Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

*|*

# 52012PC0710

**Proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on a General Union Environment Action Programme to 2020 "Living well, within the limits of our planet" /\* COM/2012/0710 final - 2012/0337 (COD) \*/**

  

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1.           CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL

Environment Action Programmes (EAP) have guided
the development of EU environment policy since the early 1970s. In line with the
Treaty, EAPs are adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure. The 6th EAP expired in July 2012;
the European Commission, in response to demand from
stakeholders, including the Council and the European
Parliament, is proposing a successor
programme.

The context of this
proposal is fourfold. First, despite progress in some areas, major
environmental challenges remain, as well as opportunities to make the
environment more resilient to systemic risks and change. Second, the EU has adopted the Europe 2020 Strategy for Smart,
Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, which guides policy development for the
period up to 2020. Third, while many Member States are struggling to cope with the
economic crisis, the need for structural reforms offers new opportunities for
the EU to move towards an inclusive green economy. Finally, Rio+20 highlighted
the importance of the global dimension.

This EAP aims to step up the contribution of
environment policy to the transition towards a resource-efficient, low-carbon
economy in which natural capital is protected and enhanced, and the health and
well-being of citizens is safeguarded. The programme provides an overarching
framework for environment policy to 2020, identifying nine priority objectives
for the EU and its Member States to attain.

Responsibility for achieving environment and
climate-related goals and objectives is shared by the EU and its Member States. The programme should be implemented at the appropriate level, in line with
the principle of subsidiarity.

2.           RESULTS OF CONSULTATIONS WITH THE
INTERESTED PARTIES AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS

In preparing this proposal, the Commission
carried out an impact assessment taking into account the views expressed by the
other EU institutions, as well as by a broad range of stakeholders. It also
drew on a number of studies and evaluations. The assessment found that the
proposal would add value in a number of ways: by providing a strategic
framework for environmental policy in the EU; by ensuring complementarity and
coherence; by ensuring predictability and a level playing field; and by
stimulating action at all levels of governance. The views expressed by a
majority of stakeholders support these findings and the proposed focus of the
programme.

3.           LEGAL ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSAL

This proposal for a Decision of the European
Parliament and of the Council on a new General Union Environment
Action Programme to 2020 is based on Article 192 (3) TFEU.

4.           BUDGETARY IMPLICATION

The programme in this proposal for a Decision
has been developed in line with the Commission proposal for the EU Multiannual
Financial Framework 2014-2020.

2012/0337 (COD)

Proposal for a

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
AND OF THE COUNCIL

on a General Union Environment Action
Programme to 2020

"Living well, within the limits
of our planet"

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE
COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the
Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 192(3) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the
European Commission,

After transmission of the draft legislative
act to the national Parliaments,

Having regard to the opinion of the
European Economic and Social Committee[1],

Having regard to the opinion of the
Committee of the Regions[2],

Acting in accordance with the ordinary
legislative procedure,

Whereas:

(1)       The Union has set itself
the objective to become a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy by 2020 with
a set of policies and actions towards a low-carbon and resource-efficient
economy[3].

(2)       Successive environment action
programmes have provided the framework for Union action in the field of
environment since 1973.

(3)       The Sixth Community Environment
Action Programme (6th EAP) ended in July 2012, but many measures and
actions launched under that programme continue to be implemented.

(4)       The final assessment of 6th
EAP concluded that the programme delivered benefits for the environment and
provided an overarching strategic direction for environment policy. Despite those
achievements, unsustainable trends still persist in all four priority areas
identified in the 6th EAP: climate change, biodiversity, environment
and health, and sustainable use of natural resources and management of waste.

(5)       The final assessment
highlighted some shortcomings of the 6th EAP, which should be
addressed in the new programme.

(6)       Global systemic trends and
challenges related to population dynamics, urbanisation, disease and pandemics,
accelerating technological change and unsustainable economic growth add to the
complexity of tackling environmental challenges and achieving long-term
sustainable development. Ensuring the Union’s long-term prosperity requires
taking further action to address those challenges.

(7)       It is essential that Union
priority objectives for 2020 are established, in light of a long-term vision
for 2050. The new programme should build on policy initiatives in the Europe
2020 strategy[4],
including the EU climate and energy package[5],
the Roadmap for moving to a low-carbon economy in 2050[6], the EU Biodiversity Strategy
to 2020[7],
the Roadmap to a resource-efficient Europe[8]
and the Innovation Union Flagship Initiative[9].

(8)       The programme should help achieve
the environment targets the Union has already agreed.

(9)       The Union has agreed to
achieve a reduction of EU greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of at least 20 %
by 2020 (30 %, provided that other developed countries commit themselves
to comparable emissions reductions and that developing countries contribute
adequately according to their responsibilities and respective capabilities); to
ensure that 20 % of energy consumption comes from renewable energy by 2020;
and a 20 % cut in primary energy use compared with projected levels, to be
achieved by improving energy efficiency[10];

(10)     The Union has agreed to
halt the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services in the
EU by 2020, restore them in so far as feasible, while stepping up the EU
contribution to averting global biodiversity loss[11];

(11)     The Union has agreed to
achieve good status for all Union waters, including freshwater (rivers and
lakes, groundwater), transitional waters (estuaries/deltas) and coastal waters
within one nautical mile from the coast by 2015[12];

(12)     The Union has agreed achieve
good environmental status in all marine waters of the Union by 2020[13];

(13)     The Union has agreed to
achieve levels of air quality that do not give rise to significant negative
impacts on and risks to human health and the environment[14];

(14)     The Union has agreed to
achieve, by 2020, that chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to the
minimisation of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment[15];

(15)     The Union has agreed to
protect the environment and human health by preventing or reducing the adverse
impacts of the generation and management of waste and by reducing overall
impact of resource use and improving the efficiency of such use, by applying
the following waste hierarchy: prevention, preparing for re-use, recycling,
other recovery, disposal[16];

(16)     The Union has agreed to strive
towards an absolute decoupling of economic growth and environmental degradation[17];

(17)     The Union has agreed to strive
to achieve a land degradation neutral world in the context of sustainable
development.[18]

(18)     Union environment policy is
based in particular on the polluter-pays principle, the precautionary principle
and preventive action, and the principle of rectification of pollution at
source.

(19)     Action to deliver the priority
objectives should be taken at different levels of governance, in line with the
principle of subsidiarity.

(20)     Engagement with non-government
actors is important in ensuring the success of the programme and the
achievement of its priority objectives.

(21)     Biodiversity loss and the
degradation of ecosystems in the Union have important implications for the
environment and are costly for society as a whole, particularly for economic
actors in sectors that depend directly on ecosystem services.

(22)     There is significant scope
for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing resource efficiency in the Union. This will ease pressures on the environment and 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.

(23)     Environmental problems and
impacts continue to pose significant risks for human health and wellbeing,
whereas measures to improve the state of the environment can be beneficial.

(24)     The full and even
implementation of the environment acquis across the Union is a sound
investment for the environment and human health, and also for the economy.

(25)     Union environment policy
should continue to draw on a sound evidence base.

(26)     Environmental objectives should
be supported by adequate investments.

(27)     Environmental integration
is essential to reduce pressures on the environment resulting from the policies
and activities of other sectors and to meet environment and climate-related
targets.

(28)     The Union is densely
populated, and over 70 % of citizens live in urban and peri-urban areas
and face specific environment and climate-related challenges.

(29)     Many environmental
challenges are global and can only be fully addressed through a comprehensive
global approach, while other environmental challenges have a strong regional
dimension, which requires cooperation with neighbouring countries.

(30)     As part of the follow-up to
the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20 Summit),
the new general action programme should support international and regional
processes aiming to transform the global economy into an inclusive green
economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty reduction.

(31)     An appropriate mix of
policy instruments can enable businesses and consumers to improve their understanding
of the impact of their activities on the environment and to manage the impact. Such
policy instruments include economic incentives, market-based instruments, information requirements as well as voluntary tools
and measures to complement legislative frameworks and engage stakeholders at
different levels.

(32)     All measures, actions and
targets set out in the new general environment action programme should be taken
forward in accordance with the principles of smart regulation[19] and subject to comprehensive
impact assessment where appropriate.

(33)     Progress towards meeting
the objectives of the new general environment action programme should be
monitored, assessed and evaluated on the basis of agreed indicators,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

A general Union action programme in the
field of the environment for the period up to 31 December 2020 (‘the programme’)
is adopted as set out in the Annex.

Article 2

1. In executing the programme, the Union shall have the following objectives:

(a)
to protect, conserve and enhance the Union’s natural capital;

(b)
to turn the Union into a resource-efficient,
green and competitive low-carbon economy;

(c)
to safeguard the Union's citizens from
environment-related pressures and risks to health and wellbeing;

(d)
to maximise the benefits of the Union's environment legislation;

(e)
to improve the evidence base for environment
policy;

(f)
to secure investment for environment and climate
policy and get the prices right;

(g)
to improve environmental integration and policy
coherence;

(h)
to enhance the sustainability of the Union's cities;

(i)
to increase the Union’s effectiveness in
confronting regional and global environmental challenges.

2. The programme shall be based on the
polluter-pays principle, the precautionary principle and preventive action, and
the principle of rectification of pollution at source.

3. All measures, actions and targets set
out in the programme shall be implemented in accordance with the principles of
smart regulation[20]
and subject to comprehensive impact assessment where appropriate.

Article 3

1. The Union and its Member States are responsible for ensuring the delivery of the priority objectives set out in this
programme. They shall pursue a coherent approach to addressing the challenges
identified. Action shall be taken with due account of the principle of
subsidiarity and at the level best suited to achieving the priority objectives
and related outcomes set out in this programme.

