EEA warning over Europe's resource efficiency
Europe's continuing depletion of natural resources and ecosystem services will undermine its economy if left unchecked, the European Environment Agency (EEA) said on Tuesday as it released it latest assessment of Europe's environment.
The assessment, published every five years, covers all EU and EFTA countries plus Turkey and the Balkan states. It shows Europe is consuming more resources than it has. In the EU-12, resource use increased by 34% between 2000 and 2007. But there has been an encouraging partial decoupling of resource use and economic output.
Speaking at the launch of the report, EEA director Jacqueline McGlade said that global pressures on resources, along with newer demands such as the need for biomass to replace fossil fuels required a new approach in the EU.
Also speaking at the launch, environment commissioner Janez Potocnik warned that by 2050 the cost of biodiversity loss in Europe could be 6% of GDP per year. The European Commission is expected to issue a report on the EU's resource use strategy by the end of the year, followed by a resource efficiency roadmap in 2011.
Dr McGlade said resource use should be taken into account in the forthcoming revision of the common agricultural policy (CAP). This would help identify where the most productive farming land is and enable set-aside of non-productive land for biodiversity protection.
Europe's waste management has shifted steadily from landfill to recycling and prevention, the assessment shows. But half of the three billion tonnes of total waste generated in the EU-27 in 2006 was still landfilled. In 2008, Bulgaria landfilled the highest percentage of its waste. Switzerland had the lowest percentage.
In 2007, Ireland used by far the most resources per inhabitant, while Malta and the Netherlands used the least. On average, 16 tonnes of materials are used annually per person in the EU, of which six tonnes become waste. But of that amount, only 8% of waste is generated by households. Most is from construction and mining.
The EEA assessment also notes that water and air pollution in Europe have declined, with levels of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides both declining. But exposure to particulate matter and ozone are still major human health concerns.
There is some progress regarding biodiversity. Europe has now expanded its Natura 2000 network of protected areas to cover some 18% of EU land. The quality of freshwaters has generally improved and a reduction of air and water emissions has reduced pressure on species and habitats. But the EU will miss its 2010 biodiversity target.
Follow Up:
EEA press release and 2010 state and outlook report
