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EU news and policy positions: Sustainable development

Site: EurActiv.com / Sustainable Dev. / EN

Sweden tables eco-efficiency roadmap for Europe
Publish Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 10:20:00 GMT
A report by the Stockholm Environment Institute, entitled 'A European Eco-efficient Economy', will provide a basis for discussions during an informal meeting of energy and environment ministers in Åre on 23-25 July.

Towards a Transatlantic Green New Deal
Publish Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 09:35:33 GMT
"A Global Green New Deal will only work if it succeeds in addressing both pressing environmental priorities and pressing social needs in industrialised and in developing countries," argues a June report by Worldwatch Institute prepared for the Heinrich Böll Foundation.

Towards a recycling society
Publish Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:00:00 GMT
An EU strategy on preventing and recycling waste aims to pave the way towards a recycling society by decoupling economic growth from natural resource use. But questions remain over whether the issue should be dealt with at national or European level, and on how to reconcile the EU's ecological and internal market objectives in the long run.

EU biowaste directive moves a step closer
Publish Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:45:00 GMT
EU member states have asked the European Commission to table a directive on biowaste in 2010 "if appropriate" and consider local conditions when drafting the new law, which could be tabled in 2010. 

Ministers 'deeply concerned' by biodiversity loss
Publish Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:08:21 GMT
EU environment ministers yesterday (25 June) called for better evaluation of EU policies to protect biodiversity and asked for 'ecosystem services' to be integrated into the bloc's policies in order to measure the drivers of biodiversity loss. 

EU, US act against China on raw material exports
Publish Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:50:00 GMT
In a joint effort with the United States, the European Union took action against China yesterday (23 June) for restricting exports of industrial raw materials, as EU companies struggle to access key natural resources at a time of recession.

Commission outlines vision for future of transport
Publish Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:06:55 GMT
The European Commission yesterday (17 June) presented its vision for an integrated, technology-led and user-friendly sustainable transport system after 2010. But environmental NGOs complained that the vision failed to place sufficient emphasis on managing demand and neglected to put sustainability at the heart of future policies.

WWF report: Green industries create more jobs
Publish Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:45:00 GMT
Jobs in low-carbon sectors are already outstripping those in Europe's traditional polluting industries in Europe, but the EU is missing the boat as regards harnessing the economic crisis to kick-start the transition to a low-carbon, competitive economy, a WWF study published yesterday (16 June) shows.

Water risks ripple through beverage industry
Publish Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:55:00 GMT
In New York, some restaurants have started taking bottled water off their menu, in a move aimed at responding to consumer concern about the environment. The trend has resonated with the wider beverage industry, with major brands such as Coca-Cola and Nestlé introducing water conservation schemes in an effort to boost their reputation.

Commission pressed to table biowaste directive
Publish Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2009 10:10:43 GMT
The European Commission is currently under heavy pressure from Belgium, Spain and industry to propose a stand-alone directive for biowaste management, in order to plug the regulatory holes left by existing EU waste legislation.