2. Public authorities at all levels shall
work with businesses and social partners, civil society and individual citizens
in implementing this programme.

Article 4

This Decision shall enter into force on the
twentieth day following its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Union.

Done at Brussels,

For the European Parliament                       For
the Council

The President                                                 The
President

ANNEX

‘Living well, within the limits of our
planet’

A PROGRAMME FOR
ACTION TO 2020

1.           Over the past 40 years, a
broad range of environmental legislation has been put in place, adding up to
the most comprehensive modern standards in the world. This has helped to address
some of the most serious environmental concerns of citizens and businesses in
the Union.

2.           Emissions of pollutants to
air, water and soil have been reduced significantly over the past decades, as have greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in recent
years. EU chemicals legislation has been modernised and the use of many toxic
or hazardous substances such as lead, cadmium and mercury has been restricted
in products found in most households. EU citizens enjoy some of the best water
quality in the world, and over 18 % of the EU’s territory and 4 % of
its seas have been designated as protected areas for nature.

3.           The Union's environment
policy has stimulated innovation and investment in environmental goods and
services, generating jobs and export opportunities[21]. Successive enlargements have
extended high standards of environmental protection across a large part of the
European continent, and the Union's efforts have contributed to increasing
international commitment to combat climate change and biodiversity loss, and to
successful global efforts to eliminate ozone-depleting substances and leaded
fuels.

4.           Considerable headway has
also been made in integrating environmental objectives into other Union
policies and activities. The reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has,
since 2003, linked direct payments to requirements for farmers to maintain land
in good agricultural and environmental condition and to comply with relevant
environmental legislation. Fighting climate change has become an integral part
of energy policy and progress is being made on integrating resource efficiency,
climate change and energy efficiency concerns into other key sectors, such as
transport and buildings.

5.           However, many
environmental trends in the EU remain worrying, not least due to insufficient
implementation of existing EU environment legislation. Only 17 % of
species and habitats assessed under the Habitats Directive[22] are in good status, and the
degradation and loss of natural capital is jeopardising efforts to attain the
EU’s biodiversity and climate change objectives. This has high associated costs
which have not yet been properly valued in our economic or social system.
Thirty per cent of the EU’s territory is highly fragmented, affecting the
connectivity and health of ecosystems and their ability to provide services as
well as viable habitats for species. While progress has
been made in the EU to decouple growth from GHG emissions, resource use and
environmental impacts, resource use is still largely
unsustainable and inefficient, and waste is not yet properly managed. As a
result, EU businesses are foregoing the significant opportunities that resource
efficiency offers in terms of competitiveness, cost reductions, improved
productivity and security of supply. Water quality and air pollution levels are
still problematic in many parts of Europe, and EU citizens continue to be
exposed to hazardous substances, potentially compromising their health and
wellbeing. Unsustainable land use is consuming fertile soils, with impacts on
food security and the achievement of biodiversity targets. Soil degradation
continues largely unchecked.

6.           Environmental change in
the EU is increasingly caused by developments taking place at global level,
including demographics, consumption and trade patterns, and rapid technological
progress. These may offer significant opportunities for economic growth and
societal well-being, but pose challenges and uncertainties for the EU’s economy
and society and are causing environmental degradation worldwide[23].

7.           Together with current
wasteful production and consumption systems in the world economy, rising global
demand for goods and services and depletion of resources is increasing the cost
of essential raw materials, minerals and energy, generating more pollution and
waste, increasing global GHG emissions and driving land degradation,
deforestation and biodiversity loss. Nearly two-thirds of the world’s
ecosystems are in decline[24]
and there is evidence that planetary boundaries for biodiversity, climate change
and the nitrogen cycle have already been transgressed[25]. There
is likely to be a global shortfall of 40 % in water by 2030 unless there is
significant progress in improving resource efficiency. There
is also the risk that climate change will further exacerbate these problems,
with high costs. In 2011, disasters partly due to climate change resulted in
global economic losses of over 300 billion Euros. The OECD has warned that the
continued degradation and erosion of natural capital risks bringing about
irreversible changes that could endanger two centuries of rising living
standards and entail significant costs[26].

8.           Addressing some of these
complex issues requires tapping into the full potential of existing
environmental technology and ensuring the continuous development and uptake by
industry of the best available techniques and emerging innovations. Rapid
advances in promising fields of science and technology are also needed. This should
be made possible by boosting research and creating conditions conducive to
private research-related investments. At the same time, we need a better
understanding of potential risks to the environment and human health associated
with new technologies, and we need to assess and manage these better. This is a
precondition for public acceptance of new technologies, as well as for the EU’s
capacity to identify and respond to potential risks associated with technological
developments in an effective and timely manner.

9.           To live well in the future,
urgent, concerted action should be taken now to improve ecological resilience
and maximise the benefits environment policy can deliver for the economy and
society, while respecting the planet’s ecological limits. This programme
reflects the EU’s commitment to transforming itself into an inclusive green
economy that secures growth and development, safeguards human health and well-being,
provides decent jobs, reduces inequalities and invests in and preserves natural
capital.

10.         The following 2050 vision
is intended to help guide action up to and beyond 2020: In 2050, we live well,
within the planet's ecological limits. Our prosperity and healthy environment
stem from an innovative, circular economy where nothing is wasted and where
natural resources are managed in ways that enhance our society's resilience.
Our low carbon growth has long been decoupled from resource use, setting the
pace for a global sustainable economy.

11.         This transformation requires
the full integration of environment issues into other policies, such as energy,
transport, agriculture, fisheries, economy and industry, research and
innovation, employment and social policy so as to create a coherent, joined-up
approach. Action within the EU should also be complemented by enhanced global
action and cooperation with neighbouring countries to tackle common challenges.

12.         The EU has set this
transformation in motion with long-term, integrated strategies to halt
biodiversity loss[27],
improve resource efficiency[28]
and expedite the transition towards a low-carbon economy[29]. The Commission has further
integrated environmental concerns and objectives in recent initiatives taken in
other key policy areas, including energy[30]
and transport[31],
and sought to enhance the delivery of environmental benefits through reforms of
EU policies for agriculture and rural development, fisheries and cohesion,
building on achievements to date.

13.         The EU has signed up to many
internationally-agreed environmental commitments, including those made at the
United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20)[32] where it marked its support
for the inclusive green economy as a central part of a broader strategy for
sustainable development.

14.         This programme complements
these efforts by defining priority objectives for the EU to attain over the
period up to 2020.

15.         In many cases, action to
achieve these objectives will be required primarily at national, regional or
local level, in line with the principle of subsidiarity. In others, additional
measures at EU level will be needed. Since environment policy is a sphere of
shared competence in the EU, one of the purposes of this programme is to create
common ownership of shared goals and objectives and ensure a level playing
field for businesses and public authorities. Clear goals and objectives also
provide policy makers and other stakeholders, including regions and cities,
businesses and social partners, and individual citizens, with a sense of
direction and a predictable framework for action.

THEMATIC PRIORITIES

Priority objective 1: To
protect, conserve and enhance the EU’s natural capital

16.         The EU’s economic
prosperity and well-being is underpinned by its natural capital, which includes
ecosystems that provide essential goods and services, from fertile soil and
multi-functional forests to productive land and seas, from fresh water and
clean air to pollination, flood control and climate regulation and protection
against natural disasters. A substantial body of EU legislation seeks to
protect, conserve and enhance natural capital, including the Water Framework
Directive (WFD)[33],
the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD)[34],
the Air Quality and related directives[35]
and the Habitats and Birds Directives[36]. Legislation to tackle climate
change, chemicals, industrial emissions and waste also contribute to easing the
pressures on biodiversity, including ecosystems, species and habitats.

17.         However, recent assessments
show that biodiversity in the EU is still being lost and that most ecosystems
are seriously degraded[37].
The EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020[38]
sets out targets and actions needed to reverse these negative trends and to enhance
ecosystem services. It must be implemented in full to enable the EU to meet its
biodiversity headline target for 2020. Whereas the strategy includes built-in
measures to improve the implementation of the Birds and Habitats directives,
including the Natura 2000 network, reaching the headline target will require
the full implementation of all existing legislation aimed at protecting natural
capital.

18.         Despite considerable
efforts to date, the requirement under the WFD to achieve ‘good ecological
status’ by 2015 is likely to be met only for some 53 % of surface water
bodies in the EU[39].
There is also a risk that the Marine Strategy Framework Directive target to
achieve ‘good environmental status’ by 2020 may be missed, inter alia due to
continued overfishing and the presence of marine litter in Europe’s seas. And
while EU air and industrial emissions policies have helped to reduce many forms
of pollution, ecosystems continue to suffer from excess nitrogen deposition and
ozone pollution associated with emissions from transport, intensive agriculture
and power generation.

19.         Protecting, conserving and
enhancing the EU’s natural capital therefore also requires tackling problems at
source through, inter alia, better integration of natural capital
objectives into other policies, ensuring that policies are coherent and deliver
co-benefits. The greening elements set out in the Commission’s reform
proposals, notably for EU agriculture, fisheries and cohesion policy, backed by the proposals for greening the EU budget under the
Multi-Annual Financial Framework 2014-2020 (MFF) are designed to support these
objectives. For instance, aquatic ecosystems in rural
areas should benefit from the linking of farm payments
to compliance with relevant requirements of the WFD as
set out in the Commission's proposals for the reform of the CAP[40]. Greening of the CAP will also
promote the environmentally beneficial agricultural practices of crop
diversification, the protection of permanent grassland, and the establishment
and maintenance of ecologically valuable farmland and forest areas.

