Environment General Union Environment Action Programme to 2020 "Living well, within the limits of our planet" - the 7th EAP.

Environment

General Union Environment Action Programme to 2020 "Living well, within the limits of our planet" - the 7th EAP

The 7th EAP entered into force on 17 January 2014

Shows that the EU and its Member States support strong and smart environment policies as a key condition for healthy living and for creating a competitive, resource-efficient economy in Europe

Member States and the EU institutions are equally responsible for implementation of the programme

Putting words into action – now is a good time!

Water and soil pollution has been reduced significantly

Thanks to updated chemicals legislation, the use of many toxic or hazardous substances has been restricted

We're not starting from zero!

A lot has already been done in the last decades to improve the state of the European environment:

Today, EU citizens enjoy some of the best water quality in the world

Over 18% of EU's territory has been designated as protected areas for nature

A 2050 timeframe and 2050 visionNine priority objectives

However, challenges persist…

And that's why we need the 7th EAP!

Long-term vision where we want the union to be by 2050:

"In 2050, we live well, within the planet’s ecological limits. Our prosperity and healthy environment stem from an innovative, circular economy where nothing is wasted and where natural resources are managed sustainably, and biodiversity is protected, valued and restored in ways that enhance our society’s resilience. Our low-carbon growth has long been decoupled from resource use, setting the pace for a safe and sustainable global society."

3 THEMATIC:

1. Natural capital – "Nurturing the hand that feeds us"

2. Resource efficient, low-carbon growth – "Doing more with less"

3. Health & environment – "Taking care of the environment is taking care of ourselves"

4 'ENABLERS':

4. Implementation – "Good for the environment, our health and our wallets"

5. Knowledge/evidence base – "Best decisions based on latest data"

6. Investment – "Green incentives mean green innovations"

7. Integration – "Tackling multiple challenges with one approach"

2 'HORIZONTAL':

8. Urban environment – "Working together for common solutions"

9. International – "Living well, within the limits of our planet is a global aim"

The 7th EAP – nine elements

Natural Capital – "Nurturing the hand that feeds us"

Biodiversity that provides goods and services we rely on, from fertile soil and productive land and seas to fresh water and clean air.

Vital services such as pollination of plants, natural protection against flooding, and the regulation of our climate.

7th EAP commits EU and its Member States to:speed up the implementation

of existing strategiesfill gaps where legislation

doesn't yet exist improve existing legislation,

including the 2020 Biodiversity Strategy and the Blueprint to Safeguard Europe's Water Resources

Resource-efficient economy – "Doing more with less"

Full delivery of the climate and energy package to achieve the 20-20-20 targets and agreement on the next steps for climate policy beyond 2020;

Significant improvements to the environmental performance of products over their life cycle;

Reductions in the environmental impact of consumption, including cutting food waste and using biomass in a sustainable way

There is a special focus on turning waste into a resource and to move towards more efficient use of our water resources

The EAP sets out the conditions that will help transform the EU into a resource-efficient, low-carbon economy. This requires:

Healthy & Environment – "Taking care of the environment is taking care of ourselves"

In the EAP, all parties agree to:update air quality and noise

legislation; improve implementation of legislation

relating to drinking and bathing water;

tackle hazardous chemicals, including nanomaterials, chemicals that interfere with the endocrine system and chemicals in combination

Come up with strategy for a non-toxic environment.

Dealing with challenges to human health and wellbeing, such as air and water pollution, excessive noise, and chemicals.Making Europe sufficiently resilient to challenges posed by new and emerging risks, including the impacts of climate change.

Four "I"s or to help Europe deliver on these goals

Improved implementation of existing environmental legislation

Increased information Secured investments in

the field of environment and climate change

More integration of environmental concerns into other policy areas

Four 'enablers' to achieve the priority objectives

Savings costs through better implementation. Full implementation of EU waste legislation would: save €72 billion a

year; increase the

annual turnover of the EU waste management and recycling sector by €42 billion; and

create over 400,000 new jobs by 2020

Better information by: improving the

way data and other information is collected, managed and used across the EU;

investing in research to fill knowledge gaps;

developing a more systematic approach to new and emerging risks

Adequate investments and innovation in products, services and public policies. We must: Send the right

market signals to reflect the costs to the environment

Apply polluter-pays principle, cutting out EHS, shifting taxation to pollution

Better integration of environmental concerns into other policy areas, such as regional policy, agriculture, fisheries, energy and transport will ensure better decision-making and coherent policy approaches that deliver multiple benefits.

Two horizontal priority objectives complete the 7th EAP

Sustainable cities: "Working together for common solutions"

Tackling international challenges: "Living well, within the limits of our planet" is a global aim

Many environmental challenges are increasingly global. We need to address them with international partners as part of the transition to a greener global economyThe 7th EAP urges the EU and the MS to: engage more effectively in

working with international partners towards the adoption of Sustainable Development Goals as a follow-up to the Rio+20 conference;

Work to reduce impacts on the environment beyond EU borders

Europe is densely populated;80 % of its citizens will live in or near a city by 2020. Cities share the same problems.

The EAP aims to:help cities become more

sustainable; promote and expand initiatives

that support innovation and best practice sharing in cities;

ensure that by 2020, most cities in the EU are implementing policies for sustainable urban planning and design, and are using the EU funding available for this purpose

Sustainable citiesTackling international challenges

Working together to achieve common goals...

We must work together!

At different levels of governance but also across the various sectors in society – government, business, civil society and ordinary citizens

Putting the 7th EAP into the broader perspective of European policy-making, not only for the coming seven years but also beyond

The programme provides the framework for EU institutions and Member States to join forces, so as to implement the vision that we have defined in 'EU 2020' for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth

Looking beyond 2020…

We need concerted action to deliver the improvements in the environment, economy and society, so that Europeans can live well, within the limits of our planet

Important that resource-efficiency remains a part of the Europe 2020 strategy and that it is further strengthened in the review of this Strategy

Looking beyond 2020…

Tackling Europe's environment and climate challenges is not only essential in its own right

It is also an opportunity to bring about the long-term growth and societal wellbeing on which the future of the EU depends

Public authorities can provide right guidance, incentives and leadership but we need all of you, the rest of the society to make the necessary changes in order for us to be able to live well, within the limits of our planet!

Tackling environment challenges is an opportunity for long-term growth