Sustainable Consumption & Production: Action Plan Bettina Lorz Environmental Policy Forum 24 October 2008

Prices do not reflect costs Unsustainable Production & Consumption Biased Information Unbalanced Markets Market Distortions Green House Gasses Pollution DepletionResources Climate Change Threats to Human Health Threats to Biodiversity Degradation air, water, soil… Population growth Spending power Economic growth Fixed behaviour of consumers

Consumption Impacts of Products % of impacts are caused by:  food & drink  housing (buildings, occupancy, appliances)  (private) transport Focus policies on Products!

Challenges Reduce environmental stress in growing economy Economic opportunities: “Do More with Less” Towards an energy and resource efficient economy

The Response Stimulate demand: for better products and production technologies Continuously improve: environmental products performance over life-cycle Empower better choices: for retailers and consumers

Action Plan: Core Elements Better Products Smarter Consumption Leaner Production Action at global level

Better Products Approach:  Exclude “bad” performance  Promote “good” Performance  Continuous Improvement Key Legislation:  Eco-design  Energy Labelling  Eco-label

Better Products: Eco-design Scope: Energy-related products (in the future: all products?) Minimum requirements (mandatory) Benchmarks of environmental performance (voluntary) Update Periodically

Effective Labelling Labelling Directive: linked to Ecodesign  energy-using and energy-related  Labelling categories (set by minimum requirements & benchmarks) ->A, B, C,D… Ecolabel: Excellence & Broad Scope  Voluntary  ‘Front runner’ label (top 10%)  Feeds into ecodesign

Minimum requirement Environmental Performance Benchmark D C B A A+ A++ A+++ Ecolabel Mandatory Label Continuous Improvement

Performance levels will provide harmonised basis across EU: For Member State incentives Mandatory Public Procurement Incentives

16% of EU GDP Provide Guidance Set Common Criteria Indicative Targets Green Public Procurement (voluntary actions)

Retail Forum  Promote sustainable products  Reduce environmental footprint of retail sector  Green supply chains  Share best practice Working with Retailers

Leaner Production Promote Resource Efficiency and Eco-innovation Promote Resource Efficiency and Eco-innovation  Tools to monitor, benchmark and promote; addressing targets  Environmental Technology Verification Scheme Enhance the environmental potential of industry Enhance the environmental potential of industry  Revised EMAS  Industrial policy for environmental industries  Support SMEs

Towards Global Markets for Sustainable Products Promote good practice: SCP Action Plan as input to UN Marrakech process Promote international trade in environmentally friendly goods and services Promote sectoral approaches in international climate negotiations

Roadmap Published:  Proposal for extended Ecodesign Directive  Proposal for revised Ecolabel Regulation  Proposal for revised EMAS Regulation  Communication on Green Public Procurement Further actions later in 2008 and 2009  Proposal for revised Energy Labelling Directive  Environmental Technology Verification Scheme  Retailer Forum Review of Action: 2012  Extend Ecodesign & Labelling directives ?

Thank you European Commission DG Environment Sustainable Consumption and Production