20.         In the case of the marine
environment, while the maritime sector offers economic opportunities, from
fishing, shipping and aquaculture to raw materials and offshore energy and
marine biotechnology, care needs to be taken to ensure their exploitation is
compatible with the conservation and sustainable management of marine and
coastal ecosystems.

21.         Ecosystem-based approaches
to climate change mitigation and adaptation which also benefit biodiversity and
the provision of other ecosystem services should be used more extensively as
part of the EU’s climate change policy, while other environmental objectives
such as biodiversity conservation and water protection should be fully taken
into account in decisions relating to renewable energy. Finally, measures to
address transport-related air pollution and CO2 emissions will need to be
rolled out[41].

22.         The degradation,
fragmentation and unsustainable use of land in the EU is jeopardising the
provision of several key ecosystem services, threatening biodiversity and
increasing Europe’s vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters. It
is also driving soil degradation. More than 25% of the EU's territory is
affected by soil erosion by water, which compromises soil functions and affects
the quality of freshwater. Soil contamination and sealing are also persistent
problems. More than half a million sites across the EU are thought to be contaminated
and until they are identified and assessed, they continue to pose potentially
serious environmental and health risks. Every year more than 1 000 km² of
land are taken for housing, industry, transport or recreational purposes. These
long-term changes are difficult or costly to reverse, and nearly always involve
trade-offs between various social, economic and environmental needs. Member
States' planning decisions relating to land use should be made more
sustainable.

23.         To reduce the most significant
man-made pressures on land, soil and other ecosystems in Europe, action will be
taken to ensure that decisions relating to land use at all relevant levels give
proper consideration to environmental as well as social and economic impacts. The
Rio+20 Summit outcome called for a 'land degradation neutral world'. The EU and
Member States should reflect on how best to make such a commitment
operational within their respective competencies as well as to address soil
quality issues within a binding legal framework[42]. Targets
will also be set for sustainable land use and soil.

24.         Although nitrogen and phosphorus inputs to the EU environment have decreased
considerably over the past 20 years, excessive nutrient releases continue to
affect air and water quality and to have a negative impact on ecosystems,
causing significant problems for human health. In particular, ammonia release
from inefficient fertiliser management and inadequate waste water treatment urgently
need to be tackled to achieve further significant reductions in nutrient
releases. Further efforts to manage the nutrient cycle in a more cost-effective
and resource-efficient way, and to improve efficiency in use of fertilisers are
also required. This calls for improving the
implementation of EU environmental legislation to address these challenges,
tightening standards where necessary and addressing the nutrient cycle as part
of a more holistic approach which interlinks and
integrates existing EU policies that play a role in tackling excessive nutrient
releases and eutrophication.

25.         Action taken under the
Biodiversity Strategy to restore 15 % of degraded ecosystems in the EU and
to expand the use of green infrastructure will help to overcome land
fragmentation. It will further enhance natural capital and increase ecosystem
resilience, and can offer cost-effective options for climate change mitigation
and adaptation and disaster risk management. Meanwhile, Member States’ efforts
to map and assess ecosystems and their services, and the ‘no net loss’ initiative
planned in 2015 will contribute to maintaining the stock of natural capital at
a variety of scales. The integration of the economic value of ecosystem
services into accounting and reporting systems at EU and national level by 2020
will result in better management of the EU’s natural capital.

26.         In order to protect,
conserve and enhance the EU's natural capital, the programme shall ensure that
by 2020:

(a)
The loss of biodiversity and the degradation of
ecosystem services are halted and ecosystems and their services are maintained
and enhanced.

(b)
The impacts of pressures on fresh, transitional
and coastal waters are significantly reduced to achieve, maintain or enhance
good status as defined by the Water Framework Directive.

(c)
The impacts of pressures on marine waters are
reduced to achieve or maintain good environmental status as required by the
Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

(d)
The impacts of air pollution on ecosystems and
biodiversity are further reduced.

(e)
Land is managed sustainably in the EU, soil is
adequately protected and the remediation of contaminated sites is well
underway.

(f)
The nutrient cycle (nitrogen and phosphorus) is
managed in a more sustainable and resource-efficient way.

(g)
Forests and the services they provide are
protected and their resilience to climate change and fires is improved.

This requires, in particular:

(a)
Fully implementing the EU Biodiversity Strategy.

(b)
Fully implementing the Blueprint to Safeguard
Europe’s Water Resources.

(c)
Increasing efforts, inter alia, to ensure that healthy
fish stocks are achieved by 2020 at the latest, starting by fishing at, or
below, maximum sustainable yield levels as from 2015 in all fisheries, and
establish an EU-wide quantitative reduction target for marine litter.

(d)
Strengthening efforts to reach full compliance
with EU air quality legislation and defining strategic targets and actions
beyond 2020.

(e)
Increasing efforts to reduce soil erosion and
increase soil organic matter, to remediate contaminated sites and to enhance
the integration of land use aspects into coordinated decision-making involving
all relevant levels of government, supported by the adoption of targets on soil
and on land as a resource, and land planning objectives.

(f)
Taking further steps to reduce emissions of
nitrogen and phosphorus, including those from urban and industrial wastewater
and from fertiliser use.

(g)
Developing and implementing a new EU Forest
Strategy that addresses the multiple demands on and benefits of forests and
contributes to a more strategic approach to protecting and enhancing forests.

Priority objective 2: To turn
the EU into a resource-efficient, green and competitive low-carbon economy

27.         The Europe 2020 Strategy’s ‘Resource-efficient
Europe’ Flagship Initiative aims to support the shift towards an economy that
is efficient in the way it uses all resources, decouples absolutely economic
growth from resource and energy use and its environmental impacts, reduces GHG emissions,
enhances competitiveness through efficiency and innovation and promotes greater
energy security. The Roadmap to Resource Efficient Europe[43] and the Roadmap for moving to
a competitive low-carbon economy[44]
are key building blocks of the Initiative, setting out the framework for future
actions to deliver on these objectives.

28.         Innovation to improve
resource efficiency is required across the economy to improve competitiveness
in the context of rising resource prices, scarcity and supply constraints. The
business sector is the prime driver of innovation, including eco-innovation.
However, markets will not deliver on their own. Government action, at Union and
Member State level, is essential to provide the right framework conditions
for eco-innovation, stimulating the development of sustainable business or
technological solutions to environmental challenges[45].

29.         This key requirement for
meeting the environmental challenge also has important socio-economic benefits.
Potential job growth brought about by the transformation to a low carbon and
resource-efficient economy is key for delivering the Europe 2020 employment
objectives[46].
Employment in environmental technologies and service sectors in the EU has been
growing by around 3 % annually over recent years[47]. The global market for
eco-industries is estimated to be worth at least a trillion Euros, and is
forecast to almost double over the next 10 years. European companies already
have a global lead in recycling and energy efficiency and should be encouraged
to benefit from this growth in global demand, supported by the Eco-innovation
Action Plan[48].
For example, the European renewables sector alone is expected to generate more
than 400,000 new jobs by 2020. [49]

30.         Fully implementing the EU
Climate and Energy Package is essential to reach the milestones identified for
2020 and for building a competitive, low-carbon economy by 2050. Whereas the EU
is currently on track to reduce domestic GHG emissions 20 % below 1990
levels by 2020, meeting the 20 % energy efficiency target will require far
more rapid efficiency improvements. This is also important in the light of still-growing
demand for energy and the on-going debate on conflicts between land use for
food and for bio-energy. The new Energy Efficiency Directive is expected to
make a significant contribution in this regard.

31.         All sectors of the economy
will need to contribute to reducing GHG emissions for the EU to deliver its fair
share of global efforts. The EU needs to agree the next steps for its climate
and energy framework beyond 2020 in order to prepare itself for international
negotiations on a new legally binding agreement, but also to provide Member States and industry with a clear framework to make the medium-term investments needed.
Hence the EU needs to consider policy options for delivering the reductions set
out in the Low-Carbon Economy Roadmap for the period beyond 2020. The 2050 Energy
roadmap and the White Paper on transport need to be underpinned by strong
policy frameworks. Moreover, Member States need to develop and put in place
long-term, cost-effective low-carbon development strategies aimed at achieving the
EU objective of reducing GHG emissions by 80% to 95% by mid-century, compared
to 1990, as part of a global effort to limit average temperature increase to below
2°C. The EU Emissions Trading System will continue to be a central pillar of EU
climate policy beyond 2020.

32.         Industry's uptake of the best
available techniques under the Industrial Emissions Directive will deliver
improved resource use patterns and reduced emissions for over 50 000 major
industrial installations in the EU, thus making a significant contribution to
stimulating the development of innovative techniques, greening the economy and
reducing costs for industry in the longer term.

33.         Measures will also be taken
to further improve the environmental performance of goods and services on the
EU market over their whole life cycle through measures to increase the supply
of environmentally sustainable products and stimulate a significant shift in
consumer demand for these products. This will be achieved using a balanced mix
of incentives for consumers and businesses, including SMEs, market-based
instruments and regulations to reduce the environmental impacts of their
operations and products. Existing product legislation such as the Ecodesign and
Energy Label Directives and the Ecolabel Regulation will be reviewed with a
view to improving the environmental performance and resource efficiency of
products throughout their lifecycle, thus ensuring a more coherent framework
for sustainable production and consumption in the EU[50].

34.         Since 80% of all product-related
environmental impacts are locked in during their design phase, the EU policy
framework should ensure that priority products placed on the EU market are ‘eco-designed’
with a view to optimising resource and material efficiency, by addressing inter
alia recyclability, recycled content and durability. These requirements will
have to be implementable and enforceable. Efforts will be stepped up at EU and
national level to remove barriers to eco-innovation[51] and to unlock the full
potential of Europe’s eco-industries, generating benefits for green jobs and
growth.

