analyses the outcomes of the Special Summit on the future EU budget, which took place on 22-23 November 2012.
David Baldock, Director of IEEP, along with Prof. Robert Mair of Cambridge University and Prof. Alan Riley of City University, spoke at a debate hosted by the Law Society in London on shale gas hydraulic fracturing on 9 October
This policy paper examines how the forthcoming 7EAP can contribute to protecting natural systems and improving the way in which we use natural resources. It also examines a number of cross-cutting actions needed to support the priorities of the 7EAP and ensure better delivery of EU environment policy.
Biochar has the potential to both mitigate greenhouse gases, and to act as an adaptation measure in terms of responding to the impacts of climate change. Based on its compatibility with the appropriate soil properties, it could increase the resilience of soil to erosion.
The latest edition of IEEP's newsletter is now available with a lead article on efforts to reinvigorate EU water policy. Plus CAP reform, nature in the Green Economy, using straw for biofuels, emissions trading revenues ...
What is the Green Economy? What policy actions can contribute to achieving it? And how have EU-funded research projects supported these actions?
Elements of the green economy concept are relatively well integrated in EU strategic documents - but the focus is on achieving green/sustainable growth, rather than achieving a ‘green economy’.
Despite some new commitments on Green Economy, oceans, and Sustainable Development Goals, progress on much of the Rio agenda will depend on actions taken by individual countries, blocs (like the EU), companies and civil society networks.
The Waste Shipment Regulation is a major challenge for Member States to implement. IEEP gathered the views and experience of IMPEL members on its practicability and enforceability, to help inform any future legislative development and aid competent authorities to work together to enhance their implementation of the Regulation.
Waste management in the EU is improving, but implementation by the Member States of EU waste legislation remains patchy. This paper makes suggestions on how better compliance could be achieved.
Learn about the added value Europe could bring to Rio+20, plus greening Cohesion Policy, improving waste management, and much more in IEEP's Spring newletter
This report investigates a range of economic instruments in place in the EU Member States to improve waste management. It focuses on disposal taxes, pay-as-you-throw systems and producer responsibility schemes, and attempts to assess their contribution to waste management performance.
“Urgent action is needed now to avoid significant costs of inaction, both in economic and human terms”. The OECD provides a clear message in its recent Environment Outlook to 2050: Act now – or face major and potentially disastrous consequences.
The latest edition of IEEP's newsletter is now available with articles on the new EU Treaty, the impacts of biofuels on biodiversity, benefits of Natura 2000, and much more...
The Sourcebook provides a practical reference document on applicable EU environmental legislation, practices and standards which need to be taken into account in the planning and development of projects supported by Banks that have signed the ‘European Principles for the Environment'.
This short paper highlights the challenges that the EU faces in delivering a resource efficient society and argues that achieving this would require action across a range of policy areas.
Improved resource efficiency is considered the core environmental challenge alongside climate change. A new IEEP paper reviews the mixed results of previous EU Natural Resources policy and suggests a number of ways forward.
