Our current model of economic growth is unsustainable on a planet of finite resources. Europe is already consuming more than its fair share of natural resources, with devastating impacts on ecosystems and communities. The availability of resources is, and will remain, a cause of conflict as the global population increases, middle classes grow and developing nations expand their economies.
The withdrawal of the circular economy package saw the halt of the development of resource efficiency policy for Europe, which, contrary to the waste and design policy, won’t be re-tabled unless MEPs and member states raise their voices. The scrapping of the Land as a Resource Communication from the European Commission’s 2015 Work Programme is another example of the trend of de-prioritisation of resource efficiency policy.