35.         To set a framework for
action to improve resource efficiency aspects beyond GHG emissions and energy,
targets for reducing the overall environmental impact of consumption will be
set, in particular in the food, housing and mobility sectors[52]. Taken together, these are responsible
for almost 80 % of the environmental impacts of consumption. The Rio+20 outcome recognised the need to significantly reduce post-harvest and other food
losses and waste throughout the food supply chain.

36.         In addition to mandatory green
public procurement requirements for certain product categories[53], most Member States have
adopted voluntary action plans and many have set targets for specific product
groups. There is, however, considerable scope for administrations at all levels
to further reduce their environmental impact through their purchasing decisions.
Member States and regions should take further steps to reach the target of
applying green procurement criteria to at least 50% of public tenders. The
Commission will assess the possibility of introducing further sector-specific
legislation to set mandatory green public
procurement rules for additional product categories.

37.         There is also considerable
potential for improving waste management in the EU to make better use of
resources, open up new markets, create new jobs and reduce dependence on
imports of raw materials, while having lower impacts on the environment[54]. Each year in the EU, 2.7
billion tonnes of waste are produced, of which 98 million tonnes is hazardous.
On average, only 40 % of solid waste is re-used or recycled. The rest goes
to landfill or incineration. In some Member States, more than 70 % of
waste is recycled, showing how waste could be used as one of the EU’s key
resources. At the same time, many Member States landfill over 75 % of
their municipal waste.

38.         Turning waste into a
resource, as called for in the Resource Efficiency Roadmap, requires the full
implementation of EU waste legislation across the EU, based on strict
application of the waste hierarchy and covering different types of waste[55]. Additional efforts are needed
to: reduce per capita waste generation in absolute terms, limit energy recovery
to non-recyclable materials, phase out landfilling, ensure high quality
recycling, and develop markets for secondary raw materials. Hazardous waste
will need to be managed so as to minimise significant adverse effects on human
health and the environment, as agreed at the Rio+20 Summit. To achieve this, market-based
instruments that privilege prevention, recycling and re-use should be applied
much more systematically across the EU. Barriers facing recycling activities in
the EU internal market should be removed and existing prevention, re-use, recycling,
recovery and landfill diversion targets reviewed so as to move towards a ‘circular’
economy, with a cascading use of resources and residual waste close to zero.

39.         Resource efficiency in the
water sector will also be tackled as a priority to help deliver good water status.
Even though droughts and water scarcity are affecting more and more parts of
Europe, an estimated 20-40 % of Europe’s available water is still being
wasted, for instance, through leakages in the distribution system. According to
available modelling, there is still considerable scope for improving water
efficiency in the EU. Moreover, rising demand and the impacts of climate change
are expected to increase the pressure on Europe’s water resources significantly.
Against this background, the Union and Member States should take action to
ensure water abstraction respects available renewable water resource limits by
2020, including by improving water efficiency through the use of market
mechanisms such as water pricing that reflects the true value of water[56]. Progress will be facilitated
by accelerated demonstration and rolling out of innovative technologies,
systems and business models building on the Strategic Implementation Plan of
the European Innovation Partnership on Water.

40.         A long-term and predictable
policy framework in all these areas will help to stimulate the level of
investments and action needed to fully develop markets for greener technologies
and promote sustainable business solutions. Resource efficiency indicators and targets
are needed to provide the necessary guidance for public and private
decision-makers in transforming the economy. They will become an integral part
of this programme once agreed at Union level.

41.         In order to turn the EU
into a resource-efficient, green and competitive low-carbon economy, the
programme shall ensure that by 2020:

(a)
The EU has met its 2020 climate and energy
targets and is working towards reducing GHG emissions by 80-95% by 2050
compared to 1990, as part of a global effort to limit the average temperature
increase below 2°C.

(b)
The overall environmental impact of EU industry
in all major industrial sectors is significantly reduced, and resource
efficiency increased.

(c)
The overall environmental impact of production
and consumption is reduced, in particular in the food, housing and mobility
sectors.

(d)
Waste is safely managed as a resource, waste generated
per capita is in absolute decline, energy recovery is limited to non-recyclable
materials and landfilling of recyclable and compostable materials is
effectively eradicated.

(e)
Water stress in the EU is prevented or
significantly reduced.

This requires, in particular:

(a)
Fully implementing the Climate and Energy
Package and agreeing on the EU’s climate and energy policy framework for the
period beyond 2020.

(b)
Generalising the application of ‘Best Available
Techniques’ and enhancing efforts to promote the uptake of emerging innovative
technologies, processes and services.

(c)
Giving impetus to the public and private research
and innovation efforts required for rolling out innovative technologies,
systems and business models which will speed up and lower the cost of
transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient economy.

(d)
Establishing a more coherent framework for
sustainable production and consumption. Reviewing product legislation with a
view to improving the environmental performance and resource efficiency of
products throughout their lifecycle. Setting targets for the reduction of the
overall impact of consumption.

(e)
Fully implementing EU waste legislation. This
will include applying the waste hierarchy and the effective use of market-based
instruments and measures to ensure that landfilling is effectively phased out,
energy recovery is limited to non-recyclable materials, recycled waste is used
as a major, reliable source of raw material for the EU, hazardous waste is
safely managed and its generation is reduced, illegal waste shipments are
eradicated and internal market barriers for environmentally-sound recycling
activities in the EU are removed.

(f)
Improving water efficiency by setting targets at
river basin level and using market mechanisms, such as water pricing.

Priority objective 3: To
safeguard EU citizens from environment-related pressures and risks to health
and wellbeing

42.         EU environment legislation
has delivered significant benefits for the health and well-being of the public.
However, water, air pollution and chemicals remain among the general public's top
environmental concerns in the EU[57].
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that environmental stressors are
responsible for between 15 and 20 % of all deaths in 53 European countries[58]. According to the OECD, urban
air pollution is set to become the primary environmental cause of mortality
worldwide by 2050.

43.         A substantial portion of
the EU's population remains exposed to levels of air pollution exceeding WHO
recommended standards[59].
Action is especially needed in areas where people, particularly sensitive or
vulnerable groups of society, and ecosystems are exposed to high levels of
pollutants, such as in cities or in buildings.

44.         Access to water of
satisfactory quality remains problematic in a number of rural areas in the EU,
while ensuring the good quality of Europe’s bathing waters benefits both human
health and the EU’s tourism industry. Adverse consequences of floods for human
health and economic activity are being experienced more frequently, partly due
to changes to the hydrological cycle and land use.

45.         The failure to fully
implement existing policy is preventing the EU from achieving adequate air and
water quality standards. The EU will update targets in line with latest science
and more actively seek to ensure synergies with other policy objectives in
areas such as climate change, biodiversity and the marine and terrestrial
environment. For example, reducing certain air pollutants can make an important
contribution to climate mitigation. Further work in this direction will be
informed by a comprehensive review of EU air quality legislation and the
Blueprint to Safeguard Europe’s Water Resources.

46.         Tackling pollution at
source remains a priority and the implementation of the Industrial Emissions
Directive will further reduce emissions from major industrial sectors.
Achieving the goals set out in the Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area
will also lead to more sustainable mobility in the EU, thereby addressing a
major source of noise and local air pollution.

47.         An estimated 40 % of
the EU’s population lives in urban areas with levels of noise at night above
the recommended WHO levels.

48.         Horizontal chemicals
legislation (REACH and the Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulations)
provides baseline protection for human health and the environment and promotes
the uptake of evolving non-animal testing methods. However, there is still uncertainty
about the impacts on human health and the environment from the combined effects
of different chemicals (mixtures), nanomaterials, chemicals that interfere with
the endocrine (hormone) system (endocrine disruptors) and chemicals in products.
In recent years, more information has come to light on the need for action to
deal with these challenges, especially if the EU is to attain the goal agreed
at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, and reaffirmed at the
Rio+20 Summit, to have ensured ‘the minimisation of significant adverse effects’
of chemicals on human health and the environment by 2020 and to respond to new
and emerging issues and challenges in an effective, efficient, coherent and
coordinated manner. The EU will further develop and implement approaches to
address combination effects of chemicals and safety concerns related to
endocrine disruptors and set out a comprehensive approach for minimising adverse
effects of hazardous substances, including chemicals in products, supported by
a comprehensive chemical exposure and toxicity knowledge base. The safety
and sustainable management of nanomaterials will be ensured as part of a
comprehensive approach involving risk assessment and management, information
and monitoring. Together these approaches will increase the chemical knowledge
base and provide a predictable framework driving the development of more
sustainable solutions.

49.         Meanwhile,
the growing market for bio-based products, chemicals and materials may offer
advantages such as lower GHG emissions and new market opportunities, but care
needs to be taken to ensure that the full life-cycle of these products is
sustainable and does not exacerbate competition over land or increase emission levels.

50.         Climate change will further
aggravate environment problems by causing prolonged droughts and heat waves,
floods, storms and forest fires, and new or more virulent forms of human,
animal or plant disease. Dedicated action should be taken to ensure that the EU
is adequately prepared to face the pressures and changes resulting from climate
change, strengthening its environmental, economic and societal resilience.
Since many sectors are and will be increasingly subject to climate change
impacts, adaptation and disaster risk management considerations need to be
further integrated into EU policies.

51.         In addition, the measures
to enhance ecological and climate resilience, such as ecosystem restoration and
green infrastructure, can have important socioeconomic benefits, including for
public health. The synergies and potential trade-offs between climate and other
environmental objectives, such as air quality, need to be adequately managed. For
example, fuel switching in response to climate or security of supply
considerations could lead to substantial increases in particulate matter and
dangerous emissions.

