A European Eco-efficient Economy

Publication date: 30 June 2009

A newly-produced report (26-06-2009) entitled ‘A European Eco-efficient Economy’ focuses on Europe’s potential for creating an eco-efficient economy, one of the areas that will be given priority during the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The report describes how challenges such as the climate crisis, the financial crisis and a greater demand for natural resources could become opportunities by being dealt with using a coherent approach. It raises the importance of change in meeting these challenges, ensuring competitiveness and creating growth. It also examines both current and new projects, and presents a number of issues and proposals for political discussion.

‘A European Eco-efficient Economy’ has been produced by the Stockholm Environment Institute and will provide the basis of discussions during the informal Council meeting of energy and environment ministers in Åre on 23–25 July 2009.

The report proposes a six-point action plan:

1. The EU needs to step up programmed interventions to induce development and diffusion of specific technologies alongside more generic policies.

2. The EU needs to develop more hybrid and combined governance arrangements.

3. The EU needs to continue pushing forward the development of a global price on greenhouse gas emissions.

4. The EU needs to assist and induce emerging economies to make substantive commitments.

5. The EU needs, even more forcefully, to make policy assessments and other forms of evidence gathering routine.

6. The EU needs to develop institutional platforms where the evidence can be taken up, interpreted and learned from.

Chapters of special interest to motoring and touring clubs can be found in heading 3 Eco-Efficient economy challenges in practice - sector experiences in the report:

- Biofuels - complex resources in a global context (page 22)

According to the authors, biofuels are central to the eco-efficient economy agenda because:

1. their link with climate change

2. they represent an opportunity to modernise agriculture

3. they could lead to a new industry

Biogas from various residues is also seen by the authors as being an important niche.

- Automotive industry - combining governance for innovation (page 26)

According to the authors, there are still energy efficiency potentials in the order of 30 per cent to be made in further developing the standard gasoline Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) (less for the diesel engine).

- Sustainable cities - systems efficiency opportunities in urban areas (page 28)

According to the authors, motorized transportation in cities does not only lead to greenhouse gas emissions but it is also largely a health issue.

 A European Eco Efficient Economy Report

Source: Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union