Brussels, 26/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - The thematic strategy put forward by the European Commission for the sustainable use of natural resources in the EU can count on the support of the Council. In Luxemburg on 23 October, EU environment ministers gave their approval, formalising their introductory thoughts from the informal meeting in Turku in July in the conclusions (see EUROPE 9234).
The Council subscribed to the aim of the strategy which is to separate economic growth and the negative impact on the environment linked to the increasing use of resources. It called on the Commission, and on Member States, to concentrate their efforts on the ecological dimension of the EU's long-term sustainable development strategy, by combining the sustainable use of natural resources and sustainable consumption and production (a Commission action plan, called for by the Council, will be presented before the end of 2007).
The Council's hope is that this long-term view will act as a catalyst for the setting strategies to reduce Europe's dependence on fossil fuels and significantly increase resource efficiency - including material efficiency - to break the link between the negative environmental impact of consumption and economic growth, while creating new opportunities for industry by encouraging innovation.
The Council called on the Commission and Member States to set targets for environmental and social impact, and eco-efficiency for all types of resources by 2010. The focus should be on reducing the negative impact, especially in crucial economic sectors such as housing, transport and food.
The Council welcomed the Commission's plan to bring together, in cooperation with Member States, all relevant information through a data centre and to strengthen the existing knowledge base by developing a balanced set of indicators by the year 2008. These indicators should reflect the environmental impact of resource use and facilitate informed policy decisions and communication with the public.
Members States were called on to deepen their understanding of the impact of natural resource use and to implement and measures for sustainable resource use. The Commission was invited to facilitate the exchange of best practice among Member States.
The Council called on the EU to push for the establishment of an international panel on natural resources under the auspices of the UN Environment Programme. The panel's main task would be to inform and support policy makers globally and at EU level on all the issues related to resource use and resource efficiency. (an)