52.         In order to safeguard EU
citizens from environment-related pressures and risks to health and wellbeing,
the programme shall ensure that by 2020:

(a)
Air quality in the EU has significantly improved

(b)
Noise pollution in the EU has significantly
decreased.

(c)
Citizens throughout the EU benefit from high
standards for safe drinking and bathing water.

(d)
The combination effects of chemicals and safety
concerns related to endocrine disruptors are effectively addressed, and risks
for the environment and health associated with the use of hazardous substances,
including chemicals in products, is assessed and minimised.

(e)
Safety concerns related to nanomaterials are
effectively addressed as part of a coherent approach across different
legislation.

(f)
Decisive progress is made in adapting to climate
change impacts.

This requires, in particular:

(a)
Implementing updated EU policy on air quality,
aligned with the latest scientific knowledge, and measures to combat air
pollution at source.

(b)
Implementing updated EU noise policy aligned
with the latest scientific knowledge, and measures to reduce noise at source.

(c)
Boosting efforts to implement the Drinking Water
Directive, in particular for small drinking water suppliers, and the Bathing
Water Directive.

(d)
Developing an EU strategy for a non-toxic
environment, supported by a comprehensive chemical exposure and toxicity
knowledge base and conducive to innovation of sustainable substitutes.

(e)
Agreeing and implementing an EU climate
adaptation strategy, including the integration of climate change adaptation and
disaster risk management considerations into key EU policy initiatives and
sectors.

THE
ENABLING FRAMEWORK

53.         Achieving these priority
thematic objectives will require an enabling framework which supports effective
action. Measures will be taken to improve four key pillars of this enabling framework:
to improve the way EU environmental laws are implemented across the board; to
strengthen the scientific evidence base for environment policy; to secure
investments and create the right incentives to protect the environment; and
finally, to improve environmental integration and policy coherence both within
environment policy and with other policies. These horizontal measures will
benefit EU environment policy beyond the scope and timeframe of this programme.

Priority objective 4: To
maximise the benefits of EU environment legislation

54.         The benefits of ensuring
that EU environment legislation is actually implemented are threefold: providing
a level playing field for economic actors operating in the Single Market,
stimulating innovation, and promoting first-mover advantages for European
companies in many sectors. The costs associated with failure to implement
legislation, by contrast, are high, broadly estimated at around €50 billion a
year, including costs related to infringement cases[60]. In 2009 alone there were 451
infringement cases related to EU environment legislation. The Commission also
receives numerous complaints directly from EU citizens, many of which could be
better addressed at Member State or local level.

55.         Improving the
implementation of the EU environment acquis at Member State level will therefore be given top priority in the coming years. There are significant
differences in implementation between and within Member States. There is a need
to equip those involved in implementing environmental legislation at national,
regional and local levels with the knowledge and capacity to improve the
delivery of benefits from this legislation.

56.         The high number of
infringements, complaints and petitions in the area of environment shows the
need for an effective, workable system of checks and balances at national level
to help identify and resolve implementation problems, along with measures to
prevent them from arising in the first place. In this respect, efforts in the
period up to 2020 will focus on delivering improvements in four key areas.

57.         First, the way knowledge
about implementation is collected and disseminated will be improved to help the
general public and environmental professionals fully understand how national
and local administrations put Union commitments into effect[61]. Implementation challenges
specific to an individual Member State will be targeted for assistance, similar
to the tailored approach followed in the European Semester process. For
instance, partnership implementation agreements involving the Commission and
individual Member States will be drawn up, addressing issues such as where to
find financial support for implementation and better information systems to
track progress.

58.         Second, the EU will
extend requirements on inspections and surveillance to the wider body of EU
environment law, complementing these with an EU-level capacity that can address
situations where there is due reason for concern.

59.         Third, the way in which
complaints about implementation of EU environment law are handled and remedied
at national level will be improved.

60.         Fourth, EU citizens will
gain better access to justice in environmental matters and effective legal
protection, in line with international treaties and developments brought about
by the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and recent case law of the
European Court of Justice. Non-judicial conflict resolution will also be
promoted as an alternative to litigation.

61.         The general standard of
environmental governance across the EU will be further improved by enhancing
cooperation at EU level between professionals working on environmental
protection (such as government lawyers, inspectors, prosecutors, ombudsmen and
judges) and encouraging them to share good practices.

62.         In addition to helping Member
States improve compliance[62],
the Commission will continue to do its part to ensure that legislation is fit for
purpose and reflects the latest science. As a general rule, legal obligations
which are sufficiently clear and precise will be enshrined in Regulations,
which have direct and measurable effects and lead to fewer inconsistencies in
implementation. The Commission will step up its use of scoreboards and other
means of publicly tracking Member States' progress in implementing specific
pieces of legislation.

63.         In order to maximise the
benefits of EU environment legislation, the programme shall ensure that by 2020:

(a)
EU citizens have access to clear information showing
how EU environment law is being implemented.

(b)
The implementation of specific environment
legislation is improved.

(c)
Respect for EU environmental law at all
administrative levels is reinforced and a level playing field in the internal
market is guaranteed.

(d)
Citizens’ trust and confidence in EU environment
law is enhanced.

(e)
The principle of effective legal protection for
citizens and their organisations is facilitated.

This requires, in particular:

(a)
Establishing systems at national level which
actively disseminate information about how EU environment legislation is being
implemented, coupled with an EU-level overview of individual Member States’
performance.

(b)
Drawing up partnership implementation agreements
between Member States and the Commission.

(c)
Extending binding criteria for effective Member
State inspections and surveillance to the wider body of EU environment law, and
developing a complementary capacity at EU level to address situations where
there is due reason for concern, backed up by support for networks of
professionals.

(d)
Setting up consistent and effective mechanisms
at national level for the handling of complaints about implementation of EU
environment law.

(e)
Ensuring that national provisions on access to
justice reflect the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, and
promoting non-judicial conflict resolution as a means of finding amicable
solutions for conflicts in the environmental field.

Priority objective 5: To improve
the evidence base for environment policy

64.         Evidence for EU environment
policy is based on environmental monitoring, data, indicators and assessments
linked to the implementation of EU legislation, as well as formal scientific
research and ‘citizen science’ initiatives. There has been considerable
progress on strengthening this evidence base, raising awareness and improving the
confidence of policy-makers and the public in the evidence-based approach to
policy, facilitating their understanding of complex environmental and societal
challenges.

65.         Steps should be taken at EU
and international level to further strengthen and improve the science-policy
interface for environment, such as through the appointment of Chief Scientific
Advisors, as already done by the Commission and some Member States.

66.         However, the pace of current
developments and uncertainties surrounding likely future trends requires
further steps to maintain and strengthen this evidence base to ensure policy in
the EU continues to draw on a sound understanding of the state of the
environment, possible response options and their consequences.

67.         Over past decades, there
have been improvements in the way environmental information and statistics are
collected and used, at EU and at Member State level, as well as globally.
However, data collection and quality remain variable and the plethora of
sources can make access difficult. Continuous investment is therefore needed to
ensure that credible, comparable and quality-assured data and indicators are
available and accessible to those involved in defining and implementing policy.
Environmental information systems need to be designed to enable new information
on emerging themes to be easily incorporated.

68.         Further implementation of
the Shared Environmental Information System[63]
principle of ‘produce once, use often’ and the common approaches and standards
on acquisition and collation of spatial information under the INSPIRE[64] and GMES[65] systems will help avoid
duplication of effort and eliminate unnecessary administrative burdens on
public authorities, as will efforts to streamline reporting obligations under
different pieces of legislation. Member States should make information gathered
to assess environmental impacts of plans, programmes and projects (e.g. through
Environmental or Strategic Impact Assessments) more accessible to the public.

69.         There are still significant
gaps in knowledge, some of them relevant to this programme's priority
objectives. Investing in further research to fill these gaps is therefore
essential to ensure that public authorities and businesses have a sound basis
for taking decisions which fully reflect true social, economic and
environmental benefits and costs. Four gaps stand out:

–
Advanced research to fill data and knowledge
gaps and adequate modelling tools are needed to better understand complex issues
related to environmental change, such as climate change and disaster impacts,
the implications of species loss for ecosystem services, environmental
thresholds and ecological tipping points. While available evidence fully warrants
precautionary action in these areas, further research into planetary
boundaries, systemic risks and our society’s ability to cope with them will
support the development of the most appropriate responses. This should include investment
in closing data and knowledge gaps, mapping and assessing ecosystem services,
understanding the role of biodiversity in underpinning them and how they adapt
to climate change.

–
The transition to an inclusive green economy
requires proper consideration of the interplay between socio-economic and
environmental factors. Improving our understanding of sustainable consumption
and production patterns, how costs of action or inaction can be considered more
accurately, how changes in individual and societal behaviour contribute to
environmental outcomes and how Europe’s environment is affected by global
megatrends can help better target policy initiatives towards improving resource
efficiency and relieving pressures on the environment.

–
There are still uncertainties surrounding the human
health and environmental implications of endocrine disruptors, mixtures,
chemicals in products and nanomaterials. Filling these gaps can accelerate
decision-making and enable the further development of the chemicals acquis
to better target areas of concern, while stimulating more sustainable use of
chemicals. An improved understanding of the environmental factors affecting
human health would allow preventive policy actions to be taken.

–
Ensuring all sectors contribute to efforts to
combat climate change requires a clear overview of GHG measurement, monitoring
and data collection, which is currently incomplete for key sectors, such as
agriculture.

