COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe
Date: 2011-09-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: biodiversity, building insulation, conservation of resources, economic resources, economic stabilisation, energy resources, food resources, governance, innovation, management of resources, productivity, reflation, research and development, sustainable development, waste management

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 20.9.2011 
COM(2011) 571 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe 

{SEC(2011) 1067 final} 
{SEC(2011) 1068 final} 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. 

2. 

3. 

3.1. 

3.2. 

3.3. 

3.4. 

4. 

4.1. 

4.2. 

4.3. 

Challenges and opportunities for Europe..................................................................... 2 

Making Europe resource efficient................................................................................ 3 

Transforming the Economy.......................................................................................... 4 

Sustainable consumption and production..................................................................... 5 

Turning waste into a resource ...................................................................................... 7 

Supporting research and innovation............................................................................. 8 

Environmentally harmful subsidies and getting the prices right.................................. 9 

Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services.................................................................... 11 

Ecosystem services..................................................................................................... 11 

Biodiversity ................................................................................................................ 12 

Minerals and metals ................................................................................................... 13 

4.4.  Water .......................................................................................................................... 13 

4.5. 

4.6. 

4.7. 

5. 

5.1. 

5.2. 

5.3. 

6. 

6.1. 

6.2. 

6.3. 

7. 

Air .............................................................................................................................. 14 

Land and soils ............................................................................................................ 15 

Marine resources ........................................................................................................ 16 

Key sectors ................................................................................................................. 17 

Addressing food ......................................................................................................... 17 

Improving buildings ................................................................................................... 18 

Ensuring efficient mobility ........................................................................................ 19 

Governance and monitoring....................................................................................... 19 

New pathways to action on resource efficiency......................................................... 20 

Supporting resource efficiency internationally .......................................................... 22 

Improving the delivery of benefits from EU environmental measures...................... 22 

Conclusion.................................................................................................................. 23 

Annex: Resource efficiency – the interlinks between sectors and resources, and EU policy 
initiatives .................................................................................................................................. 24 

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1. 

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EUROPE 

Europe has enjoyed many decades of growth in wealth and wellbeing, based on intensive use 
of resources. But today it faces the dual challenge of stimulating the growth needed to provide 
jobs and well-being to its citizens, and of ensuring that the quality of this growth leads to a 
sustainable future. To tackle these challenges and turn them into opportunities our economy 
will  require  a  fundamental  transformation  within  a  generation  –  in  energy,  industry, 
agriculture,  fisheries  and  transport  systems,  and  in  producer  and  consumer  behaviour. 
Preparing that transformation in a timely, predictable and controlled manner will allow us to 
further  develop  our  wealth  and  wellbeing,  whilst  reducing  the  levels  and  impact  of  our 
resource use.  

Over  the  20th  century,  the  world  increased  its  fossil  fuel  use  by  a  factor  of  12,  whilst 
extracting  34  times  more  material  resources.  Today  in  the  EU,  each  person  consumes  16 
tonnes of materials annually, of which 6 tonnes are wasted, with half going to landfill. Trends 
show,  however,  that  the  era  of  plentiful  and  cheap  resources  is  over.  Businesses  are  facing 
rising  costs  for  essential  raw  materials  and  minerals,  their  scarcity  and  price  volatility  are 
having a damaging effect on the economy. Sources of minerals, metals and energy, as well as 
stocks  of  fish,  timber,  water,  fertile  soils,  clean  air,  biomass,  biodiversity  are  all  under 
pressure, as is the stability of the climate system. Whilst demand for food, feed and fibre may 
increase  by  70%  by  2050,  60%  of  the  world’s  major  ecosystems  that  help  produce  these 
resources  have  already  been  degraded  or  are  used  unsustainably.  If  we  carry  on  using 
resources at the current rate, by 2050 we will need, on aggregate, the equivalent of more than 
two planets to sustain us, and the aspirations of many for a better quality of life will not be 
achieved. 

Our economic system still encourages the inefficient use of resources by pricing some below 
true costs. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development estimates that by 2050 
we  will  need  a  4  to  10  fold  increase  in  resource  efficiency,  with  significant  improvements 
needed  already  by  2020.  Some  dynamic  businesses  have  recognised  the  benefits  of  a  more 
productive  use  of  resources,  yet  many  enterprises  and  consumers  have  not  yet  realised  the 
scale and urgency of the required transformations. Promoting efficient use of resources makes 
a lot of business sense and should help improve their competitiveness and profitability. It is 
therefore an integral part of the EU's agenda for global competitiveness. It also helps ensure a 
sustainable recovery from the economic crisis and it can boost employment. 

Transformation  will  need  a  policy  framework  that  creates  a  playing  field,  where  innovation 
and resource efficiency are rewarded, creating economic opportunities and improved security 
of  supply  through  product  redesign,  sustainable  management  of  environmental  resources, 
greater reuse, recycling and substitution of materials and resource savings. Decoupling growth 
from  resource  use  and  unlocking  these  new  sources  of  growth  needs  coherence  and 
integration  in  the  policies  that  shape  our  economy  and  our  lifestyles.  Action  on  climate 
change has already led the way in helping to decouple growth from the use of carbon. 

The Europe 2020 Strategy and its flagship initiative on "A Resource Efficient Europe"1 set the 
EU on the path to this transformation. The flagship called for a roadmap "to define medium 
and long term objectives and means needed for achieving them". This Roadmap builds upon 

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COM(2011) 21. 

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and complements the other initiatives under the flagship, in particular the policy achievements 
towards a low carbon economy, and takes into account progress made on the 2005 Thematic 
Strategy  on  the  Sustainable  Use  of  Natural  Resources2  and  the  EU's  strategy  on  sustainable 
development. The Roadmap should also be seen in the context of worldwide efforts to achieve 
a transition towards a green economy3. It draws extensively on a range of sources which are 
referenced  in  the  accompanying  Staff  Working  Document,  including  the  European 
Environment Agency's report on the state and outlook for the European Environment. 

2. 

MAKING EUROPE RESOURCE EFFICIENT  

Designing the Roadmap 

The  Vision:  By  2050  the  EU's  economy  has  grown  in  a  way  that  respects  resource 
constraints  and  planetary  boundaries, 
to  global  economic 
transformation. Our economy is competitive, inclusive and provides a high standard of 
living with much lower environmental impacts. All resources are sustainably managed, 
from raw materials to energy, water, air, land and soil. Climate change milestones have 
been  reached,  while  biodiversity  and  the  ecosystem  services  it  underpins  have  been 
protected, valued and substantially restored. 

thus  contributing 

Resource  efficient  development  is  the  route  to  this  vision.  It  allows  the  economy  to  create 
more with less, delivering greater value with less input, using resources in a sustainable way 
and minimising their impacts on the environment. In practice, this requires that the stocks of 
all environmental assets from which the EU benefits or sources its global supplies are secure 
and managed within their maximum sustainable yields. It will also require that residual waste 
is  close  to  zero  and  that  ecosystems  have  been  restored,  and  systemic  risks  to  the  economy 
from the environment have been understood and avoided. A new wave of innovation will be 
required. 

This Roadmap sets the milestones, which illustrate what will be needed to put us on a path to 
resource  efficient  and  sustainable  growth.  Each  section  then  describes  the  actions  that  are 
needed in the short term to start off this process.  

The  Roadmap  provides  a  framework  explaining  how  policies  interrelate  and  build  on  each 
other in which future actions can be designed and implemented coherently. The inter-linkages 
between  key  sectors  and  resources  and  their  associated  EU  policy  initiatives  are  outlined  in 
the  Annex  Table.  Impact  assessments  will  be  prepared  for  all  significant  actions  and  any 
potential targets before detailed proposals are presented4. 

Making and measuring progress 

Robust and easily understandable indicators will be necessary to provide signals and measure 
progress in improving resource efficiency. 

2 
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COM(2005) 670. 
As for instance reflected in the OECD's Green Growth Strategy and UNEP's Green Economy report, as 
well as work by the European Environment Agency. 
http://ec.europa.eu/governance/impact/index_en.htm 

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This  Roadmap  proposes  a  new  pathway  to  action  on  resource  efficiency,  with  a  process 
involving  all  key  stakeholders,  to  discuss  and  agree  on  indicators  and  targets  by  the  end  of 
2013. This process is described in more detail in chapter 6.  

In order to launch this process, two levels of indicators are provisionally formulated5: 

(1) 

(2) 

A  provisional  lead  indicator  -  "Resource  Productivity"  -  to  measure  the  principal 
objective  of  this  Roadmap,  of  improving  economic  performance  while  reducing 
pressure on natural resources; 

A series of complementary indicators on key natural resources such as water, land, 
materials and carbon, that will take account of the EU’s global consumption of these 
resources. 

