EU on Environmental Issues

Biodiversity

The EU has a strategy to stop the decline of endangered species and habitats by 2020. The centerpiece is Natura, a network of 26 000 protected natural areas covering almost 20% of the bloc's land mass.

…. These are not nature reserves, but rathersites where sustainable human activities can take place without threatening rare and vulnerable species and habitats.

Being Efficient

If we are to avoid a crisis in our use of limited natural resources, fundamental changes are needed to our economy. As well as lawmaking, the EU helps provide the public education, research and public funding crucial for this.

Its response is a blend of long-term plans and incremental changes – like promoting eco-friendly products and encouraging greater use of energy-efficiency labels on consumer appliances like washing machines.

1. Water

Protecting Europe's shared water resources and ecosystems effectively from pollution, climate change and marine litter requires concerted action at EU level.

EU water policy aims to: give all Europeans access to good quality

water in sufficient quantity ensure that all water bodies across Europe

meet minimum standards of cleanliness preserve vulnerable aquatic environments.

2. Air

Air quality is an area where the EU has been very active, setting ambitious, cost-effective standards and targets for a number of pollutants, including sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead.

Whilst overall air-quality trends in the EU are encouraging, continued effort is needed.

3. Waste

If we can reduce the amount of waste generated in the first place, disposing of it will automatically become simpler. The EU is aiming to do this through:

new waste-prevention initiatives better use of resources encouraging a shift to more sustainable

consumption.

Funding a Greener EU

… Where waste can't be prevented, materials should be recovered, preferably by recycling. That's why the EU is calling for improved manufacturing methods and asking consumers to demand greener and recycled products and less packaging.

An overview…

a.) The EU’s main way of backing environmental and conservation projects is through its LIFE Programme, which disburses funds both in the EU and outside, in potential member countries and other neighbouring countries.

b.) Since 1992, LIFE has put some €2bn into over 3,000 projects, like reintroducing the bearded vulture in Andalusia, converting laminates into energy and aluminium and restoring coastal meadows and wetlands on Baltic Sea islands.

What is the European Union doing about it?

Europe 2020 is the EU's growth strategy for the coming decade, pushing the EU to become a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy. Under the Europe 2020 strategy the flagship initiative fo a resource- efficient points the way towards sustainable growth and supports a shift towards a resource-efficient, low-carbon economy.

Europe-Asia Strategy

ACT:Communication of 13 October 1997 from

the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee on a Europe-Asia Cooperation Strategy in the Field of Environment.

Summary

Asia's rapid urbanization and industrialization, compounded by the poverty of its population, have been accompanied by environmental damage.

The Asian countries are increasingly aware of the need to improve the environment and of the cost of environmental damage, including lost productivity and increased medical spending. Once neglected, environmental issues have in recent years become a priority in Asia.

Europe's position at the forefront of environmental technologies and services (it holds almost 60% of the world's patents for environmental technologies) makes it a key partner for the Asian countries in this sphere.

At the Essen European Council of 8-14 December 1994, the Member States declared their wish for greater cooperation and dialogue between Europe and Asia, especially in the environmental field.

The main environmental problems Asia is facing are:

water pollution (industrialization, domestic sewage, exhaustion of the groundwater);

air pollution (transport, energy and industry); waste management (the increasing volume of

household and industrial waste); land degradation (soil erosion, water logging

and salinity); deforestation; loss of biodiversity (loss of species and

habitat).

Asia's needs in the environmental field are considerable. The Asian countries will have to find almost ECU 34 billion a year in public and private funding for national environmental investment.

A multipronged strategy is needed, involving:

building Asia's environmental management capacities: more efficient and rational use of natural resources, the introduction of a sustainable wealth-creation model and environmental institutions;

adopting market-based environmental measures: mobilising the private sector (providing the necessary incentives for foreign direct investment that is more effective than state aid);

focusing cooperation on priority sectors: urban and industrial pollution, protecting natural resources etc.;

fostering environmental research and development networks between Europe and Asia.

The effectiveness of Europe-Asia cooperation depends on the application of the following criteria:

the common interest of the two regions;

complementarity with measures taken by the Member States (avoiding needless duplication);

synergies with international donors (World Bank, EIB, UNDP);

the viability of operations when European involvement ends.