EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] Unsustainable consumption and production a big mouthful – also for the climate Presentation by Lars Fogh Mortensen Head of Group, Sustainable Consumption & Production European Environment Agency European Economic and Social Committee Public Hearing, Sustainability Consumption and Production, Brussels, 10 December 2008

EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] Not rocket science... Achieving sustainable consumption and production is not rocket science...

EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] It is much more complicated than that!

EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] 1.Environmental and climate pressures have increased because consumption growth has outweighed efficiency gains 2.Housing, food and mobility cause on average two-thirds of environmental pressures 3.The SCP Action Plan is a step in the right direction - the financial crisis may provide new opportunities 4.EEA and its new Topic Centre on SCP will support the implementation of the SCP Action Plan and the actors in the SCP triangle of change Messages

EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] Environmental and climate pressures have increased because consumption growth has outweighed efficiency gains Message 1

EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] Consumption growth outweighs efficiency gains Today’s cars are much cleaner and more fuel efficient than 15 years ago, (dark green) but... The number of cars on the road has more than doubled and people drive more (light green line) because of the lifestyle... Hence, higher impacts from transport (blue line) Source: Europe ’ s environment – the fourth assessment (EEA, 2007)

EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] Consumption growth outweighs efficiency gains Dishwashers, TVs and washing machines are much more efficient than 15 years ago, (dotted lines) but... the numbers in use have increased significantly (solid lines) Hence, higher electricity consumption (red line) Source: Europe ’ s environment – the fourth assessment (EEA, 2007)

EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] The production-consumption life-cycle of activities related to housing, food and mobility cause on average two-thirds of global environmental pressures from consumption in Europe, including greenhouse gas emissions material use Message 2 Source: EEA and ETC/RWM environmental accounts of selected EU countries

EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] One week‘s food of a family in the United Kingdom Source: „Hungry Planet: What The World Eats“, by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio Food and drink: 18% of GHG emissions 23% of material use

EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] Housing and infrastructure: 24 % of GHG emissions 32% of material use

EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] Mobility: 18 % of GHG emissions 7% of material use

EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] The SCP Action Plan is a step in the right direction - the financial crises may provide new opportunities Message 3

EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] Recommendations for the SCP Action Plan from 100 participants in 2007 SCP Time for Action Conference EU Directive on GPP Clear Sustainability Targets Getting the prices right “Getting the prices right” Environmental management in public administration Benchmarking Sustainability targets Greening of private procurement Coordination and coherence of policies International definition of green / eco-product Orientation of the Action Plan Spatial planning policies Clearing house of SCP evidence Green Public Procurement “Getting the prices right” Green Public Procurement Spatial planning policies Sustainability targets Revision of the European Eco-label & VAT Integrated impact assessment of nat. policies International definition of green / eco-product 1st round 2nd round Final round

EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] The SCP Action Plan and the financial crisis Consumption is not expected to continue to grow significantly in 2009 and 2010 – some countries in recession Less likely to be available for private investments. But opportunities to redirect investments (public and private) towards sustainable technology Pressures to rethink balance between market and regulation Prices – and integrating environmental externalities - become more important. Opportunities for green tax reforms. Increased need for business to focus on ressource efficiency

EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] EEA and its new European Topic Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (ETC-SCP) will support the implementation of the SCP Action and the actors in the SCP triangle of change Message 4

EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] EEA supporting SCP Action Plan and the actors in the triangle of change EEA sustainable consumption scenarios Public authorities Consumers Business Sustainable consumption and production EEA SCP indicators for Europe EEA analyses on drivers of consumption EEA green tips EEA analyses of good practises in retailers EEA green tips EEA Environmental Technology Atlas EEA green consumption videos EEA environmental accounts

EESC hearing on Sustainable Consumption and Production, 10 December [Lars Fogh Mortensen] Thank you for your attention