Session 1: Setting the Scene An Eco-Efficient Economy Agenda Manuel Menéndez

(*) Our Common Future, Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, World Commission on Environment and Development, Published as Annex to General Assembly document A/42/427 Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key concepts: the concept of 'needs', in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs." The Sustainable Development as in Brudtland Report (*)

Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency X=Environment Y=Economy Z=Society Sustainable Development: Max (X,Y,Z)

Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency In February 2010, compared with February 2009, the retail sales index declined by 0.7% in the EU27. In February 2010, compared with February 2009, Food, drinks and tobacco fell by 2.7% in the EU27. Source: Eurostat Economics

Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency Environment

Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency The EU27 unemployment rate was 9.6% in February 2010 Eurostat estimates that million men and women in the EU27 were unemployed in February Social Status

8th European Forum on Eco-Innovation,Bilbao, Spain April 2010 Making Eco-Innovation happen in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency Need of a new productive model Answer at European Level: EU2020 Strategy Answer at National Level: Sustainable Economy Law&Strategy

8th European Forum on Eco-Innovation,Bilbao, Spain April 2010 Making Eco-Innovation happen in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency European level: EU 2020 Strategy

8th European Forum on Eco-Innovation,Bilbao, Spain April 2010 Making Eco-Innovation happen in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency Spanish level: Sustainable Economy Law Sustainable Economy (instead of Development) that means stress in one component Measures focussed in Increasing competitiveness Ensuring Environmental sustainability Improving professional skills Supporting new economy fields: Green Buildings Safe and clean transport

8th European Forum on Eco-Innovation,Bilbao, Spain April 2010 Making Eco-Innovation happen in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency Green Buildings Buildings are responsible for 40% of energy consumption and 36% of EU CO2 emissions The Directive on energy performance of buildings (2002/91/EC) is the main legislative instrument at EU level

8th European Forum on Eco-Innovation,Bilbao, Spain April 2010 Making Eco-Innovation happen in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency Potential energy reduction: 70% Actual reduction in rehabilitation: 20-40% In Spain: Savings of 2 to 4 euros/m 2 /year

8th European Forum on Eco-Innovation,Bilbao, Spain April 2010 Making Eco-Innovation happen in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency Spanish Sustainable Economy Law: New building codes Incentives for rehabilitation : reduced VAT (8%), 10% of costs considered as tax-deductible expenses (if incomes lower than and with a maximum deduction of ). Application (20% in energy reduction) in official buidings (2.350 M in investments: 1 st phase: 300 buildings; 2 nd phase: buildings) Campaign to distribute low consumption light bulbs (20 million)x2

Solar decathlon: Fachhochschule fur Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin Arts et Métiers Paris Tech Bergische Universität Wuppertal Universidad Politécnica de Valencia Helsinki University of Technology Instituto de Arquitectura Avanzada de Cataluña

8th European Forum on Eco-Innovation,Bilbao, Spain April 2010 Making Eco-Innovation happen in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency Clean and safe transport: Transports in Spain is about 50% of CO 2 diffuse emissions and about 25% of total emissions Private cars are the main source if this type of emissions Key area to increase reduction from 20% to 30% of total emissions by 2020 It is not only a matter of emissions. Other key issues: Air quality improvement, noise reductions,…

8th European Forum on Eco-Innovation,Bilbao, Spain April 2010 Making Eco-Innovation happen in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency Spanish Sustainable Economy Law: Infrastructure plans should include the emissions reduction as a priority (Example: Public Works New Plan presented in April with 70% of total investments for railways) Urban Mobility Plans legally binded in cities with more than inhabitantes and obligatory Transport Plans in Working Centres Tax-deductible expenses for public transport (up to /year)

8th European Forum on Eco-Innovation,Bilbao, Spain April 2010 Making Eco-Innovation happen in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency Electric cars: Main aim: of green cars in Spain by 2014: plug-in vehicles (including plug-in hybrids) hybrids Public investments of 600 M between 2010 and 2012 A key-issue: To involve cities in the Positive discrimination of the electric car (preference parking, use of carpool lines, etc) Transposition of Directive 33/2009 on the promotion of clean and energy-efficient road transport vehicles before end of Life cycle criteria in concessions for public transport.

8th European Forum on Eco-Innovation,Bilbao, Spain April 2010 Making Eco-Innovation happen in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency Stress in Economy: When GDP is falling. Short term. Consensus: The bigger GDP the merriest Stress in social issues: Just after economical crisis. Medium term. Consensus in minimum requirements Stress in Environment. Usually in rapid grow situations. Long Term. No consensus in minimum requirements. Sustainability: Searching a balance between social, economic and environmental issues

8th European Forum on Eco-Innovation,Bilbao, Spain April 2010 Making Eco-Innovation happen in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency One solution to fill the gap between socio-economic issues and environment is ecoinnovation: Example of changes in economy: Pais Vasco and IHOBE Hard work

8th European Forum on Eco-Innovation,Bilbao, Spain April 2010 Making Eco-Innovation happen in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Manuel Menéndez – Spanish Presidency Challenges: Different units to monitor environmental, social and economic issues How can we evaluate the human welfare? Role of public sector in defining priorities and controlling Public Participation