Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe -and what about buildings?

1. Roadmap to aResource Efficient Europe-and what about buildings? Josefina Lindblom European Commission – DG environment

2. Scheme of my presentation • A resource constraint world • What is Resource Efficiency? • European policy context • The Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe • What about buildings?

3. A resource constraint world

4. ONLY ONE EARTH World Footprint = 1.3 earths

5. Growth of the World Economy 2050 2010 1950

6. Increased globalization Source: Eurostat Comext Statistics, EEA 2010, The European Environment, State and Outlook 2010 : Thematic Assessment – Material Resources and Waste

7. Growing Resource Use Source: EEA 2010 derived from SERI GLOBAL 2000, Friends of the Earth Europe (2009)

8. What is Resource Efficiency?

9. Resource Efficiency:Doing more with less raw materials: minerals-fuels-biomass • Sustainable management and use of resources throughout their life cycle • Producing more value while living, producing and consuming within the physical and biological limits of the planet ecosystems–biodiversity – water –land and soils – air – marine resources

10. What can resource efficiency bring to the economy and society? • New business opportunities (innovation, eco-industries), new skilled jobs • Competitiveness and cost savings for European businesses • Better food/water/energy security • Reducing environmental impacts and avoiding depletion of natural resources

11. (Source: Wuppertal Institute)

12. Market failures – environmental and social costs not considered, decisions not factoring in the long-term Policy failures –inconsistent market signals, uncertainty, slow reform of policy (e.g. subsidies) “Lock-ins” and system effects – Infrastructure, consumption patterns and business models What to do? Breaking down barriers

13. European policy context

14. EU 2020 Strategy Adopted in 2010: the course for EU economy for the next 10 years and beyond – 3 main priorities Smart Growth – focus on education, research Sustainable Growth – low carbon, resource efficiency Inclusive Growth – high-employment, delivering economic, social, territorial cohesion

15. 7 Flagship initiatives, incl. “Resource Efficient Europe” Communication January 2011 Roadmap September 2011

16. The Roadmap to aResource Efficient Europe

17. Communication “The Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe • Adopted on 20 September 2011 • Outline the key challenges and opportunities:“A fundamental transformation within a generation” • Policy changes to tackle resource inefficiencies for the EU, Member State, Regions and for business

18. The main lines of the Roadmap • Three time lines • long term 2050 vision (short-termism) • milestones for 2020 • actions to be taken now • Three action lines • Transforming the economy • Addressing natural capital • Tackling key sectors Accompanied by governance and monitoring

19. Transforming the economy • Address bottlenecks and barriers to resource efficiency • Get the prices right (reflect environm. externalities) • Tackling inefficient subsidies • Shifting from labour to resource taxation • Stimulate innovative forward thinking • Boost resource efficiency in production, consumption and waste management Translation to economic sectors & new business models

20. Policies across the Life-Cycle of Products Natural Resources Better Products Disposal Leaner Production Waste & Recycling Smarter Consumption Eco-innovation

21. Sustainable consumption and production Reduce resource use and limit environmental impact of production and consumption • Companies & production • Products • Demand & consumption • End of life Poor performance Good performance

22. Ecosystem services Biodiversity Minerals and metals Water Air Land and soils Marine resources Tackling key resources Interactions

23. Turning waste into a resource Prevention Re-use Recycling Recovery Disposal

24. Turning waste into a resource PREVENTION REUSE RECYCLING RECOVERY DISPOSAL

25. Tackling key sectors • Food • Reducing food waste and tackling animal proteins • Addressing phosphorus • Mobility • Resource efficiency objectives in transport • Housing / buildings

26. Tackling key sectors: buildings • Facts • 42 % of our final energy consumption • > 50 % of all extracted materials – most of them minerals • 33 % of waste • Milestones by 2020 • Life-cycle approach applied for all new and renovated buildings • Existing building stock “resource efficient” refurbished at a rate of 2 % per year • 70 % of construction and demolition waste recycled.

27. Governance • Implement at all levels – EU, Member States, regions, internationally (RIO+20) … • Concerted action with business, scientists and society • Engage with stakeholders to set targets and use appropriate indicators by 2013 • Using initially “resource productivity” together with land, water and carbon indicators • National resource efficiency strategies

28. Opportunities for business By 2050 we need a 4-10x increase in resource efficiency (World Business Council for Sustainable Development) • $3.5 trillion gains in improving resource efficiency (McKinsey) • New businesses – first mover advantages • Security against future price fluctuations Winners are those who prepare for resource constraints in a predictable and controlled way, before shortages and price hikes hit

29. What about buildings?

30. Tackling key sectors: buildings • Fact • Construction and buildings impact our environment • Some initial thoughts • How to apply the life-cycle approach for buildings? • How can the component and system levels complement each other? • How can we trigger more information on resource use/environmental performance? • How do we recognize a green building, throughout Europe? • What would be necessary to step up the “resource efficient refurbishment” rate to 2% per year? • Do we know enough about the existing stock? Resource inventories? • New and better ways to get same or higher functionality with less resource intensive materials, new technologies and approaches to design? • Operational vs embedded energy? • Urban mining and reuse in higher value applications than today? Closing loops? • Increasing space per person, does it matter?

31. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/resource_efficiency/ Josefina.Lindblom@ec.europa.eu