Overcoming the barriers 

The  EU  and  its  Member  States  should  strive  to  remove  barriers  that  hold  back  resource 
efficiency and so create the right set of incentives for production and consumption decisions. 
This will require: 

– 

– 

– 

– 

Addressing markets and prices, taxes and subsidies that do not reflect the real costs 
of resource use and lock the economy into an unsustainable path; 
Encouraging  more  long-term  innovative  thinking  in  business,  finance  and  politics 
that leads to the uptake of new sustainable practices and stimulates breakthroughs in 
innovation, and develops forward thinking, cost effective regulation; 
Carrying out the research to fill the gaps in our knowledge and skills and provide the 
right information and training; 
Dealing with international competitiveness concerns, and seeking to get a consensus 
with international partners to move in a similar direction. 

3. 

TRANSFORMING THE ECONOMY 

Transforming the economy onto a resource-efficient path will bring increased competitiveness 
and  new  sources  of  growth  and  jobs  through  cost  savings  from  improved  efficiency, 
commercialisation  of  innovations  and  better  management  of  resources  over  their  whole  life 
cycle. This requires policies that recognise the interdependencies between the economy, well-
being and natural capital and seeks to remove barriers to improved resource efficiency, whilst 
providing a fair, flexible, predictable and coherent basis for business to operate. 

5 

As set out in the accompanying COM(2011) 571. 

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Source: European Environment Agency 

3.1. 

Sustainable consumption and production 

3.1.1. Improving products and changing consumption patterns 

Changing the consumption patterns of private and public purchasers will help drive resource 
efficiency and can also frequently generate direct net cost savings. In turn it can help increase 
demand for more resource efficient services and products. Accurate information, based on the 
life-cycle impacts and costs of resource use, is needed to help guide consumption decisions. 
Consumers can save costs by avoiding waste themselves, and buying products that last, or that 
can  be  easily  repaired  or  recycled.  New  entrepreneurial  models,  where  products  are  leased 
rather than bought, can satisfy consumer needs with less life-cycle resource use. 

The  internal  market  and  market  based  instruments  have  an  important  role  in  setting  the 
framework  for  markets  to  reward  greener  products.  An  approach  using  both  voluntary  and 
mandatory measures – as in the EU’s Lead Market Initiatives and the Ecodesign Directive – 
should  be  considered  for  a  wider  range  of  products  and  services  and  include  more  resource 
relevant criteria. 

However,  it  has  been  shown  that  in  some  cases,  cost  savings  made  from  improving  the 
efficiency  of  a  technology  can  actually  induce  people  to  consume  more.  This  phenomenon, 
known as a "rebound effect" must be anticipated, and accounted for, in developing policy and 
setting targets. 

Milestone: By 2020, citizens and public authorities have the right incentives to choose the 
most resource efficient products and services, through appropriate price signals and clear 
environmental information. Their purchasing choices will stimulate companies to innovate 
and  to  supply  more  resource  efficient  goods  and  services.  Minimum  environmental 
performance  standards  are  set  to  remove  the  least  resource  efficient  and  most  polluting 
products  from  the  market.  Consumer  demand  is  high  for  more  sustainable  products  and 
services. 

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3.1.2. Boosting efficient production 

Europe  has  the  world's  highest  net  imports  of  resources  per  person,  and  its  open  economy 
relies heavily on imported raw materials and energy. Secure access to resources has become 
an  increasingly  strategic  economic  issue,  while  possible  negative  social  and  environmental 
impacts  on  third  countries  constitute  an  additional  concern.  In  2007  the  total  amount  of 
material directly used in the EU economy was more than 8 billion tonnes. We could reduce 
that amount whilst increasing production and competitiveness6. Moreover, Improving the re-
use of raw materials through greater 'industrial symbiosis' (where the waste of some firms is 
used as a resource for others) across the EU could save €1.4bn a year and generate €1.6bn in 
sales7. 

Although  many  firms  have  already  taken  action  to  improve  their  resource  efficiency,  much 
scope  for  improvement  remains.  This  applies  especially  to  non-core  business  areas,  for 
example  where  energy  or  water  efficiency  is  not  central  to  the  firm's  activity.  Many  fail  to 
economise  on  longer-term  resource  use  because  of  a  short-term  horizon  encouraged  by 
current corporate reporting practices. Firms which are already beginning to invest in resource 
efficiency need to benefit from advances in knowledge and innovation. 

Exchanging information on routes to resource efficiency between partners in value chains and 
across sectors, including SMEs, can prevent waste, boost innovation and create new markets. 

Avoiding, wherever possible, the use of dangerous chemicals and promoting green chemistry 
can  help  protect  key  resources  like  soil  and  water,  and  make  others,  like  materials,  safer, 
easier and less costly to recycle and reuse. The approach to chemicals management promoted 
by  fully  implementing  REACH  will  help  identify  opportunities  for  substituting  dangerous 
chemicals with safer and technologically and economically viable alternatives. 

Milestone:  By  2020,  market  and  policy  incentives  that  reward  business  investments  in 
efficiency  are  in  place.  These  incentives  have  stimulated  new  innovations  in  resource 
efficient production methods that are widely used. All companies, and their investors, can 
measure  and  benchmark  their  lifecycle  resource  efficiency.  Economic  growth  and 
wellbeing  is  decoupled  from  resource  inputs  and  come  primarily  from  increases  in  the 
value of products and associated services. 

6 

7 

In Germany alone a study suggests that resource-efficiency gains in manufacturing could generate cost 
savings  of  between  20%  and  30%  and  up  to  1  million  jobs  for  the  country.  Another  recent  study 
estimates at £23 billion the savings from low or no-cost resource efficiency measures businesses could 
make in the UK. 
See the Staff Working Document for details. 

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In order to promote further sustainable consumption and production, the Commission will: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Strengthen the requirements on Green Public Procurement (GPP) for products with 
significant environmental impacts; assess where GPP could be linked to EU funded 
projects;  and  promote  joint  procurement,  and  networks  of  public  procurement 
officers in support of GPP (in 2012); 
Establish  a  common  methodological  approach  to  enable  Member  States  and  the 
private  sector  to  assess,  display  and  benchmark  the  environmental  performance  of 
products,  services  and  companies  based  on  a  comprehensive  assessment  of 
environmental impacts over the life-cycle ('environmental footprint') (in 2012); 
Address the environmental footprint of products, building on an ongoing assessment 
due in 2012 and following a consultation with stakeholders, including through setting 
requirements under the Ecodesign directive, to boost the material resource efficiency 
of products (e.g. reusability/recoverability/recyclability, recycled content, durability), 
and  through  expanding  the  scope  of  the  Ecodesign  directive  to  non-energy  related 
products (in 2012); 
Ensure  better  understanding  of  consumer  behaviour  and  provide  better  information 
on  the  environmental  footprints  of  products,  including  preventing  the  use  of 
misleading claims, and refining eco-labelling schemes (in 2012); 
Support  the  networking  and  exchange  of  best  practice  between  agencies  running 
schemes on resource efficiency for SMEs (continuous). 

Member States, with the Commission should as of 2012, assess: 

• 
• 

• 

Options to increase market rewards for genuinely environmentally friendly products; 
Measures to extend producer responsibility to the full life-cycle of the products they 
make  (including  via  new  business  models,  through  guidance  on  take-back  and 
recycling schemes and support for repair services); 
Actions to optimise the resource efficiency of packaging. 

Member States should: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Put  in  place  incentives  that  stimulate  a  large  majority  of  companies  to  measure, 
benchmark and improve their resource efficiency systematically (continuous);  
Help  companies  work  together  to  make  the  best  use  of  the  waste  and  by-products 
they produce (e.g. by exploiting industrial symbiosis) (continuous); 
Ensure that advice and support is available to help SMEs identify and improve their 
resource efficiency and sustainable use of raw materials (continuous); 
Work together with the Commission to ensure that, by 2020, all relevant Substances 
of Very High Concern are placed on the REACH Candidate List (continuous). 

3.2. 

Turning waste into a resource 

Each  year  in  the  European  Union  we  throw  away  2.7  billion  tonnes  of  waste,  98  million 
tonnes of which is hazardous. On average only 40% of our solid waste is re-used or recycled, 
the  rest  going  to  landfill  or  incineration.  Overall  waste  generation  is  stable  in  the  EU, 
however, generation of some waste streams like construction and demolition waste, to sewage 
sludge and marine litter is still increasing. Waste electrical and electronic equipment alone is 
expected to increase by roughly 11% between 2008 and 2014. 

In  some  Member  States  more  than  80%  of  waste  is  recycled,  indicating  the  possibilities  of 
using waste as one of the EU’s key resources. Improving waste management makes better use 

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of resources and can open up new markets and jobs, as well as encourage less dependence on 
imports of raw materials and lower impacts on the environment. 

If waste is to become a resource to be fed back into the economy as a raw material, then much 
higher  priority  needs  to  be  given  to  re-use  and  recycling.  A  combination  of  policies  would 
help create a full recycling economy, such as product design integrating a life-cycle approach, 
better cooperation along all market actors along the value chain, better collection processes, 
appropriate  regulatory  framework,  incentives  for  waste  prevention  and  recycling,  as  well  as 
public investments in modern facilities for waste treatment and high quality recycling. 

