Long-term prosperity therefore requires a
transition to a new growth paradigm based on resource efficiency. A growth that delivers new jobs, improves social wellbeing and reduces vulnerability towards imports of resources, while respecting the carrying capacity of ecosystems. This growth paradigm is called green growth. It is clear to me – and many, many others
– that business as usual is not an option. Instead our response to these crises must be one that
is capable of dealing with both
crises at the same time. The good news is that the green transition
can provide significant benefits if we are capable of turning the challenges that we have into opportunities. Let me mention a few areas in which a green transition can contribute to solving both the economic crisis and the natural resource crisis. First, there are huge unharnessed gains
economic in improving resource
efficiency. McKinsey estimates that at global level a total of $2.9 trillion USD can be saved in 2030 from capturing the resource productivity potential. Secondly, the markets for green products
and services are growing rapidly. The global market for environmental products and services is projected to double from $1,370 billion USD per year at present to $2,740 billion USD by 2020. Third, a transition to a green economy can
provide new jobs. Already today it is estimated that the European eco-industries support some 3.4 million jobs – more than the car manufacturing or the chemicals industry. ILO projects that the transformation to a greener economy could generate 15 to 60 million additional jobs globally over the next two decades within the following eight sectors: fisheries, forestry, buildings, transportation, energy, recycling, manufacturing and agriculture.
What are your plans for strengthening policies for Environmental Innovation in the EU, such as food production, transport, energy and industry? Ida Auken: Integration of environmental policy into other policy domains remains a key challenge for a transition to a green economy. The fields of food production, transport, energy and industry – along with that of housing – are key areas in this regard. These areas are the dominant in terms of resource consumption and environmental impacts and with significant potentials for improvements. It is therefore critically important that environmental innovation can contribute to greening these sectors.
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I am therefore pleased to see that this is
increasingly reflected in recent key EU environment
policies, including the
Roadmap for a resource efficient Europe, which highlights the areas of food, housing and mobility. And then we have also seen the proposal
for a 7th EAP from the
European Commission, which stresses the need for further action on integrating environment policy into other policy domains. I furthermore look forward to the forthcoming Communication on sustainable food from the Commission.
“ILO projects that the transformation to a
greener economy could
generate 15 to 60 million additional jobs globally over the next two decades ”
How do you think the EU environment policy will develop in the years to come, particularly in light of the Europe 2020 Strategy? Ida Auken: The overarching aim of the EU2020 strategy is smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The EU2020 strategy
contains two overall themes related to environment policy: Climate Change and Resource Efficiency. These two overall priorities are also reflected in the proposal for 7th Environment Action Programme, one of the central issues deciding the EU environment policy for the next decade, presented by the European Commission. The proposed 7th EAP is based on a
vision for Europe in 2050 in which we live well within the planet’s ecological limits - clearly indicating the close linkages between resource and the environmental challenges and economic as well as social aspects. I expect that the 7th Environment Action
Programme amongst others will focus on the following issues: chemicals (particularly nano materials, endocrine disruptors, cocktail effects and chemicals in products), climate change adaptation, biodiversity, sustainable cities, improving policy coherence through integration of the environment into other policies, an ambitious green product policy and last but not least strengthening the implementation of existing environment policy and legislation. In the years leading up to 2020 I expect
that the main developments of EU environment policy will be within the areas mentioned above. The greatest challenge will be to develop concrete actions, which can fulfil the ambitions of a transition to a green economy.
★ Insight Publishers | Projects
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