Material Security (MS) Sustain quality of life for all of Earth’s people through innovation

1. Material Security (MS) Sustain quality of life for all of Earth’s people through innovation 2nd UK-JAPAN Workshop on Materials Security12th July 2007, Southampton, UK Division of Technology, Industry and Economics

2. UNEP - Mission To provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. ´Environment for Development´

3. UNEP – 3 roles • Assess the State of the World’s Environment & Understand Env. Challenges (GEO); • Stimulate solutions to environmental problems • Promoting International Environmental Law • Voluntary Initiatives • Build capacity and networks to enable implementing solutions

4. DTIE - Approach Raise awareness Identify & define Build consensus Exchange information Demonstrate projects Build capabilities

5. What are we talking about? Consuming and producing more efficiently and differently ... … and sharing resources between the rich and the poor.

6. The Challenge I’d like to end poverty, stop violence and racism, and get rid of pollution. Everyone should be equal. I want to dress in the nicest clothes, drive a great car, talk on the latest mobile phone, and watch my brand new DVD

7. Global political context • JPoI - Chapter II: Poverty Eradication  Materials contributing to MDGs • JPoI - Chapter III: Sustainable Consumption and Production  10 year framework on SCP/ Marrakech Process/ CSD 2010-2011

8. Material Security &Food Security • Materials Security A situation in which materials are available to sustain quality of life for all • Food Security (FAO) A situation in which food is available so that people do not live in hunger or fear of starvation • Stages of Insecurity Range from wealth withfood secure situations topoverty with full-scalefamine

9. What proportion of global resources have been used? • Uncertainty over the answers Surveys highlight significant concerns since growing consumption levels place increased demands on limited resources • Growing demand for metals and minerals from emerging economies Major pressures on global supply of metals such as copper, iron and zinc • Scarce resources may mean conflict Example of civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo

10. What implies a sustainable use of the global resources? • Environmental impacts over the full life cycle Surveys highlight significant concerns since growing consumption levels place increased demands on limited resources • Growing impacts due to scarcer resources Major pressures on global supply of metals such as copper, iron and zinc • Material Security and climate change 15 recycled cans equal to 1 kg CO2 avoided

11. Current situation: a quick assessment • Productivity/efficiency gains being overtaken by production increases (rebound effects) • Problems of production process understood but those of the use and disposal of a product still largely unknown • New emerging sectors posing increasing threats as well as new opportunities • Environmental concerns not integrated into economic and social programmes • De-linking of economic growth from environmental damage needed

13. Absolute and relative decoupling

14. EnvironmentalKuznets Curve • Largely, this trend can be seen in the history of developed economies, particularly for air pollution. • Three main exceptions to this tends to be municipal solid waste emission with GWP and impacts on ecosystem life support functions. • The impacts of these tend to be too far removed in space an time from those responsible to elicit any change in behavior.

15. Decoupling Equation

16. The need for resource-efficiency and innovation • 3 R Initiative Reuse Reduce Recycle • Circular economy Crucial role of China • Responsibility for raw materials and sustainable growth G8 Heiligendamm

17. The idea of a scientific Resource Panel by UNEP • Provide independent scientific advice to national governments and relevant international organizations on: • Key environmental impacts of the extraction and use of natural resources in a life cycle perspective, and • Strategies and approaches to reduce these impacts in growing economies by ‘doing more with less’ • Support for the enhancement of scientific knowledgeand for capacity building in developing countries • Contribute to Marrakech process, CSD discussion in 2009-2010 and 10 year framework on Sustainable Consumption and Production

18. The ultimate goals and expected benefits of a Panel • Increase resource efficiency and decouple environmental impact from economic growth -> Relevant policies • Improve processes, products and services -> Business innovation • Enhance awareness and dialogue on efficient resource use -> Improved quality of life

19. Focus on selected material flows and products …

20. … like recyclable metal resources …

21. … and their environmental impacts … Impact Resource Source: Adapted from N&M

22. … in a life cycle perspective Source: IAI

23. Tentative structure

24. The way forward • Expert workshop on 25 September 2007 in Tokyo, Japan In conjunction with OECD-Japan Seminar on Material Flows and Resource Productivity, 26-27 September 2007 • Inaugural Panel Tentatively scheduled for autumn  Linking to UK Japan collaboration on Materials Security!

25. For more information: Secretariat SCP Branch, UNEP DTIE,Paris, France http://www.unep.fr/sustain Email: sc@unep.fr