Milestone:  By  2020,  waste  is  managed  as  a  resource.  Waste  generated  per  capita  is  in 
absolute  decline.  Recycling  and  re-use  of  waste  are  economically  attractive  options  for 
public  and  private  actors  due  to  widespread  separate  collection  and  the  development  of 
functional  markets  for  secondary  raw  materials.  More  materials,  including  materials 
having  a  significant  impact  on  the  environment  and  critical  raw  materials,  are  recycled. 
Waste  legislation  is  fully  implemented.  Illegal  shipments  of  waste  have  been  eradicated. 
Energy  recovery  is  limited  to  non  recyclable  materials,  landfilling  is  virtually  eliminated 
and high quality recycling is ensured. 

The Commission will: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Stimulate the secondary materials market and demand for recycled materials through 
economic incentives and developing end-of-waste criteria (in 2013/2014);  
Review existing prevention, re-use, recycling, recovery and landfill diversion targets 
to  move  towards  an  economy  based  on  re-use  and  recycling,  with  residual  waste 
close to zero (in 2014); 
Assess  the  introduction  of  minimum  recycled  material  rates,  durability  and  re-
usability  criteria  and  extensions  of  producer  responsibility  for  key  products  (in 
2012);  
Assess  areas  where  legislation  on  the  various  waste  streams  could  be  aligned  to 
improve coherence (in 2013/2014); 
Continue working within the EU and with international partners to eradicate illegal 
waste shipments with a special focus on hazardous waste; 
Ensure that public funding from the EU budget gives priority to activities higher up 
the  waste  hierarchy  as  defined  in  the  Waste  Framework  Directive  (e.g.  priority  to 
recycling plants over waste disposal) (in 2012/2013);  
Facilitate the exchange of best practice on collection and treatment of waste among 
Member  States  and  develop  measures  to  combat  more  effectively  breaches  of  EU 
waste rules (in 2013/2014). 

Member States should: 

• 

ensure  full  implementation  of  the  EU  waste  acquis  including  minimum  targets 
through their national waste prevention and management strategies (continuous). 

3.3. 

Supporting research and innovation  

The  transition  to  a  green  and  low-carbon  economy  will  require  significant  innovation,  from 
small incremental changes to major technological breakthroughs.  

At the same time we need a more comprehensive and credible knowledge base about how the 
natural systems react to the different pressures we exert on them. Basic and applied research 

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should identify challenges and guide actions, including social sciences research to develop our 
understanding of behaviour. 

To trigger this push in research and innovation, the right set of incentives needs to be in place 
so that the private sector invests more in resource efficient research and innovation. Demand 
side  measures  will  help  create  incentives  for  green  innovation  by  building  markets.  Clear 
framework conditions are needed to increase investor certainty and better access to finance for 
companies  making  green  investments  that  are  seen  as  riskier  or  that  have  longer  payback 
times. 

Milestone:  By  2020,  scientific  breakthroughs  and  sustained  innovation  efforts  have 
dramatically  improved  how  we  understand,  manage,  reduce  the  use,  reuse,  recycle, 
substitute and safeguard and value resources. This has been made possible by substantial 
increases  in  investment,  coherence  in  addressing  the  societal  challenge  of  resource 
efficiency,  climate  change  and  resilience,  and  in  gains  from  smart  specialization  and 
cooperation within the European research area. 

Member States with the Commission will: 

• 

Establish  an  appropriate  framework  and  set  of  incentives  to  boost  private  sector 
investment into research and innovation for resource efficiency (continuous). 

The Commission will: 

• 

• 

• 
• 

Develop  'Innovation  Partnerships'  for  meeting  resource  efficiency  goals,  e.g.  on 
water, raw materials and productive and sustainable agriculture (from 2011); 
Develop Joint Technology Initiatives or other forms of private-public partnerships, as 
well as Joint Programming Initiatives that pool national research efforts in areas of 
resource efficiency (continuous); 
Tackle barriers to eco-innovation (in 2011); 
Focus  Union  research  funding  (EU  Horizon  2020)  on  key  resource  efficiency 
objectives,  supporting  innovative  solutions  for:  sustainable  energy,  transport  and 
construction;  management  of  natural  resources;  preservation  of  ecosystem  services 
and  biodiversity;  resource  efficient  agriculture  and  the  wider  bio-economy; 
environmentally  friendly  material  extraction;  recycling,  re-use,  substitution  of 
environmental  impacting  or  rare  materials,  smarter  design,  green  chemistry  and 
lower impact, biodegradable plastics. 

Member States should: 

• 

focus public research funding on key resource efficiency objectives (continuous). 

3.4. 

Environmentally harmful subsidies and getting the prices right 

Market prices are the primary guide for purchasing choices and investment decisions but they 
do not necessarily reflect the true costs of using resources and their environmental impacts. In 
addition, prices may be deliberately distorted by  Environmentally Harmful Subsidies  (EHS) 
by governments which confer an advantage on certain consumers, users or producers, in order 
to supplement their income or lower their costs, but in doing so, discriminate against sound 
environmental practice8. 

8 

OECD, Environmentally harmful subsidies: challenges for reform, 2005 

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3.4.1. Phasing out inefficient subsidies 

The  scale  of  subsidies  with  potential  negative  impacts  on  the  environment,  notably  in  the 
areas of fossil fuels, transport and water, are estimated to be worth a global total of $1 trillion 
per  year.  EHS  lead  to  higher  levels  of  waste,  emissions,  resource  extraction,  or  to  negative 
impacts  on  biodiversity.  They  can  lock  in  inefficient  practices  and  hinder  businesses  from 
investing  in  green  technologies.  Such  subsidies  take  different  forms,  with  tax  reductions  or 
exemptions being one example.  

Moving away from EHS can deliver economic, social and environmental benefits, and allow 
for improved competitiveness. Member States have already been invited to eliminate EHS in 
the 2011 Annual Growth Survey9 in order to support budget consolidation. In the process of 
EHS  removal,  alternative  mitigating  arrangements  may  be  necessary  for  the  most  affected 
economic sectors, regions and workers, or for dealing with energy poverty, and the impact of 
possible displacement of production to other countries needs to be considered. 

Milestone:  By  2020  EHS  will  be  phased  out,  with  due  regard  to  the  impact  on  people  in 
need. 

3.4.2. Getting the prices right and reorienting the burden of taxation 

The  market  already  gives  signals  for  the  scarcity  of  some  resources  by  means  of  rising 
commodity  prices,  and  businesses  increasingly  face  an  urgent  need  to  adjust  in  order  to 
preserve  their  competitiveness,  especially  in  the  international  context.  However,  the  cost  of 
externalities  may  still  remain  unaddressed,  and for  a  number  of  resources  such  signals  may 
come  too  late  to  prevent  their  unsustainable  exploitation.  The  overall  incidence  of  taxation 
often impacts prices in ways that favour resource use rather than increased employment in the 
economy. 

Market  based  instruments  have  a  strong  role  to  play  in  correcting  market  failures  –  for 
example  by  introducing  environmental  taxes,  charges,  tradable  permit  schemes,  fiscal 
incentives for more environmentally-friendly consumption or other instruments. New policies 
should help to align the prices of resources that are not appropriately valued on the market, 
such as water, clean air, ecosystems, biodiversity, and marine resources. These may need to 
be part of a broader approach involving regulation for example where resources are common 
goods. 

Shifting  taxation  away  from  labour  to  boost  employment  and  economic  growth  is  already 
emphasised  in  the  Annual  Growth  Survey  for  201110  and  in  the  European  Council 
Conclusions from March 201111. "Green tax reforms", which consist of increasing the share 
of  environmental  taxes,  while  reducing  others,  have  a  role  to  play  in  this  context. 
Environmental taxation can also align the efforts for fiscal consolidation with facilitating the 
restructuring  towards  a  resource  efficient  economy.  Nonetheless,  the  average  share  of 
environmental  taxation  in  total  tax  revenues  in  the  EU  has  generally  been  declining  since 
1999, reaching a level of 6.3% in 200912. 

9 
10 
11 
12 

COM(2011) 11 final. 
COM(2011) 11 final. 
EUCO 10/1/11 REV1. 
Taxation trends in the European Union, European Union 2011. 

EN 

10 

   EN 

                                                 
Some  Member  States  have  achieved,  through  various  steps  of  environmental  tax  reforms,  a 
share of environmental tax revenues in total taxes of more than 10%, while at the same time 
preserving  fiscal  revenues  and  improving  competitiveness  and  energy  efficiency.  This 
demonstrates that it is possible to shift taxation onto environmentally harmful activities within 
a sound economic framework. However, in order to measure more effectively the shift in the 
price  signals  needed  to  encourage  greater  investment  in  more  efficient  use  of  resources  an 
additional indicator may be needed, such as the effective tax rate on environmental pollution 
or resource use. 

