Cities consume a lot – and can do a lot MEP Satu Hassi Greens/EFA Open Days 11 October 2011

Sustainable growth for all Demand for resources growing fast –Global population to reach 9bn by 2050 –Major of global ecosystems already used unsustainably –Food price peaks, depleting water resources –Increasing impacts of climate change Impacts of Europes resource imports on third countries –CO 2 emissions, land grabbing, degrading ecosystems

Europe uses more than its fair share EEA: An average European citizen uses about four times more resources than one in Africa and three times more than one in Asia, but half of that in the Unites States, Canada or Australia An EU citizen uses on average some 16 tonnes of material resources per year –6 tonnes of waste per capita is generated annually At lest 1.7 tonnes per capita CO 2 emissions are externalised in the EU as they are embodied in imports (Eurostat)

Domestic and global CO2 emissions, production perspective EU Source: Eurostat

Use of material resources and material productivity EU-15 and EU-12 Source: EEA, 2011

The interrelation between resource use and income 2000 Source: UNEP, 2011

Global ecological footprint Today the humanity uses the equivalent of 1.5 planets to provide the resources used –If everyone consumed as an average European, we would need more than 2.5 Earths –If everyone lived like an average Indian, we would use less than half the planets biocapacity

Ecological creditor and debtor countries 2007: ecological footprint of consumption compared with domestic biocapacity Source: Global Footprint Network

Ecological creditor and debtor countries 2007: ecological footprint of consumption compared with globally available biocapacity Source: Global Footprint Network

Ecological footprint and population by region 2007 Source: Global Footprint Network

Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe Lacks clear targets and concrete measures –Resource efficiency targets postponed to 2013 –Voluntary milestones unlikely to deliver Proposed resource productivity indicator is not a comprehensive tool to measure Europes resource use –Indicators to measure land, water and carbon footprints must be developed without delay

Cities mean more than half UN: Cities account for 70 % of global greenhouse gas emissions –Half of the worlds population currently lives in urban areas –UN projects this will reach 60% by 2030 –Cities consume three quarters of all natural resources

Urban solutions Cities as centres for innovation Municipal authorities empowered to tackle key problems –land-use planning, waste collection and recycling, energy generation, urban transport Behavioural change can be promoted near the citizen

The business case Europe most dependent region on imports of raw materials Study for UK government found no cost or low cost investments in resource efficiency could save £23 billion a year Job creation –Renewables, energy efficient technologies, recycling, urban mining, etc.