Horizon 2020 will provide the opportunity to
focus research efforts and to deploy Europe's innovation potential by bringing
together resources and knowledge across different fields and disciplines within
the EU and internationally.

70.         New and emerging issues
arising from rapid technological developments that outpace policy, such as
nanomaterials, unconventional energy sources, carbon capture and storage and
electromagnetic waves, pose risk management challenges and can give rise to
conflicting interests, needs and expectations. This in turn can lead to
increasing public concern and potential hostility towards new technologies.
There is therefore a need to ensure a broader, explicit societal debate about the
environmental risks and possible trade-offs that we are willing to accept in
the light of sometimes incomplete or uncertain information about emerging risks
and how they should be handled. A systematic approach to environmental risk
management will improve the EU’s capacity to identify and act upon
technological developments in a timely manner, while providing reassurance to
the public.

71.         In order to improve the
evidence base for environment policy, the programme shall ensure that by 2020:

(a)
Policy-makers and businesses have a better basis
for developing and implementing environment and climate policies, including measuring
costs and benefits.

(b)
Our understanding of and ability to evaluate and
manage emerging environmental and climate risk is greatly improved.

(c)
The environment policy-science interface is
strengthened.

This requires, in particular:

(a)
Coordinating and focusing research efforts at EU
and Member State levels on addressing key environmental knowledge gaps,
including the risks of environmental tipping-points.

(b)
Adopting a systematic approach to risk
management.

(c)
Simplifying, streamlining and modernising
environmental and climate change data and information collection, management
and sharing.

Priority objective 6: To secure investment
for environment and climate policy and get the prices right

72.         The efforts required to
achieve the objectives set out above will need adequate investment from public
and private sources. At the same time, while many
countries are struggling to cope with the economic and financial crisis, the
need for economic reforms and the reduction of public debts offer new
opportunities to move rapidly towards a more resource-efficient, low-carbon
economy.

73.         Attracting
investment in some areas is currently difficult because of the lack of price
signals from the market, or distorted price signals arising from a failure to
account properly for environmental costs or from public subsidies for environmentally
harmful activities.

74.         The Union and Member States
will need to put in place the right conditions to ensure that environmental
externalities are adequately addressed and that the right market signals are
sent to the private sector, with due regard to any
adverse social impacts. This will involve applying the
polluter-pays principle more systematically, through phasing out
environmentally harmful subsidies and shifting taxation away from labour
towards pollution. As natural resources become increasingly scarce, the
economic rent and profits associated with their ownership or exclusive use may
increase. Public intervention to ensure that such rents are not excessive and
that externalities are taken into account will lead to more efficient use of
these resources and will help to avoid market distortions, as well as generate
public revenue. Environment and climate priorities will be pursued in the
framework of the European Semester where these are relevant to the sustainable
growth prospects of individual Member States to which country-specific
recommendations are addressed. Other market-based instruments, such as payments
for ecosystem services, should be used more extensively at EU and national
level to incentivise private sector involvement and sustainable management of
natural capital.

75.         The private sector should also
be encouraged to take up opportunities offered under the new EU financial
framework to step up their involvement in efforts to achieve environmental and
climate objectives, especially in relation to eco-innovation activities and the
uptake of new technologies, with a particular focus on SMEs. Public-private
initiatives for eco-innovation should be promoted under European Innovation
Partnerships, such as the Innovation Partnership on Water[66]. Through the new framework for
Innovative Financial Instruments, private sector access to finance for investments
in environment – notably biodiversity and climate change –should be facilitated.
European enterprises should be further encouraged to disclose environmental
information as part of their financial reporting, beyond the extent required
under existing EU legislation[67].

76.         In its proposals for the
2014-2020 EU Multiannual Financial Framework, the Commission has improved the
mainstreaming of environment and climate objectives in all EU funding
instruments to provide opportunities for Member States to achieve related
objectives. It has also proposed to raise climate-related expenditure to at
least 20 % of the whole budget. In key policy areas such as agriculture,
the Commission has proposed to enhance incentives for farmers to provide
environmentally-beneficial public goods and services, matched by
environment-related conditionalities. If these proposals are accepted, EU
policies will be matched with coherent financial resources for implementation,
and additional funds will be available for environment and climate change, effectively
delivering concrete and coherent benefits at local and regional level.

77.         Beyond such mainstreaming, inclusion
of ‘integrated projects’ in the LIFE programme will enable funds to be combined
and better aligned with policy priorities in a more strategic, cost-effective
way in support of environment and climate-related measures.

78.         The increased capital
provided to the European Investment Bank (EIB) as part of the 2012 Compact for
Growth and Jobs provides an additional source of investment[68].

79.         Experience gained in the
2007-2013 programming period shows that although significant funds are available
for the environment, the uptake at national and regional level in the early
years has been very uneven, potentially jeopardising the achievement of agreed
objectives and targets. To avoid repeating this experience, Member States should
integrate environment and climate objectives in their funding strategies and
programmes for economic, social and territorial cohesion, rural development and
maritime policy, prioritise the early uptake of funding for the environment and
climate change and reinforce the capacity of implementing bodies to deliver
cost-effective and sustainable investments in order to secure the adequate and
needed financial support for investments in these areas.

80.         In addition, it has been
difficult to trace biodiversity and climate-related expenditure. To assess
progress towards these objectives, a tracking and reporting system should be
established based on OECD methodology (‘The Rio Markers’). This is important
for the EU’s overall effort relating to multilateral agreements on climate
change and biodiversity. In this context, the EU will contribute to the
intergovernmental process launched at Rio+20 to assess financing needs and
propose options for an effective sustainable development financing strategy.

81.         Work to develop indicators to
monitor economic progress which complement and go beyond GDP should continue.
Securing transparent, sustainable investment depends on proper valuation of
environmental goods. Further efforts to measure the value of our ecosystems and
the cost of their depletion, together with corresponding incentives, will be needed
to inform policy and investment decisions. Work to develop a system of
environmental accounts, including physical and monetary accounts for natural
capital and ecosystem services, will need to be stepped up. This supports the
outcome of Rio+20, which recognises the need for broader measures of progress to
measure well-being and sustainability to complement gross domestic product.

82.         In order to secure
investment for environment and climate policy and get the prices right, the
programme shall ensure that by 2020:

(a)
Environment and climate policy objectives are
achieved in a cost-effective way and are supported by adequate finance.

(b)
Private sector funding for environment and climate-related
expenditure is increased.

This requires, in particular:

(a)
Progressively phasing out environmentally harmful
subsidies, increasing the use of market-based instruments, including taxation,
pricing and charging, and expanding markets for environmental goods and
services, with due regard to any adverse social impacts.

(b)
Facilitating access to innovative financial
instruments and funding for eco-innovation.

(c)
Adequately reflecting environmental and climate
priorities in policies to support economic, social and territorial cohesion.

(d)
Dedicated efforts to ensure full and efficient
use of available Union funding for environment action, including by
significantly improving its early uptake under the Union's Multiannual
Financial Framework 2014-2020 and devoting 20% of the budget to climate change
mitigation and adaptation through the mainstreaming of climate action and
linked to clear benchmarks, target setting, monitoring and reporting.

(e)
Developing and applying a system for reporting
and tracking environment-related expenditure in the EU budget, notably on climate
change and biodiversity, by 2014.

(f)
Integrating environment and climate-related
considerations into the European Semester process, where this is relevant for
individual Member States' prospects for sustainable growth and appropriate for
country-specific recommendations.

(g)
Developing and applying alternative indicators
that complement and go beyond GDP to monitor how sustainable our progress is and
continuing work to integrate economic indicators with environmental and social
indicators, including natural capital accounting.

Priority objective 7: To improve
environmental integration and policy coherence

83.         Although integrating
environmental protection concerns into other EU policies and activities has
been a Treaty requirement since 1997, the overall state of Europe’s environment
indicates that progress to date, while commendable in some areas, has not been
sufficient to reverse all negative trends. Achieving many of the priority
objectives of this programme will demand even more effective integration of
environmental and climate considerations into other policies, as well as more
coherent, joined-up policy approaches that deliver multiple benefits. This
should help ensure that difficult trade-offs are managed early on, rather than
in the implementation phase, and that unavoidable impacts can be mitigated more
effectively. The Strategic Environmental Assessment directive[69] and Environmental Impact
Assessment directive[70],
when correctly applied, are effective tools for ensuring environmental
protection requirements are integrated in plans and programmes as well as in projects.
Local and regional authorities, which are generally
responsible for decisions on use of land and marine areas, have a particularly
important role to play in assessing environmental impacts and protecting,
conserving and enhancing natural capital, also to achieve greater resilience to
climate change impacts and natural disasters.

84.         The envisaged expansion of
energy and transport networks, including offshore infrastructure, will
need to be compatible with nature protection and climate adaptation needs and
obligations. Incorporating green infrastructure into related plans and
programmes can help overcome fragmentation of habitats and preserve or restore
ecological connectivity, enhance ecosystem resilience and thereby ensure the
continued provision of ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration and
climate adaptation, while providing healthier environments and recreational
spaces for people to enjoy.

85.         This programme includes a
number of priority objectives designed to enhance integration. In its proposals
for the CAP, CFP, Trans-European Networks (TENs) and Cohesion policy reforms,
the Commission has included measures to further support environmental
integration and sustainability. For this programme to succeed, these policies should
further contribute towards meeting environment-related targets and objectives.
Similarly, efforts primarily intended to achieve environmental improvements
should be designed to deliver co-benefits for other policies wherever possible.
For instance, efforts to restore ecosystems can be targeted to benefit habitats
and species and to sequester carbon dioxide, while improving the delivery of
ecosystem services vital for many economic sectors, such as pollination or water
purification for agriculture, and creating green jobs.

