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Natural Resources & Waste
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 legislation.
Regarding work in this area, please contact Emma Watkins.
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 ...
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.
The EU is committed to building improved resource efficiency into its economic strategy, starting with a “roadmap” this year. A new paper from the Institute sets out the challenges, reviews the mixed results of previous EU policy in this area and suggests a number of ways forward. Both a broad vision and an array of practical policy initiatives are required.
This report supported the European Commission’s review of the Thematic Strategy on the Prevention and Recycling of Waste. It summarises available data on waste management in the EU, assesses progress towards the EU becoming a ‘recycling society’, outlines the achievements of the Waste Thematic Strategy, and makes recommendations for the development of future EU waste policies.
Should there be more explicit obligations for inspections of waste shipments in EU law? The Commission has launched a consultation drawing on IEEP’s work.
Marc Pallemaerts addresses the impact of the EU’s consumption of natural resources on the global environment with case studies of biofuels, the Common Fisheries Policy and the regulation of international trade in illegally harvested timber, in a new publication.
