Brussels, 21/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - Innovation is good. But for stronger recovery of the European economy and for more efficient societies that are not living beyond the Earth's means, sustainable innovation is better. Just a few days before the European Council, on 24 and 25 October, which will put the focus on innovation as a key factor in sustainable economic growth for the EU (see EUROPE 10944), a grouping of EU environmental organisations with more than 20 million members in Europe called, on Monday 21 October, on EU leaders to promote sustainable innovation at the highest political levels. Their call, they say, is built on three pillars: the adoption of a wider concept of innovation, so that it is not limited to products but can involve changes in processes, technologies, science and finance; the stimulating role of clearly oriented public policies without which dominant companies can use their weight to block innovation; wider use of the precautionary principle: precaution is an excellent driver for innovation as it “requires politicians to act when delaying action would in the longer term proved more costly to society and nature”. That is the key message addressed by the NGOs in a joint letter to European Parliament President Martin Schulz, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.
“The European Union faces critical economic challenges, including dwindling natural resources and increasing expenses linked to pollution and related health problems. Business-as-usual is destroying the natural foundations on which our economies and societies ultimately depend. Without further action, degradation of nature will cost the EU €1 trillion every year by 2050. Therefore, our organisations support research, development and application of resource-efficient, sustainable technologies and practices”, state the signatories.
They say that are deeply concerned by the Commission's recent communication on the REFIT (regulatory fitness) programme which aims to simplify the regulatory framework. The focus chosen by the Commission, however, risks accelerating a rollback in environmental legislation and policy in Europe, the signatories say. “Environmental standards and policies to improve resource efficiency are essential tools to safeguard natural resources, and to provide economic and public health assets essential to job creation and economic development.”
The letter was signed by the directors of BirdLife International, CAN (Climate Action Network) Europe, CEE Bankwatch Network, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), Friends of the Earth Europe, Greenpeace European Unit, Health & Environment Alliance, Naturefriends International, the European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E), and WWF European Policy Office. (AN/transl.fl)