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Green Plans in Action: European Union: Measuring Success
Structural and Thematic Indicators Monitor Progress
In 2000, The Lisbon European Council set a strategic goal for the next decade for the EU to become "the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion." European Heads of state take stock of the achievements in an annual synthesis report, based on Structural Indicators, which provides an instrument of objective assessment of progress made toward the Lisbon objectives. (More...#1) In addition, the EU Sustainable Development Strategy, adopted in 2001 and renewed in 2006, aims to reconcile economic development, social cohesion and protection of the environment. Monitoring progress toward this overarching goal is an essential part of the Strategy, and a set of indicators addressing ten themes have been developed to assess and review the Strategy. A parallel objective is to provide transparency and inform the general public about progress in attaining the commonly agreed upon objectives of sustainable development. (More...#2) Progress on environmental issues is closely monitored by the European Environment Agency. To this end they have developed a core set of indicators. (More...#3)
Energy Efficiency
The European Commission and member states are turning to energy efficiency to answer the double challenge of global warming and the EU's increasing energy dependency on oil and gas from the Middle East or Russia. After a stakeholder consultation on achieving the goal of reducing energy consumption in the EU by 20% by the year 2020, the Commission presented its Energy Efficiency Action Plan in October 2006. The Plan contains a package of more than 75 priority measures covering a wide range of cost-effective energy efficiency initiatives. Direct cost of EU energy consumption could be reduced by more than €100 billion annually by 2020, with around 780 million tons of CO2 avoided yearly. The Plan will be implemented over the next six years, and can improve the EU's competitiveness, the living standards of citizens, boost employment and increase exports of new, energy-efficient technology. Empirical evidence suggests that the size of the "rebound effect," or higher consumption after energy savings are produced will be very small to moderate. The Plan contains a number of additional proposals to raise energy efficiency awareness, such as education and training, and the need for energy efficiency issues to be addressed on a global level through international partnerships. (More...)
Air Quality
Environment and Health are one of four main target areas of effort named in the Sixth Environment Action Programme (EAP), "Environment 2010: Our Future, Our Choice." Despite significant improvements in Europe's air quality driven by legislation and other factors, air pollution continues to have serious human health and environmental effects. Therefore, the Commission has developed a Thematic Air Strategy under the Programme's Environment and Health target area. While overall air quality trends on the Community are encouraging, continued efforts and vigilance are still needed. The Programme's objective is to achieve levels of air quality that do not give rise to unacceptable impacts on, and risks to, human health and the environment. The Thematic Strategy establishes ambitious targets on air pollution, and aims, by 2020, to cut the annual number of premature deaths from air pollution-related diseases by almost 40% from the 2000 level, while substantially reducing airborne pollutant damage to forests and other ecosystems. (More...#1) Under the Strategy, the Commission is proposing to start regulating fine airborne particulates, known as PM2.5, which penetrate deep into human lungs. (More...#2)
Toward Cradle-to-Cradle Electronics
As of July 2006, under the EU Directive on Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), producers are no longer allowed to put on the market electrical and electronic equipment containing specific hazardous substances including lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominatedbiphenyls (PBB), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE). (More...) The most publicized aspect is the restriction on the use of lead, which has already had a major impact in soldering, tinning and plating materials in the manufacturing of electronics. The purpose of the Directive is to arrest the fast increasing waste stream of electronic and electrical equipment and complements EU measures on landfill and incineration of waste, facilitating sound recovery and prevention of problems during the waste management phase. Restrictions on the use of these substances, and producer responsibility for taking back and recycling their products, creates a fundamentally positive change and incentive for the way new products are designed and built.
Integrated Marine Policies
To protect the deteriorating EU coastline and marine environment from further erosion (More...#1), the Marine Strategy has been developed as part of a new, wholistic approach to environmental policy-making through the Sixth Environment Action Program. The Strategy proposes use of ecosystem management incorporating carrying capacity guidelines for decreasing biodiversity, implementation on regional and sub-regional levels, and is based on geographical and environmental criteria. This element of spatial planning dovetails with the broader future Marine Policy objective of bolstering the EU marine economy without impairing marine ecosystems. The Strategy includes drawing up detailed assessments and measurements to guide regulation of uses and users, and develops the knowledge base required for action under the future Marine Policy. (More...#2)
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