Milestone: By 2020 a major shift from taxation of labour towards environmental taxation, 
including through regular adjustments in real rates, will lead to a substantial increase in 
the  share  of  environmental  taxes  in  public  revenues,  in  line  with  the  best  practice  of 
Member States. 

In order to address the issues of environmentally harmful subsidies and better price signals, 
the Commission will: 
• 

Monitor  via  the  European  Semester  Member  States'  follow-up  to  country-specific 
recommendations on fiscal reform that favours a shift from the taxation of labour to 
environmental impacts and the phasing out of EHS from 2012; 
Promote regular exchange of best practices and peer reviews on the reform of EHS 
and on market based instruments between the Member States, in particular under the 
Market Based Instruments Forum and the Taxation Policy Group (continuous); 
Assess how state aid for measures aiming at increasing resource efficiency has been 
implemented  and 
to  what  extent  resource  efficiency  objectives  should  be 
strengthened in the revisions of the relevant state aid guidelines as of 2013; 
Continue  working  on  improving  indicators  on  the  use  of  taxes  on  pollution  and 
resources. 

Member States should: 
• 
• 

Identify the most significant EHS pursuant to established methodologies (by 2012); 
Prepare  plans  and  timetables  to  phase  out  EHS  and  report  on  these  as  part  of  their 
National Reform Programmes (by 2012/2013);  
Shift taxation away from labour to environmental impacts (continuous); 
Review  their  fiscal  policies  and  instruments  with  a  view  to  supporting  resource 
efficiency  more  effectively,  and  in  this  context  reflect  on  incentives  to  support 
consumer choices and producer action in favour of resource efficiency (by 2013). 

• 

• 

• 

• 
• 

4. 

NATURAL CAPITAL AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES 

4.1. 

Ecosystem services 

Our economic prosperity and wellbeing depend on our natural capital, including ecosystems 
that  provide  us  with  a  flow  of  essential  goods and  services  –  from  fertile  soil  to  productive 
land  and  seas,  from  fresh  water  and  clean  air  to  pollination,  flood  control  and  climate 
regulation. Many of these ecosystem services are used almost as if their supply is unlimited. 
They are treated as "free" commodities, their economic value is not properly accounted for on 
the  market,  and  therefore  they  continue  to  be  overly  depleted  or  polluted,  threatening  our 
long-term sustainability and resilience to environmental shocks. 

EN 

11 

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60%  of  the  Earth’s  ecosystem  services  have  been  degraded  in  the  last  50  years.  In  the  EU, 
88% of fish stocks are fished beyond maximum sustainable yields and only 11% of protected 
ecosystems are in a favourable state. 

Ensuring  a  long-term  supply  of  essential  ecosystem  goods  and  services  implies  we  must 
properly  value  out  natural  capital.  Investing  in  natural  capital  –  like  green  infrastructure  – 
often brings higher returns than constructed or manufactured alternatives, with lower up-front 
costs. 

Milestone:  By  2020  natural  capital  and  ecosystem  services  will  be  properly  valued  and 
accounted for by public authorities and businesses. 

The Commission will: 

• 

• 

Promote  the  use  of  innovative  financial  and  market-based  instruments  and  explore 
their  wider  potential,  including  a  possible  establishment  of  a  biodiversity  financing 
facility  and  payments  for  ecosystems  services,  to  address  challenges  to  ecosystems 
and biodiversity at national, EU and international level, in particular in cooperation 
with  the  European  Investment  Bank  and  through  Public  Private  Partnerships 
(continuous); 
Put forward proposals to foster investments in natural capital, to seize the full growth 
and  innovation  potential  of  Green  Infrastructure  and  the  'restoration  economy', 
through  a  Communication  on  Green  Infrastructure  (in  2012),  and  a  "No  Net  Loss" 
initiative (in 2015). 

Member States, with the Commission, should: 

• 
• 

• 

Map the state of ecosystems and their services (by 2014);  
Assess  their  economic  value,  and  promote  the  integration  of  these  values  into 
accounting and reporting systems at EU and national level (continuous); 
Work with key stakeholders to encourage businesses to assess their dependency on 
ecosystem  services  building  upon  the  EU  Business  &  Biodiversity  Platform 
(continuous). 

4.2. 

Biodiversity 

Biodiversity  underpins  many  of  our  ecosystems  and  is  vital  to  their  resilience.  Its  loss  can 
weaken an ecosystem, compromising the delivery of ecosystem services and making it more 
vulnerable  to  environmental  shocks.  Restoring  degraded  ecosystems  is  costly,  and  in  some 
cases, change can become irreversible.  

It  has  been  estimated  that  by  2050,  the  global  business  opportunities  dependent  on 
biodiversity  and  the  ecosystem  services  it  underpins,  could  have  a  value  of  between  $800-
2.300 billion per year. In practice however, at the operational level, the value of biodiversity 
is only starting to be taken into account in decision making. If biodiversity is to be conserved 
this has to become common practice. 

The  new  2020  EU  Biodiversity  Strategy  sets  out  the  main  policy  tools  for  achieving  this 
objective,  and  for  reversing  the  trends  in  loss  of  biodiversity  we  have  seen  in  recent 
generations. 

Milestone:  By  2020  the  loss  of  biodiversity  in  the  EU  and  the  degradation  of  ecosystem 
services will be halted and, as far as feasible, biodiversity will be restored. 

EN 

12 

   EN 

The Commission will: 
• 

Significantly strengthen its efforts to integrate biodiversity protection and ecosystem 
actions  in  other  Community  policies  with  a  particular  focus  on  agriculture  and 
fisheries (continuous). 

Member States, with the Commission, will: 
• 

Work towards the objectives of the Biodiversity Strategy by integrating the value of 
ecosystem services into policymaking (continuous). 

4.3.  Minerals and metals 

Improved efficiency of natural resources such as metals and minerals are essential aspects of 
resource  efficiency.  Their  specific  risks,  including  security  of  supply,  are  addressed  in  the 
Raw  Materials  Initiative,  as  well  as  the  climate  and  energy  policies  under  the  Resource 
Efficiency  Flagship,  so  they  will  not  be  treated  extensively  in  this  section,  although  the 
interaction between their use and other resources is recognised. 

As we move towards a genuinely consumption based, sustainable materials management or a 
"circular  economy",  where  waste  becomes  a  resource,  a  more  efficient  use  of  minerals  and 
metals will result. The steps outlined in section 3 of this roadmap will have a direct impact on 
the  efficiency  of  minerals  and  metal  resources,  through  measures  to  take  life-cycle  impacts 
more into account, to avoid waste, reuse and recycle more, improved research and innovation 
and other measures to improve market structures. 

4.4.  Water 

Water  is  a  vital  resource  for  human  health  and  an  essential  input  for  agriculture,  tourism, 
industry,  transport  and  energy.  Reduced  water  availability  has  a  critical  impact  on 
hydropower and cooling of nuclear and thermal power stations.  

Good environmental status and citizens' health depend on the quality and availability of fresh 
water. However, they are decreasing. Climate change is projected to increase water shortages 
as well as the intensity and frequency of floods. Many European river basins and waters have 
been altered by water abstraction, land drainage and dams, leading often to poor water quality 
with major adverse ecological effects, possible health impacts and leaving limited space for 
natural habitats.  

20%  to  40%  of  Europe’s  water  is  wasted  and  water  efficiency  could  be  improved  by  40% 
through  technological  improvements  alone13.  An  improved  approach  for  a  sustainable 
management  of  water  resources  requires  close  coordination  with  agriculture,  transport, 
regional  development  and  energy  policies  as  well  as  effective  and  fair  water  pricing  as 
required  by  the  Water  Framework  Directive  (WFD).  Changes  in  ecosystems,  land  use,  in 
production and water consumption and re-use patterns could cost-effectively reduce scarcity 
and ensure water quality. 

Milestone:  By  2020,  all  WFD  River  Basin  Management  Plans  (RBMPs)  have  long  been 
implemented.  Good  status  –  quality,  quantity  and  use  -  of  waters  was  attained  in  all  EU 
river  basins  in  2015.  The  impacts  of  droughts  and  floods  are  minimised,  with  adapted 
crops,  increased  water  retention  in  soils  and  efficient  irrigation.  Alternative  water  supply 

13 

EU Water saving potential, Ecologic, 2007. 

EN 

13 

   EN 

                                                 
options  are  only  relied  upon  when  all  cheaper  savings  opportunities  are  taken.  Water 
abstraction should stay below 20% of available renewable water resources. 