86.         In order to improve
environmental integration and policy coherence, the programme shall ensure that
by 2020:

(a)
Sectoral policies at EU and Member State level are developed and implemented in a way that supports relevant environment
and climate-related targets and objectives.

This requires, in particular:

(a)
integrating environmental and climate-related
conditionalities and incentives in policy initiatives, including reviews and
reforms of existing policy, as well as new initiatives, at EU and Member State level;

(b)
carrying out systematic ex-ante assessments of
the environmental, social and economic impacts of policy initiatives at EU and Member State level to ensure their coherence and effectiveness.

MEETING LOCAL, REGIONAL AND GLOBAL CHALLENGES

Priority objective 8: To enhance
the sustainability of EU cities

87.         The EU is densely populated
and by 2020, 80 % of the EU population is likely to live in urban and peri-urban
areas. Quality of life will be directly influenced by the state of the urban
environment. The environmental impacts of cities also spread well beyond their
physical limits, as they rely heavily on peri-urban and rural regions to meet
demand for food, energy, space and resources, and to accommodate waste.

88.         Most cities face a common
core set of environmental problems, including poor air quality, high levels of
noise, GHG emissions, water scarcity, floods and storms, contaminated sites, brownfields
and waste. At the same time, EU cities are standard-setters in urban
sustainability and often pioneer innovative solutions to environmental
challenges[71].
An ever-growing number of European cities are putting environmental
sustainability at the core of their urban development strategies.

89.         EU citizens, whether urban
or rural dwellers, benefit from a range of EU policies and initiatives that
support sustainable development of urban areas. However, this requires effective,
efficient coordination between different levels of administration and across administrative
boundaries and systematically involving regional and local authorities in the
planning, formulation and development of policies impacting on the quality of
the urban environment. The enhanced coordination mechanisms at national and
regional level proposed under the Common Strategic Framework for the next
funding period and the creation of an ‘Urban Development Platform’[72] would help to
ensure this, as well as involve more stakeholder groups and the general public
in decisions that affect them. Local and regional authorities will also benefit
from further development of tools to streamline environmental data collection
and management, and to facilitate the exchange of information and best practice,
as well as efforts to improve implementation of environment law at Union, national and local levels[73].
This is in line with the commitment made at the Rio+20 Summit to promote an
integrated approach to planning, building and managing sustainable cities and
urban settlements. Integrated approaches to urban spatial planning, in which long-term
environmental considerations are fully taken into account alongside economic
and social challenges, are essential to ensuring that urban communities are
sustainable, efficient and healthy places to live and work.

90.         The EU should further
promote and, where appropriate, expand existing initiatives that support
innovation and best practice in cities, networking and exchanges between them
and encourage cities to showcase their leadership on sustainable urban
development[74].
The EU institutions and the Member States should facilitate and encourage the
uptake of EU funding available under Cohesion policy and other funds to support
cities in their efforts to enhance sustainable urban development, raise
awareness and encourage local actors to get involved[75]. The development of, and
agreement on, a set of sustainability criteria for cities would provide a
common reference base for such initiatives and promote a coherent, integrated
approach to sustainable urban development.

91.         In order to enhance the
sustainability of EU cities, the programme shall ensure that by 2020:

(a)
A majority of cities in the EU are implementing
policies for sustainable urban planning and design.

This requires, in particular:

(a)
Defining and agreeing a set of criteria to
assess the environmental performance of cities, taking into account economic
and social impacts.

(b)
Ensuring that cities have information about and
access to financing for measures to improve urban sustainability.

Priority objective 9: To increase
the EU’s effectiveness in addressing regional and global environmental and
climate challenges

92.         Environmental
sustainability is key to reducing poverty and ensuring quality of life and
economic growth[76].
At Rio+20, world leaders renewed their commitment to sustainable development
and recognised the inclusive green economy as an important tool for achieving
sustainable development, and the crucial role of a healthy environment in
ensuring food security and reducing poverty. In the light of a growing population
in an increasingly urbanised world, these challenges will include the need for
action on water, oceans, sustainable land and ecosystems, resource efficiency
(in particular waste), sustainable energy and climate change, including through
the phase out of fossil fuel subsidies. They will need to be addressed through
tailor-made approaches at local, national or Union level, as well as committed
engagement in international efforts to develop the solutions needed to ensure
sustainable development globally.

93.         The Rio+20 outcomes will need
to be reflected in the internal and external policy priorities of the Union and
its Member States. The Union should also support the creation of a High Level
Political Forum to gradually replace the Commission for Sustainable Development
and monitor the implementation of Rio+20 outcomes.

94.         Many of the priority
objectives set out in this programme can only be fully achieved as part of a
global approach and in cooperation with partner countries. That is why the Union
and its Member States should engage in relevant international, regional and
bilateral processes in a strong, focused, united and coherent manner. They should
continue to promote an effective, rules-based framework for global environment
policy, complemented by a more effective, strategic approach in which bilateral
and regional political dialogues and cooperation are tailored towards the Union's strategic partners[77],
candidate and neighbourhood countries, and developing countries, respectively, supported
by adequate finance.

95.         The time span covered by
this programme corresponds to key phases in international climate, biodiversity
and chemical policy. To remain within the 2 °C ceiling, global GHG emissions
need to be cut by at least 50 % of their 1990 levels by 2050.
However, only half the emission reductions required by 2020 have been pledged
by Parties under the UNFCCC[78].
Without more resolute global action, climate change is unlikely to be
curtailed. Even in a best-case scenario, countries will increasingly face
inevitable impacts of climate change because of historical GHG emissions and will
need to develop climate adaptation strategies. Under the Durban Platform for
Enhanced Action, a comprehensive and robust agreement applicable to all is to
be agreed by 2015 and implemented as of 2020. The EU will remain engaged
proactively in this process, including in discussions on how to close the gap
between current emission reduction pledges by developed and developing countries,
and on action needed to stay on an emission pathway compatible with the 2oC
objective. The follow-up to Rio+ 20 should also help reduce GHG emissions, thus
supporting the fight against climate change. . In parallel, the EU should
pursue and further intensify climate change partnerships with strategic
partners and should take further action to mainstream environment and climate
considerations in its development policy.

96.         The global biodiversity
targets[79]
under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) need to be met by 2020 as
the basis for halting and eventually reversing the loss of biodiversity
worldwide. The EU will contribute its fair share to these efforts, including by
reaching the target to double biodiversity-related funding to developing
countries by 2015 and maintain this level until 2020[80]. There is already a global
2020 target for the management of risks posed by chemicals. The EU will
continue to play an active and constructive role in helping these processes
achieve their objectives.

97.         The EU has a good
track-record when it comes to membership in multilateral environmental
agreements (MEAs), although a number of Member States have still not ratified
key agreements. This compromises the EU’s credibility in related negotiations. Member States and the EU should ensure timely ratification of all MEAs to which they are
signatories.

98.         The EU should also leverage
its position as one of the largest markets in the world to promote policies and
approaches that decrease pressure on the global natural resource base. This can
be done by changing patterns of consumption and production, as well as ensuring
that trade and internal market policies support the achievement of
environmental and climate goals and provide incentives to other countries to
upgrade and enforce their environmental regulatory frameworks and standards.
The EU will continue to promote sustainable development through the negotiation
and implementation of dedicated provisions in its international trade
agreements and should consider other policy options to reduce the impacts of EU
consumption on the environment in non-EU countries. An example of such a policy
option are the bilateral Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade
(FLEGT) partnerships, which establish a framework to ensure only legally-harvested
timber enters the EU market from partner countries.

99.         The EU should continue to promote
environmentally responsible business practices. New obligations
under the EU’s Responsible Business Initiative[81]
for listed and large unlisted extractive and primary forest logging companies
to report payments they make to governments will result in greater transparency
and accountability in the way natural resources are exploited. As a leading
provider of environmental goods and services, the EU should promote global
green standards, free trade in environmental goods and services, the further
deployment of environment and climate-friendly technologies, protection of
investment and intellectual property rights and the international exchange of
best practice.

100.       In order to increase the
EU’s effectiveness in addressing regional and global environmental and climate
challenges, the programme shall ensure that by 2020:

(a)
The outcomes of Rio+20 are fully integrated into
the EU’s external policies and the EU is contributing effectively to global
efforts to implement agreed commitments, including those under the Rio conventions.

(b)
The EU is providing effective support to national,
regional and international efforts to address environment and climate challenges
and to ensure sustainable development.

(c)
The impact of consumption in the EU on the
environment beyond its borders is reduced.

This requires, in particular:

(a)
Working towards the adoption of Sustainable
Development Goals that: a) address priority areas of an inclusive green economy
and wider sustainable development objectives, such as energy, water, food
security, oceans and sustainable consumption and production, as well as
cross-cutting issues such as equity, social inclusion, decent work, rule of law
and good governance; b) are universally applicable, covering all three areas of
sustainable development; c) are assessed and accompanied by targets and
indicators, and d) are coherent and integrated with the post-2015 development
framework, and supportive of climate actions.

(b)
Working towards a more effective UN structure
for sustainable development through strengthening UNEP in line with the outcome
of Rio+20, while continuing to strive for an upgrade of UNEP's status to that
of UN Agency, and supporting ongoing efforts to enhance synergies between
Multilateral Environmental Agreements;

(c)
Strengthening the impact of various sources of
funding, including taxation and domestic resource mobilisation, private
investment, new and innovative sources, and creating options for using
development aid to leverage these other sources of financing as part of the
sustainable development financing strategy established in Rio, as well as in
the EU’s own policies, including international commitments on climate and
biodiversity finance.

