EC launches "Roadmap for a resource-efficient Europe"

The European Commission launched on 20 September 2011 a 'roadmap' aimed at transforming Europe's economy into a sustainable one by 2050. The “Roadmap to a resource-efficient Europe” identifies the economic sectors that consume the most resources, and suggests tools and indicators to help guide action in Europe and internationally. It is an agenda for competitiveness and growth based on using fewer resources when we produce and consume goods and creating business and job opportunities from activities such as recycling, better product design, materials substitution and eco-engineering.

Measures are set out aimed at transforming production and consumption, with incentives for investors to promote green innovation, and a greater role for eco-design, eco-labelling, and greener spending by public bodies. Governments are invited to shift taxation away from labour towards pollution and resources, and to provide fresh incentives to push consumers towards resource-efficient products.

The roadmap also recommends adapting prices to reflect the real costs of resource use, especially on environment and health. The roadmap aims to address resource inefficiency in the sectors that are responsible for the greatest share of environmental impacts – namely food, buildings and mobility, whose combined effects account for 70-80 % of all environmental impacts.

The roadmap recommends an integrated approach across many policy areas at European and Member States levels and focusing on the resources under most pressure. The instruments employed will include legislation, market-based instruments, refocusing of funding instruments and promotion of sustainable production and consumption. Clear targets and indicators providing predictability and transparency for all will be developed by 2013, through a participative process involving policy makers, experts, NGOs, business and consumers.

The Commission will prepare appropriate policy and legislative proposals to implement it. Member States will also need to act at their level, bringing new efficiency measures to business and consumers.

More details on how the new Roadmap may have an influence on the heating industry can be found here in the members only section.

Source: European Commission