The Commission will: 

• 

• 

• 

Further  integrate  resource-efficiency  considerations  into  water  policy,  with  a 
Blueprint to safeguard Europe's water defining a cost-effective strategy (on-going);  
Assess  Member  States'  RBMPs,  with  a  view  to  identifying  areas  where  additional 
action is needed (in 2011); 
Assess and propose (in 2012): 
–  Water  efficiency  targets  and  improved  water  efficiency  measures  (e.g.  smart 
metering, mandatory requirements on water using devices; guidelines for water
re-use, reduction of leakage in water infrastructure, water saving in irrigation, 
etc.); 
Better  demand  management  through  economic  instruments  (pricing,  water
allocation) and use of labelling and certification schemes measuring life-cycle 
impact and virtual water content of products; 
A candidate European Innovation Partnership on water. 

– 

– 

Member States should: 

• 

Set  water  efficiency  targets  for  2020  at  River  Basin  level,  with  appropriate 
complementary  measures,  based  on  a  common  EU  methodology  that  takes  into
account the variety of situations across economic sectors and geographic areas  

4.5. 

Air 

Clean air is a precious resource. Several air quality standards are widely exceeded in the EU's 
most  densely  populated  areas,  especially  from  the  most  problematic  pollutants  such  as 
particulate  matter,  ground-level  ozone,  and  nitrogen  dioxide.  Despite  significant  efforts  to 
reduce polluting emissions, current concentrations of fine particles cause 500 000 premature 
deaths  each  year14  in  the  EU  and  immediate  neighbourhood.  Other  studies  have  shown  that 
the  number  of  working  days  lost  due  to  air  pollution  induced  illnesses  is  higher  than  the 
working days required to pay for additional pollutant abatement measures. 

Significantly,  ecosystems  and  agriculture  also  suffer  damage  from  airborne  impacts  such  as 
acidification,  eutrophication  and  ozone  damage  to  vegetation.  The  annual  economic  cost  in 
2020 has been estimated at €537 bn 15. 

Better  implementation  of  existing  legislation  and  new,  science-based  standards  would  help 
address these problems and steer innovation. With appropriate lead-times, these can ensure air 
quality  benefits  from  transition  to  a  low-carbon  economy,  and  by  other  actions  in  this 
Roadmap,  for  example  through  reductions  in  waste,  through  more  efficient  production 
methods, as well as action in agricultural policy and the transport sector. 

Milestone: By 2020, the EU's interim air quality standards will have been met, including in 
urban  hot  spots,  and  those  standards  will  have  been  updated  and  additional  measures 

14 
15 

EEA, SOER 2010 
Assessment of Health-Cost Externalities of Air Pollution at the National Level using the EVA Model 
System, J. Brandt et al., CEEH 2011. 

EN 

14 

   EN 

                                                 
defined to further close the gap to the ultimate goal of achieving levels of air quality that do 
not cause significant impacts on health and the environment. 

The Commission will: 

• 

• 

• 

Undertake a comprehensive review of all EU air pollution policies (by 2013); 

Propose an upgraded strategy looking beyond 2020, assessing the scope for the use of 
air quality  and emission standards and further measures to reduce emissions from key 
sources (in 2013); 

Support  implementation  of  existing  measures  to  help  resolve  persistent  air  quality 
problems. 

Member States should: 

• 

Step up their implementation of EU air quality legislation (continuous). 

4.6. 

Land and soils 

In  the  EU,  more  than  1,000  km²  are  subject  to  'land  take'  every  year  for  housing,  industry, 
roads or recreational purposes. About half of this surface is actually 'sealed'16. The availability 
of  infrastructure  varies  considerably  between  regions,  but  in  aggregate,  every  ten  years  we 
pave over a surface area equivalent to Cyprus. If we are to reach the state of no net land take 
by 2050, following a linear path, we would need to reduce land take to an average of 800 km² 
per  year  in  the  period  2000-2020.  In  many  regions  soil  is  irreversibly  eroded,  or  has  a  low 
content of organic matter. Soil contamination is also a serious problem. 

The  use  of  land  is  nearly  always  a  trade-off  between  various  social,  economic  and 
environmental  needs  (e.g.  housing,  transport  infrastructure,  energy  production,  agriculture, 
nature  protection).  Decisions  on  land  use  are  long  term  commitments  which  are  difficult  or 
costly to reverse. At the moment, these decisions are often taken without proper prior analysis 
of  such  impacts,  for  example  through  a  Strategic  Environmental  Assessment.  The  EU 
agricultural, energy, transport and cohesion policy reforms will provide the opportunity to set 
the framework and the right incentives for public authorities and land owners to achieve this 
objective. 

Milestone: By 2020, EU policies take into account their direct and indirect impact on land 
use in the EU and globally, and the rate of land take is on track with an aim to achieve no 
net land take by 2050; soil erosion is reduced and the soil organic matter increased, with 
remedial work on contaminated sites well underway. 

The Commission will: 

• 

• 

16 

Further  develop  the  scientific  knowledge-base  on  biotic  material,  land-use  effects 
and  trends,  and  spatial  planning,  including  impacts  at  global  level  and  effects  on 
trading  partners,  and  highlight  best  practices  in  the  Member  States,  leading  to  a 
Communication on land use (in 2014); 
Address  the  indirect  land  use  change  resulting  notably  from  the  renewable  energy 
policy (continuous); 

Report  on  best  practices  for  limiting  soil  sealing  and  mitigating  its  effects,  Prokop  et  al,  European 
Communities 2011. 

EN 

15 

   EN 

                                                 
• 

• 

• 

Publish  guidelines  on  best  practice  to  limit,  mitigate  or  compensate  soil  sealing  (in 
2012); 
Include  broader 
in 
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive (in 2012). 
Propose  a  candidate  European  Innovation  Partnership  (in  2011)  on  agricultural 
productivity  and  sustainability  aiming,  inter  alia,  at  securing  soil  functionality  at  a 
satisfactory level (by 2020). 

resource  efficiency  considerations 

review  of 

the 

the 

Member States should: 

• 

• 

• 

Better  integrate  direct  and  indirect  land-use  and  its  environmental  impacts  in  their 
decision  making  and  limit  land  take  and  soil  sealing  to  the  extent  possible 
(continuous); 

Implement the actions needed for reducing erosion and increasing soil organic matter 
(continuous); 

Set  up  an  inventory  of  contaminated  sites,  and  a  schedule  for  remedial  work  (by 
2015). 

4.7.  Marine resources 

The  marine  environment  holds  economic  opportunities  in  a  wide  range  of  sectors  such  as 
minerals  extraction,  pharmaceuticals,  biotechnology  and  energy.  The  marine  environment 
also  provides  key  ecosystem  services  like  the  natural  regulatory  functions  that  help  combat 
climate  change  or  slow  coastal  erosion.  Pressures  on  these  systems,  including  from  the 
discharge  into  the  sea  of  pollutants  in  freshwater,  are  still  severe,  even  if  in  some  cases 
declining. There is a lack of coherent management of sea space which is already affecting our 
possibilities  to  benefit  from  maritime  activities.  The  use  of  spatial  planning  instruments  in 
marine areas would contribute to resource efficiency. 

The depletion of fish stocks has severe economic and social consequences for coastal zones 
and contributes  to  other  biodiversity loss by disrupting  systems,  while  marine  pollution  and 
climate change pose other challenges (e.g. acidification). The EU Common Fisheries Policy 
and the EU Integrated Maritime Policy are putting sustainability at the heart of their aims, in 
order  to  ensure  an  efficient  and  sustainable  use  of  marine  resources  by  all  operators  of  the 
value chain. 

Over 1 million birds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles die each year as a result of 
plastic  waste  and  other  marine  debris.  Factors  such  as  marine  litter  and  urban  waste  water 
treatment seriously aggravate pollution in some seas around Europe. In order to address such 
pressures, 
the  Marine  Strategy  Framework  Directive  provides  for  achieving  good 
environmental status in marine waters.  

Milestone: By 2020, good environmental status of all EU marine waters is achieved, and by 
2015 fishing is within maximum sustainable yields. 

The Commission will: 
• 

Within the context of the latest Commission proposals for the reform of the Common 
Fisheries Policy, aim to ensure sustainable management of fishery resources; 
Make  further  proposals  to  phase  out  all  fisheries  subsidies  that  could  be 
environmentally harmful; 

• 

EN 

16 

   EN 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Contribute  to  safeguarding  natural  coastal  and  marine  capital  by  proposing  policy 
measures  on  management  and  planning  (in  2012)  as  well  as  continued  support  for 
knowledge and demonstration projects; 
Promote  eco-system  based  strategies  and  integrate  climate  risk  into  maritime 
activities  (Communication  "Climate  change  adaptation  in  the  Coast  and  the  Sea" 
2012); 
Support  the  sustainable  use  of  marine  resources,  and  identify  innovative  business 
opportunities  in  the  maritime  and  coastal  economy  (Communication  on  "Blue 
Growth", 2012). 
Contribute  to  marine  litter  strategies  in  all  four  EU  marine  regions  in  close 
collaboration  with  coastal  Member  States  or  in  the  respective  Regional  Seas 
Convention (in 2012);  
Support  Member  States  by  developing  measures  to  achieve  good  environmental 
status in marine waters by 2020  and to establish  an extensive network of protected 
areas (in 2020). 