(d)
Engaging with partner countries in a more
strategic way. This should involve focusing cooperation: 1) with strategic
partners on the promotion of best practice in domestic environment policy and
legislation and convergence in multilateral environmental negotiations; 2) with
countries covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy on gradual approximation
with key EU environment and climate policy and legislation and on strengthening
cooperation to address regional environmental and climate challenges; 3) with
developing countries to support their efforts to protect the environment, fight
climate change and reduce natural disasters, and implement international environmental
commitments as a contribution to poverty reduction and sustainable development.

(e)
Engaging in multilateral environmental processes,
including the UNFCCC, CBD and the chemicals-related conventions, as well as other
relevant fora, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization and the
International Maritime Organization, in a more consistent, proactive and
effective way with a view to ensuring that commitments for 2020 are met at EU
and global level, and to agree on international action to be taken beyond 2020.

(f)
Ratifying all key multilateral environmental
agreements well before 2020.

(g)
Assessing the environmental impact, in a global
context, of EU consumption of food and non-food commodities and possible
related responses.

MONITORING PROGRESS

101.       The Commission will ensure that
implementation of the programme is monitored in the context of the Europe 2020
Strategy's regular monitoring process. An evaluation of the programme will be carried
out before 2020, in particular on the basis of the EEA's State of the
Environment report.

102.       The indicators used to
monitor progress towards meeting priority objectives include those used by the
EEA to monitor the state of the environment and those to monitor the implementation
of existing environment and climate-related targets and legislation, including
the climate and energy targets, biodiversity targets, and resource efficiency milestones.
Additional indicators to measure overall progress towards a resource-efficient
European economy and society and its contribution to prosperity and well-being
will be developed in coordination with stakeholders in the context of the
Roadmap to a Resource-efficient Europe.

[1]               OJ C , , p. .

[2]               OJ C , , p. .

[3]               COM(2010) 2020 (OJ C 88 of 19.3.2011) and EUCO 13/10.

[4]               COM(2010) 2020, OJ C 88 of 19.3.2011.

[5]               Regulation (EC) No 443/2009, Directive
2009/28/EC, Directive 2009/29/EC, Directive 2009/30/EC,Directive 2009/31/EC,
Decision No 406/2009/EC, all in OJ L 140 of 5.6.2009.

[6]               COM (2011) 112, OJ C 140 of 11.5.2011.

[7]               COM(2011) 244, OJ C 264 of 8.9.2011.

[8]               COM(2011) 571, OJ C 37 of 10.2.2012.

[9]               COM(2010) 546, OJ C 121 of
19.4.2011

[10]             European Council 8/9 March 2007.

[11]             EUCO 7/10; Council Conclusions 7536/10; COM(2011) 244

[12]             Directive 2000/60/EC, OJ L 327 of 22.12.2000.

[13]             Directive 2008/56/EC, OJ L 164 of 25.6.2008.

[14]             Decision No 1600/2002/EC OJ L242 of 10.8.2002; Directive
2008/50/EC, OJ L 152 of 11.6.2008.

[15]             Decision No 1600/2002/EC OJ L242 of 10.8.2002; Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (WSSD 2002).

[16]             Directive 2008/98/EC, OJ L 312 of 22.11.2008.

[17]             Council conclusions 11 June 2012; COM(2011)571.

[18]             United Nations General Assembly A/Res/66/288.

[19]             COM(2010)543, OJ C 121 of 19.4.2011.

[20]             COM(2010)543, OJ C 121 of 19.4.2011.

[21]             The economic benefits of environmental policy (IES,
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 2009); COM(2012) 173; Implementing EU legislation
for Green Growth (BIO Intelligence Service 2011).

[22]             Directive 92/43/EEC, OJ L 206 of 22.7.1992.

[23]             SEC(2011) 1067; The European Environment - State and
Outlook 2010: Assessment of Global Megatrends (EEA, 2010).

[24]             UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Global
Sustainability report ‘Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A future worth
choosing’, 2012.

[25]             Thresholds associated with nine ‘planetary boundaries’
have been identified which, once crossed, could lead to irreversible changes
with potentially disastrous consequences for humans, including: climate change,
biodiversity loss, global freshwater use, ocean acidification, the nitrogen and
phosphorus cycles and land-use change (Ecology and Society, Vol. 14, No 2,
2009).

[26]             Environmental Outlook to 2050 (OECD 2012).

[27]             COM(2011) 244, OJ C 264 of 8.9.2011.

[28]             COM(2011) 571, OJ C 37 of 10.2.2012.

[29]             COM(2011) 112, OJ C 140 of 11.5.2011.

[30]             COM(2011) 885, OJ C 102 of 5.4.2012.

[31]             COM(2011) 144, OJ C 140 of 11.5.2011.

[32]             United Nations General Assembly Resolution 66/288.

[33]             Directive 2000/60/EC, OJ L 327 of 22.12.2000.

[34]             Directive 2008/56/EC, OJ L 164 of 25.6.2008.

[35]             Directive 2008/50/EC, OJ L 152 of 11.6.2008 and
Directive 2004/107/EC, OJ L 23 of 26.1.2005.

[36]             Directive
2009/147/EC, OJ L 20 of 26.1.2010 and Directive 92/43/EEC, OJ L 206 of 22.7.1992.

[37]             EEA Technical Report 12/2010.

[38]             COM(2011) 244, OJ C 264 of 8.9.2011.

[39]             COM(2012) 673.

[40]             COM(2011) 625, OJ C 37 of 10.2.2012.

[41]             COM(2011) 144, OJ C 140 of 11.5.2011.

[42]             COM(2006) 232 (OJ C 332 of 30.12.2006) proposes a
Directive establishing a framework for the protection of soil and amending
Directive 2004/35/EC.

[43]             COM(2011) 571, OJ C 37 of 10.2.2012.

[44]             COM(2011) 112, OJ C 140 of 11.5.2011.

[45]             Fostering Innovation for Green Growth (OECD 2011) and
The Eco-Innovation Gap: An economic opportunity for business (EIO 2012).

[46]             COM(2012) 173, not yet published in OJ.

[47]             The EU eco-industry sector
employed around 2.7 million people in 2008 and for 2012
this figure could be around 3.4 million. (Ecorys, 2012)

[48]             COM(2011) 899, OJ C 102 of
5.4.2012.

[49]             The
impact of renewable energy policy on economic growth and employment in the EU
(Employ-RES 2009)

[50]                    Ecodesign, Energy
Label, Ecolabel, EMAS and Unfair Commercial Practice legislation is due for
revision before 2015.

[51]             COM(2011) 899, OJ C 102 of 5.4.2012.

[52]             Annual food waste generation in the EU is approximately
89 million tonnes, representing 179 kg per capita (BIO Intelligence Service
2010). The aggregated impacts of housing and infrastructure account for around
15-30 % of all consumption-related environmental pressures in Europe and
contribute approximately 2.5 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per capita
annually (SEC(2011) 1067).

[53]             Regulation (EC) No 106/2008, OJ L 39 of 13.2.2008;
Directive 2009/33/EC, OJ L 120 of 15.5.2009 and the new Energy Efficiency
Directive 2012/27/EU, OJ L 315 of 14.11.2012.

[54]             For example, the full implementation of EU waste
legislation would save € 72 billion a year, increase the annual turnover
of the EU waste management and recycling sector by € 42 billion and create
over 400 000 jobs by 2020.

[55]             Directive 2008/98/EC, OJ L 312 of 22.11.2008.

[56]             COM(2012) 673.

[57]             Special Eurobarometer 365 (2011).

[58]             EEA, The European environment – state and outlook 2010
('SOER 2010').

[59]             SOER 2010.

[60]             The costs of not implementing the environmental acquis
(COWI 2011).

[61]             COM(2012) 95, OJ C 171 of 16.6.2012.

[62]             COM(2008) 773, OJ C 76 of 25.3.2010.

[63]             COM(2008) 46, OJ C 118 of 15.5.2008.

[64]             Directive 2007/2/EC on Infrastructure for Spatial
Information in Europe (INSPIRE), OJ L 108 of 25.4.2007.

[65]             Regulation No 911/2010/EU on the Global Monitoring for
Environment and Security (GMES), OJ L 276 of 20.10.2010.

[66]                    COM(2012) 216.

[67]          COM(2011)
681, OJ C 37 of 10.2.2012.

[68]             EUCO 76/12.

[69]             Directive 2001/42/EC, OJ L 197 of 21.7.2001.

[70]             Directive 85/337/EEC, OJ L 175 of 5.7.1985.

[71]             See, for example, the ‘Cities of tomorrow’ report
(European Commission, 2011) and SWD(2012) 101.

[72]             COM(2011) 615, OJ C 37 of 10.2.2012.

[73]             For example the Water Information System for Europe
(WISE), the Biodiversity Information System for Europe (BISE) and the European
Climate Adaptation Platform (CLIMATE-ADAPT).

[74]             Examples include the European Innovation Partnership on
Smart Cities and Communities C(2012) 4701, the European Green Capital Award and the research Joint Programming
Initiative Urban Europe.

[75]             The Commission has proposed to ring-fence a minimum 5%
of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in each Member State to fund integrated sustainable urban development.

[76]             Human Development Report (UNDP, 2011).

[77]             Brazil, Canada, China, India, Japan, Mexico, Russia,
South Africa, South Korea and the United States and other G20 countries (i.e.
Argentina, Australia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey).

[78]             ‘Bridging the emissions gap’, (UNEP, 2011).

[79]             CBD Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020.

[80]             CBD Decision XI/4.

[81]             Proposals for the revision of the Transparency Directive COM(2011) 683 and the Accounting Directives
COM(2011) 684.

[Top](#document1)