2.6: Sustainable Consumption and Production and Waste

To support global, EU and national activities on sustainable consumption and production, resource and waste management, by strengthening the analytical basis through the development and use of SCP and other structural indicators, life cycle analysis, environmental accounts, integrated assessments, outlooks and scenarios, focusing particularly on housing, food, mobility and tourism/recreation.

Other Information:

Analysis - It is increasingly recognised that as Europeans we need to take responsibility for the environmental impacts of our consumption and production patterns within Europe, and their life-cycle environmental impacts in other parts of the world. Sustainable management of material resources and waste is an integral part of this. The importance of sustainable consumption and production (SCP), including the generation of waste and use of resources, is reflected in policy priorities and plans, in particular the UNCSD 2010–2011 review of SCP and waste, the EU Action Plan on Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable Industrial Policy, the 2010 revision of the thematic strategies on sustainable use of natural resources and on waste prevention and recycling, other EU waste policies including the revision of the Waste Framework Directive and national policies on SCP, resources and waste. It is also reflected in the increased business focus on corporate social responsibility, efficiency in resource use and environmental management systems, and the greater focus on sustainable consumption patterns across Europe. Action - We will achieve our objective by: • producing and maintaining indicators on sustainable consumption and production, waste and resources via SEIS and the Environmental Data Centres of Eurostat; • supporting the implementation of the EU Action Plan on SCP, EU thematic strategies, national SCP policies, the global Marrakech process on SCP and the UNCSD review of SCP through policy-effectiveness evaluations and integrated assessments of environmental impacts of production and consumption in Europe and other regions of the world; • strengthening efforts, in close cooperation with Eurostat, JRC, OECD and the UN, to further develop integrated economic and environmental accounts; • undertaking analyses on Life Cycle Analysis, resource availability and productivity, cleaner production and eco-efficient products; • developing sustainable consumption and production outlooks and scenarios for Europe; • supporting the implementation of the Waste Framework Directive and the Thematic Strategy on Waste Prevention and Recycling through analyses of various waste streams; • working with business and SMEs to share experiences and good practice on sustainable business strategies, corporate social responsibility, EMAS and the role of retailers; • strengthening work on sustainable production and eco-innovation, in cooperation with OECD; • supporting neighbouring countries on SCP and waste information needs, especially the Mediterranean countries within the Horizon 2020 initiative and EEA collaborating West Balkan countries; and • improving communication with policy-makers and consumers on how to limit environmental impacts of consumption, and develop options for more sustainable products and production.

Indicator(s):

Indicator:1

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