Member States should: 
• 

Implement the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and designate marine protected 
areas. 

5. 

KEY SECTORS 

In  industrialized  countries  nutrition,  housing  and  mobility  are  typically  responsible  for  70-
80% of all environmental impacts. These sectors are also key to addressing the challenges in 
energy and climate change dealt with in complementary long term strategies, which combine 
together with the measures in this paper to maximise synergies under the Resource Efficiency 
Flagship17. 

5.1. 

Addressing food 

The food and drink value chain in the EU causes 17% of our direct greenhouse gas emissions 
and  28%  of  material  resource  use,  with  our  consumption  patterns  having  global  impacts,  in 
particular  related  to  the  consumption  of  animal  proteins.  It  is  a  major  user  of  high-quality 
water,  which  is  essential  for  its  success.  However,  in  the  EU  alone,  we  waste  90  million 
tonnes of food every year or 180 kg per person. Much of this is food, which is still suitable for 
human consumption. 

A  combined  effort  by  farmers,  the  food  industry,  retailers  and  consumers  through  resource-
efficient  production 
the  WHO 
techniques,  sustainable  food  choices  (in 
recommendations  on  the  amount  of  animal  proteins,  including  meat  and  dairy  products, 
consumed  per  person)  and  reduced  food  waste  can  contribute  to  improving  resource 
efficiency and food security at a global level. 

line  with 

The  Commission  has  proposed  in  its  Budget  for  Europe  2020  communication  the  measures 
that  a  reformed  Common  Agricultural  Policy  will  need  to  undertake  to  become  more 
resource-efficient18. An additional issue for long term global food security is the sustainable 

17 
18 

COM(2011) 112, COM(2011) 109, COM(2010) 639. 
COM(2011) 500. 

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17 

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supply of phosphorus, a key resource for soil fertilisation that cannot be substituted. Further 
research is needed in order to identify how improvements to the fertiliser, food production and 
bio-waste issues could reduce our dependence on mined phosphate. 

Milestone:  By  2020,  incentives  to  healthier  and  more  sustainable  food  production  and 
consumption will be widespread and will have driven a 20% reduction in the food chain's 
resource inputs. Disposal of edible food waste should have been halved in the EU. 

The Commission will: 
• 

Further  assess  how  best  to  limit  waste  throughout  the  food  supply  chain,  and 
consider  ways  to  lower  the  environmental  impact  of  food  production  and 
consumption patterns (Communication on sustainable food, by 2013); 
Develop  a  methodology  for  sustainability  criteria  for  key  food  commodities  (by 
2014); 
Further assess the security of supply of phosphorus and potential actions towards its 
sustainable use (Green Paper on sustainable use of phosphorus by 2012).  

• 

• 

Member States are invited to: 

• 

Address food wastage in their National Waste Prevention Programs (2013). 

5.2. 

Improving buildings 

Better construction and use of buildings in the EU would influence 42% of our final energy 
consumption,  about  35%  of  our  greenhouse  gas  emissions19  and  more  than  50%  of  all 
extracted  materials;  it  could  also  help  us  save  up  to  30%  water20.  Existing  policies  for 
promoting  energy  efficiency  and  renewable  energy  use  in  buildings  therefore  need  to  be 
further strengthened and complemented with policies for resource efficiency, which look at a 
wider  range  of  environmental  impacts  across  the  life-cycle  of  buildings  and  infrastructure. 
Life-time costs of buildings should increasingly be considered rather than just the initial costs, 
including construction and demolition waste. Better infrastructure planning is a prerequisite in 
achieving resource efficiency of buildings and also mobility. 

Significant  improvements  in  resource  and  energy  use  during  the  life-cycle  –  with  improved 
sustainable  materials,  higher  waste  recycling,  and  improved  design  –  will  contribute  to  a 
competitive  construction  sector  and  the  development  of  a  resource  efficient  building  stock. 
This  requires  the  active  engagement  of  the  whole  value  chain  in  the  construction  sector. 
Specific  policies  are  needed  to  stimulate  SMEs,  which  make  up  the  vast  majority  of 
construction  companies  –  to  train  and  invest  in  resource  efficient  building  methods  and 
practices. 

Milestone: By 2020 the renovation and construction of buildings and infrastructure will be 
made to high resource efficiency levels. The Life-cycle approach will be widely applied; all 
new  buildings  will  be  nearly  zero-energy21and  highly  material  efficient,  and  policies  for 
renovating  the  existing  building  stock  will  be  in  place22  so  that  it  is  cost-efficiently 

19 
20 
21 
22 

COM(2007) 860 final. 
COM(2007) 414 final. 
Directive 2010/31/EU. 
In line with Art. 9 of Directive 2010/31/EU of 19 May 2010. 

EN 

18 

   EN 

                                                 
refurbished  at  a  rate  of  2%  per  year.  70%  of  non-hazardous  construction  and  demolition 
waste will be recycled23. 

The Commission, with Member States, will: 

• 

• 

• 

to  support  skills 

investment  plans,  apprentice  schemes  and 
Assess  how 
communication on the best resource efficiency practices in the industry (continuous); 
Take  measures,  using  an  'SME  test'  where  appropriate,  to  stimulate  demand  and 
uptake of resource efficient building practices through life-cycle costing and suitable 
financing  arrangements;  to  further  widen  the  scope  of  the  Eurocodes  to  design 
criteria  related  to  sustainability;  to  develop  incentives  to  reward  resource  efficient 
buildings,  and 
in  construction, 
(Communication on the sustainable competitiveness of the construction sector, 2011, 
Communication on sustainable buildings, 2013); 
Asses how best to encourage private sector innovation in construction (continuous). 

the  sustainable  use  of  wood 

to  promote 

5.3. 

Ensuring efficient mobility 

A  modern,  resource  efficient  mobility  system,  serving  both  passengers  and  freight  can 
contribute  significantly  to  competitiveness  and  sustainability.  The  Transport  White  Paper24 
puts forward a wide range of options for pursing the required holistic transport policy. 

Milestone: By 2020 overall efficiency in the transport sector will deliver greater value with 
optimal  use  of  resources  like  raw  materials,  energy,  and  land,  and  reduced  impacts  on 
climate  change,  air  pollution,  noise,  health,  accidents,  biodiversity  and  ecosystem 
degradation.  Transport  will  use  less  and  cleaner  energy,  better  exploit  a  modern 
infrastructure  and  reduce  its  negative  impact  on  the  environment  and  key  natural  assets 
like water, land and ecosystems. There will be on average a 1% yearly reduction, beginning 
in 2012, in transport GHG emissions. 

The Commission will ensure that the initiatives in the Transport White Paper are implemented 
consistently  with 
towards 
internalisation of external costs. 

resource  efficiency  objectives,  particularly  by  moving 

6. 

GOVERNANCE AND MONITORING 

Transforming  the  EU  into  a  more  resource  efficient  economy  will  require  concerted  action 
across a wide range of policies. The Commission will launch a joint effort with stakeholders 
to  work  on  defining  the  right  indicators  and  targets  for  guiding  actions  and  monitoring 
progress.  These  will  only  have  the  transformational  effect  that  is  required  if  they  play  their 
full  part  in  the  Europe  2020  Strategy,  with  resource  efficiency  integrated  into  the  European 
Semester on economic policy coordination.  

23 
24 

In line with Art 11 of Directive 2008/98/EC. 
COM(2011) 144. 

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6.1. 

New pathways to action on resource efficiency 

Enhancing dialogue: Policy makers, at EU, Member State and regional level, need to engage 
in active discussion with business and civil society about the policy conditions necessary to 
overcome the barriers to resource efficiency. 

Investing  in  the  transition:  Resource  efficiency  can  reduce  costs,  but  often  requires  initial 
investments. UNEP estimate that the annual financing needs for making the world economy 
more  resource  efficient  are  between  US$1.05-2.59  trillion25,  mainly  from  private  sources. 
This will require not only spending for green solutions, but greening of all public and private 
investments.  The  proposal  for  a  Multiannual  Financial  Framework  2014-2020  has  already 
made major steps towards integrating resource efficiency in the EU budget. The rapid growth 
of  global  financing  for  clean  energy  shows  how  this  shift  in  mindset  is  possible.  However, 
unfamiliarity  of  financiers  with  risks  and  returns  on  investments  in  resource  efficiency 
presents  an  obstacle  to  investment,  uncertainty  on  policy  direction  and  credibility  adds 
financial risk, and the longer-term investments are often not favoured by the financial markets 
geared to short-term performance. 

Developing  indicators  and  potential  targets:  Setting  indicators  and  defining  a  process  for 
broad  resource  efficiency  targets  will  help  trace  the  path  to  the  2050  resource  efficiency 
vision:  public  policy  can  be  better  designed  to  take  into  account  the  costs  and  benefits  of 
using resources more efficiently and the private sector will benefit from better signals for their 
investment plans, the necessary predictability and transparency to take long-term decisions. 

