Natural Resources & Waste

Latest in Natural Resources & Waste

• Sustainable management of natural resources with a focus on water and agriculture

  Can sustainable management of natural resources in Europe’s agricultural sector contribute to sustainable water use? What other sectors have a role to play in significantly improving water use across Europe and what are the good practices and tools that are available? A new report for the European Parliament explores these questions.

• Does the EU benefit the UK environment?

  This report considers how environmental policy in the EU effects the UK and looks at some alternatives. Overall the impact within the environmental domain can be judged to be strongly positive to the UK. The action taken has been well balanced, with benefits for human health and welfare and the sustainability of the economy as well as the environment itself.

• Incorporating biodiversity and ecosystem service values into national strategies and action plans

  This guidance document has been prepared to support practitioners of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans to update their plans to incorporate biodiversity and ecosystem service values. Six in depth country case studies provide common lessons of good practice.

• Greener or greyer: what's next for the future EU budget?

  This Policy Brief analyses the outcomes of the Special Summit on the future EU budget, which took place on 22-23 November 2012.

• IEEP Director debates the potential risks of hydraulic fracturing

  David Baldock, Director of IEEP, along with Prof. Robert Mair of Cambridge University and Prof. Alan Riley of City University, spoke at a debate hosted by the Law Society in London on shale gas hydraulic fracturing on 9 October

• Exploring key priorities and actions for the 7th EAP

  This policy paper examines how the forthcoming 7EAP can contribute to protecting natural systems and improving the way in which we use natural resources. It also examines a number of cross-cutting actions needed to support the priorities of the 7EAP and ensure better delivery of EU environment policy.

• Systemic approach to adaptation to climate change and renewable energy harnessing (Biomass and Mini-hydro)

  Biochar has the potential to both mitigate greenhouse gases, and to act as an adaptation measure in terms of responding to the impacts of climate change. Based on its compatibility with the appropriate soil properties, it could increase the resilience of soil to erosion.

• Refreshing Europe's water policy

  The latest edition of IEEP's newsletter is now available with a lead article on efforts to reinvigorate EU water policy. Plus CAP reform, nature in the Green Economy, using straw for biofuels, emissions trading revenues ...

• What do we mean by Green Economy?

  What is the Green Economy? What policy actions can contribute to achieving it? And how have EU-funded research projects supported these actions?

• Green Economy in the European Union

  Elements of the green economy concept are relatively well integrated in EU strategic documents - but the focus is on achieving green/sustainable growth, rather than achieving a ‘green economy’.

• After Rio, it’s up to us to shape the Future We Want

  Despite some new commitments on Green Economy, oceans, and Sustainable Development Goals, progress on much of the Rio agenda will depend on actions taken by individual countries, blocs (like the EU), companies and civil society networks.

• The Waste Shipment Regulation – practical and enforceable?

  The Waste Shipment Regulation is a major challenge for Member States to implement. IEEP gathered the views and experience of IMPEL members on its practicability and enforceability, to help inform any future legislative development and aid competent authorities to work together to enhance their implementation of the Regulation.

• EU waste law: the challenge of better compliance

  Waste management in the EU is improving, but implementation by the Member States of EU waste legislation remains patchy. This paper makes suggestions on how better compliance could be achieved.

• Europe's role at Rio

  Learn about the added value Europe could bring to Rio+20, plus greening Cohesion Policy, improving waste management, and much more in IEEP's Spring newletter

• Economic instruments to improve waste management

  This report investigates a range of economic instruments in place in the EU Member States to improve waste management. It focuses on disposal taxes, pay-as-you-throw systems and producer responsibility schemes, and attempts to assess their contribution to waste management performance.

• The new OECD environmental Outlook – an alarm signal that comes at the right moment

  “Urgent action is needed now to avoid significant costs of inaction, both in economic and human terms”. The OECD provides a clear message in its recent Environment Outlook to 2050: Act now – or face major and potentially disastrous consequences.

• Winter Newsletter published

  The latest edition of IEEP's newsletter is now available with articles on the new EU Treaty, the impacts of biofuels on biodiversity, benefits of Natura 2000, and much more...

• Sourcebook on EU Environmental Law

  The Sourcebook provides a practical reference document on applicable EU environmental legislation, practices and standards which need to be taken into account in the planning and development of projects supported by Banks that have signed the ‘European Principles for the Environment'.

• 2014-2020 EU Multi-annual Financial Framework: Opportunities and Challenges for Climate Change and the Environment

  This presentation analyses the Commission proposals on the 2014-2020 Multi-annual Financial Framework unveiled on 29 June 2011. More specifically, it identifies opportunities and challenges for the financing of climate change and the environment in the future EU budget.

• An all-consuming responsibility

  This short paper highlights the challenges that the EU faces in delivering a resource efficient society and argues that achieving this would require action across a range of policy areas.