The sustainable growth objective of the Europe 2020 Strategy sets specific targets related to 
green  house  gas  emissions,  energy  efficiency  and  renewable  energy,  which  are  relevant  for 
achieving  the  resource  efficiency  objectives.  Achieving  these  targets  is  vital  for  protecting 
natural resources, and action in this Roadmap will also contribute to reaching them. However, 
they do not capture some important adverse consequences to our economy, health and quality 
of  life,  for  example  factors  such  as  inefficient  land  use,  low  water  quality  and  availability, 
waste,  air  pollution,  and  losses  of  ecosystem  services,  fish  stocks  and  biodiversity.  Taking 
these  into  account  would  reinforce  exploiting  new  sources  of  sustainable  growth  and 
strengthening competitiveness in the longer term. 

Important  progress  is  already  being  made  to  integrate  environmental  economic  and  social 
accounting systems, but there are several competing ideas on what indicators need to be used, 
improved  or  developed  to  guide  better  policy  or  investment  decisions.  Such  indicators  will 
need  to  be  robust,  easily  understandable  and  widely  accepted  in  order  to  continuously 
measure progress in improving resource efficiency. This is why the Commission proposes to 
engage with all key stakeholders to develop such indicators and potential targets. 

However,  recognizing  the  need  to  start  measuring  progress  immediately,  the  Commission 
proposes using, as a provisional lead indicator, resource productivity, measured by the ratio of 
GDP  to  Domestic  Material  Consumption  (expressed  in  Euro/tonne).  A  higher  ratio  would 
indicate  better  performance,  with  growth  consuming  relatively  fewer  resources26.  This, 
however, only captures the material resources aspects and does not deal with other resources 
or the potential shift of burden across countries. 

25 
26 

UNEP Green Economy Synthesis 2010 
To illustrate the indicator, the EU average was around 1.30 €/tonne in 2007, ranging from below 0.3 to 
around 2.5. 

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20 

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Because this provisional lead indicator only gives a partial picture, it should be complemented 
by  a  'dashboard'  of  indicators  on  water,  land,  materials  and  carbon  and  indicators  that 
measure  environmental  impacts  and  our  natural  capital  or  ecosystems  as  well  as  seeking  to 
take into account the global aspects of EU consumption. On a third level, thematic indicators 
will  be  used  to  monitor  progress  towards  existing targets in other  sectors, as detailed in the 
Staff Working Paper accompanying this Roadmap.  

Milestone:  By  2020  stakeholders  at  all  levels  will  be  mobilised  to  ensure  that  policy, 
financing,  investment,  research  and  innovation  are  coherent  and  mutually  reinforcing. 
Ambitious  resource  efficiency  targets  and  robust,  timely  indicators  will  guide  public  and 
private  decision-makers  in  the  transformation  of  the  economy  towards  greater  resource 
efficiency. 

The Commission, with Member States, will: 
• 

Integrate  resource  efficiency  considerations  in  the  European  Semester  from  2012, 
focusing on prioritising sustainable growth friendly measures; 
Bring together business, scientists, NGOs, local and national authorities to examine 
the  opportunities  and  the  challenges  and  recommend  new  pathways  to  action  on 
sustainable resource-efficient growth (in 2012);  
Reach broad agreement with these stakeholders on how to measure progress and to 
set the targets needed to meet the challenge (by 2013). 

The Commission will:  
• 

Launch  an  "EU  Resource  Efficiency  Transition  Platform"(2012),  building  upon  the 
work of existing platforms; 
Set  up  a  Resource  Efficiency  Finance  Round  Table,  including  representatives  from 
private  and  institutional  banks  (such  as  the  EIB,  EBRD),  insurance  companies  and 
venture capital companies, to identify opportunities to develop adapted finance and 
use innovative financial instruments for resource-efficiency (2012); 
Develop an EU Skills Panorama and a European Sector Council on skills for green 
and greener jobs; 

Continue  work  on  indicators,  including  the  quality  of  the  data,  taking  stock  of 
existing assessment frameworks, such as iGrowGreen, with a view to inclusion in the 
mid-term review of the Europe 2020 strategy (2013); 
Propose  a  new  lead  indicator  on  natural  capital  and  environmental  impacts  of 
resource use (end of 2013); 
Continue its efforts under the "GDP and beyond" road map to measure societal and 
economic progress more comprehensively, inter alia by continuing the development 
of  the  system  of  environmental  accounts,  further  integrating  environmental 
externalities  into  national  accounting  and  developing  a  composite  index  on 
environmental pressures; 
Consider  how  best  to  include  resource  efficiency  considerations  in  the  impact 
assessments of future policy proposals. 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Member States should: 

• 

Develop  or  strengthen  existing  national  resource  efficiency  strategies,  and 
mainstream these into national policies for growth and jobs (by 2013); 

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21 

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• 

Report  their  progress  on  resource  efficiency  as  part  of  their  national  reform 
programmes. 

6.2. 

Supporting resource efficiency internationally 

A  number  of  countries  are  implementing  policies  to  reap  the  gains  of  greater  resource 
efficiency, not only within the EU but also Japan, Korea, the United States, China and others. 
There  is  also  a  strong  interest  in  dialogue  and  cooperation  on  these  issues  in  EU's 
neighbouring countries. Such initiatives can be seen in the context of efforts around the globe 
to  promote  a  transition  towards  a  green  economy.  The  EU  can  learn  from  experience  of 
others,  and  participates  actively  in  helping  to  influence  the  path  that  our  partner  countries 
take, specifically the enlargement countries who are invited to start aligning their policies. 

As  a  basis  for  further  discussion  at  the  June  2012  Rio+20  Conference,  the  European 
Commission  has  recently  proposed  a  wide  range  of  possible  actions,  including  new 
international initiatives on water, energy, agriculture, land use, forests, chemicals and marine 
resources,  skills  training  programmes,  mobilising  private  and  public  financing  and 
investment,  as  well  as  moving  towards  a  more  effective  global,  multilateral  governance 
system27. 

Milestone:  By  2020  resource  efficiency  will  be  a  shared  objective  of  the  international 
community, and progress will have been made towards it based on the approaches agreed 
in Rio. 

The Commission, with Member States will (continuous): 
• 

Promote a successful outcome of the RIO+20 summit in 2012 and concrete progress 
towards the green economy and a more efficient use of natural resources; 
Improve  dialogue  with  strategic  partner  countries  in  order  to  exchange  experience 
and good practice on resource efficiency; 
Undertake  joint  initiatives  with  candidate  countries,  potential  candidates  and  other 
neighbours, who share with us many environmental resources; 
Support the conclusion and effective implementation of international agreements to 
make global consumption and production patterns more sustainable; 
Use  development  aid  to  support  efforts  by  less  developed  countries  to  improve 
resource  efficiency  in  the  context  of  sustainable  development  and  poverty 
eradication; 
Cooperate  with  international  partners  on  research  and  innovation  on  resource 
efficiency; 
Work  towards  stronger  multilateral  mechanisms  for  a  global  governance  of  public 
goods. 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

6.3. 

Improving the delivery of benefits from EU environmental measures 

Progress  on  resource  efficiency  depends  on  making  improvements  in  the  way  our  natural 
resources and ecosystems are managed. There are still important gaps in the performance of 
Member States in implementing measures, especially in nature conservation, waste and water 

27 

COM(2011) 363. 

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22 

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management.  The  costs  of  not  implementing  current  legislation  are  estimated  around  €50 
billion per year28. 

Milestone: By 2020 the benefits from EU environmental legislation will be fully delivered. 

The Commission will: 
• 

Propose  measures  to  enhance  knowledge,  raise  awareness  and  better  mobilise  key 
actors in order to improve delivery of environmental measures throughout the EU.  

The Member States should: 
• 

Address gaps in their performance in delivering the benefits from EU legislation. 

7. 

CONCLUSION 

Previous  patterns  of  growth  have  brought  increased  prosperity,  but  through  intensive  and 
often  inefficient  use  of  resources.  The  role  of  biodiversity,  ecosystems  and  their  services  is 
largely undervalued, the costs of waste are often not reflected in prices, current markets and 
public  policies  cannot  fully  deal  with  competing  demands  on  strategic  resources  such  as 
minerals,  land,  water  and  biomass.  This  calls  for  a  coherent  and  integrated  response  over  a 
wide range of policies in order to deal with expected resource constraints and to sustain our 
prosperity in the long run. 

The present road map is not the ultimate response to all challenges. It is a first step towards 
designing a coherent action framework that cuts across different policy areas and sectors. Its 
objective is to provide a stable perspective for transforming  the economy. The Commission 
will  prepare  policy  and  legislative  proposals  to  implement  this  Roadmap.  Without  the 
engagement  of  other  public  and  private  actors  we  will  not  achieve  our  resource  efficiency 
objectives. 

The Commission invites the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and 
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions to endorse this roadmap and contribute 
to the further development of the EU's actions to achieve a resource-efficient Europe. 

28 

The cost of not implementing the environmental acquis, COWI, forthcoming 

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Fossil fuels 

Materials and 
minerals 

Water 

Air 

Land 

Soils 

Reduce, reuse, recycle, substitute, safeguard, value 

Marine resources  Waste 

EU Policy Initiatives  

Annex: Resource efficiency – the interlinks between sectors and resources, and EU policy initiatives 

Resource/ 
sector 
Circular 
Economy 
Energy 

Reduce fossil fuels use 
via: 
-increased energy 
efficiency (20% by 
2020); 
-substituting for 
renewable resources 
(20% by 2020, and 10% 
in transport). 

-Ensure security of 
supply of critical 
raw materials (for 
renewables and 
electrification) 
-Reduce energy 
intensity of materials 
extraction, 
production & 
consumption. 

-Use efficiently as 
renewable energy source; 
-Reduce cooling needs of 
power plants; 
-Reduce energy intensity 
of water treatment; 
-Reduce use of hot water 
via better appliances & 
water infrastructure. 

Food 

-Reduce fossil fuels use 
via-improved energy 
efficiency of food 
production; 
-Avoid adverse impacts 
from the substitution of 
fossil fuels with 
biofuels. 

-Optimise use of 
minerals & materials 
(eg phosphorous); 
-Improve packaging 
for better 
preservation & 
recyclability.  

-Optimize water use in 
agriculture; 
-Prevent flooding & 
droughts, i.e. by fighting 
climate change; 
-Ensure clean water 
availability for quality 
products; 
-Avoid pollution from 
fertilizers and pesticides.  

-Reduce pollution with 
harmful substances, in 
particular via reduced 
use of fossil fuels;  
-20% reduction of 
GHG emissions by 
2020 (30% if the 
conditions are right); 
- 80-95% GHG 
emission reduction by 
2050.  

-Reduce GHG 
emissions; 
-Reduce SO2 & NOx 
emissions.  

-Reduce land take for 
biofuels; 
-Optimise energy 
infrastructure. 

-Optimise land use to 
reconcile with other 
uses; 
-Use taken fertile land 
for agriculture; 
-Reduce land take (e.g. 
via optimal animal 
protein intake). 

Ecosystems: 
Biodiversity 

-Reduce acidification 
via reduced fossil fuels 
use; 
-Avoid ecosystem 
damage from energy 
carriers extraction/ 
exploitation. 

-Use as a renewable 
energy source; 
-Ensure sustainable use 
of algae for biofuels; 
-Prevent risks of oil 
spills & disasters; 
- Reduce acidification 
resulting from GHG 
emissions. 

-Restore and preserve 
ecosystems to ensure 
pollination, water 
retention, etc.; 
-Avoid eutrophication 
from fertilizers and 
reduce the use of 
pesticides; 
- Increase biodiversity 
through good farming 
practices.. 

-Restore fish stocks 
and eliminate by-catch 
and discards; 
-Eliminate destructive 
fishing techniques;  
-Develop sustainable 
aquaculture; 
-Reduce pollution of 
coastal areas from 
fertilizers 
- Avoid marine litter. 

Review of SCP (2012) 

-Energy 2020: A strategy for competitive, 
sustainable and secure energy (2011) 
- Strategic Energy Technology Plan for Europe; 
-Energy infrastructure priorities for 2020 and 
beyond - A Blueprint for an integrated European 
energy network (2011) 
-European Energy Efficiency Plan 2020 (2011) 
-Revision of the Energy Taxation Directive 
(2011) 
-Energy infrastructure package (2011) 
-Energy Roadmap 2050 (2011) 
-Smart grids (2011) 
-Security of energy supply and international 
cooperation (2011) 
-CAP Reform (2011) 
-Proposal for an Innovation. partnership on 
agricultural productivity and sustainability 
(2011) 
-Green Paper on phosphorous (2012) 
-Communication on sustainable food (2013) 

-Ensure energy 
recovery of non-
recyclable waste; 
-Reduce energy 
intensity of waste 
treatment; 
- Increase use of 
biodegradable 
waste for 
bioenergy and 
bioproducts.  

-Reduce food 
waste;  
-Use recyclable/ 
biodegradable 
packaging; 
-develop 
composting of 
biowaste. 

-Optimise material 
use; 
-Use sustainable 
materials. 

-Improve water 
efficiency of buildings 
and appliances 

-Reduce GHG 
emissions from 
buildings; 
-Improve indoor air 
quality; 

-Avoid additional land 
take (e.g. for urban 
sprawl); 
-Remediate 
contaminated sites. 

-Ensure sufficient and 
connected green spaces 
as part of green 
infrastructures. 

-Reduce acidification 
resulting from GHG 
emissions. 

-Recycle 
construction and 
demolition waste 
(70% till 2020). 

-Prevent soil 
damage by SO2 
and NOx 
emissions; 
-Mitigate soil 
impacts of new 
infrastructure/ 
energy 
solutions;  
-Preserve 
peatlands. 

- Reverse soil 
loss; 
-Restore organic 
matter content 
in soils; 
-Prevent soil 
damage by SO2 
and NOx 
emissions; 
-Avoid 
pollution from 
fertilizers and 
pesticides.  
-Avoid urban 
sprawl on fertile 
soil; 
- Minimize soil 
sealing 

Buildings 

Mobility 

EU policy 
initiatives 

-Reduce fossil fuels use 
via better energy 
efficiency and 
renewable energy use in 
buildings;  
-Build zero energy 
buildings and increase 
the renovation rate of 
existing buildings.  
-Reduce dependency on 
fossil fuels by: 
improved fuel 
efficiency, renewable 
energy use, phasing out 
conventionally-fuelled 
cars in cities by 2050, 
improved multimodal 
logistics, better 
transport networks; 
more efficient vehicles. 
State Aid framework 
(2013); 
Fuel quality directive; 
etc. 

EN 

- Increase resource 
efficiency of 
infrastructures; 
-Optimise logistics 
of materials 
transportation; 
-Ensure security of 
supply of critical 
materials (needed 
for batteries). 

-Use the potential of 
water transport to reduce 
emissions; 
-Reduce pollution from 
water transport. 

-Reduce pollution from 
transport: 60% less 
GHG by 2050; less 
ground-level ozone, 
particulate matter, 
NO2; less sulphur 
content in marine 
fuels.  

-Tackling the 
challenges in 
commodity markets 
and on raw materials 
(2011) 
-Proposal for an 
Innovation 
Partnership on raw 
materials 

-Blueprint on water 
(2012) 
-Innovation partnership 
on water efficiency 
-Revision of the EQS 
Directive (priority 
substances) (2011) 
-Revision of the Ground 
Water Directive (2012)  

-Low Carbon economy 
2050 roadmap (2011) 
-Revision of the 
legislation on 
monitoring and 
reporting of GHG 
-Review of EU air 
quality policy (2013) 

-Strategy for the sustainable competitiveness of 
the EU construction sector (2011) 
-Communication on sustainable buildings 
(2013) 
-Initiative on water efficiency in buildings 
(2012) 

-White Paper on the future of transport (2011) 
-Revision of TEN-T (2011) 
-Strategic Transport Technology Plan 

-Minimise impacts of 
transport infrastructure 
on land fragmentation.  

- Minimise 
impacts of 
transport 
infrastructure on 
land sealing.  

-Minimise impacts of 
land sealing, 
fragmentation, 
pollution; 
-Avoid invasive alien 
species spread. 

-Use the potential of 
maritime transport to 
reduce emissions; 
-Avoid marine litter, 
including from ships 

-Ensure efficient 
reuse and 
recycling of end-
of life vehicles 
(85-95% by 2015) 
and ships. 

-Communication on 
land use (2014) 
-Communication on 
LULUCF in the EU 
climate change 
commitments (2011) [ 

-Guidelines on 
best practice to 
limit, mitigate 
or compensate 
soil sealing 

-2020 EU biodiversity 
strategy (2011) 
-Communication on 
Green Infrastructure 
and Restoration (2012) 
-No Net Loss Initiative 
(2015) 

24 

- Reform of Common 
Maritime and fisheries 
policy (2011)[AGRI] 
-Climate Change 
adaptation in the coast 
and the sea (2012) 
-Blue Growth (2013) 
-Integrated Coastal 
Zone Management 
(2012) 
-Maritime Spatial 
Planning (2012) 

-Review of 
prevention, reuse, 
recycling and 
landfill of waste 
targets (2014) 

-Roadmap to a resource efficient Europe (2011) 
-Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020 
-Cohesion Policy post 2013 (2011)[REGIO] 
-Action Plan towards a sustainable bio-based 
economy by 2020 (2011) 
-Eco-Innovation Action Plan(2011) 
-EU Horizon 2020 (2011) 
-Review of EIA Directive 

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