Course info

EnvStud 670 – European Environment Action Plan – Environment 2010

Content:

Protecting the planet creates both challenges and opportunities. Through greater efficiency and better use of natural resources, we can break the old link between economic growth and environmental damage. We can be both more prosperous and greener. Overall, society must work to de-couple environmental impacts and degradation from economic growth.

Course Lecturer: Gerhard Berchtold, PhD

ECTS credits: 6

Coursebook:

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 24.1.2001

COM (2001) 31 final

2001/0029 (COD)

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

On the sixth environment action programme of the European Community

'Environment 2010: Our future, Our choice'

- The Sixth Environment Action Programme -

Proposal for a

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

Laying down the Community Environment Action Programme 2001-2010

(Presented by the Commission)

A healthy environment is essential to long term prosperity and quality of life and citizens in Europe demand a high level of environmental protection. Future economic development and increasing prosperity will put pressure on the planet's capacity to sustain demands for resources or to absorb pollution. At the same time, high environmental standards are an engine for innovation and business opportunities. Overall, society must work to de-couple environmental impacts and degradation from economic growth. Business must operate in a more eco-efficient way, in other words producing the same or more products with less input and less waste, and consumption patterns have to become more sustainable.

Environment 2010:

European Commission

2001-2010

6th EU Environment Action Programme

Our Future, Our Choice

Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2001

ISBN 92-894-0261-X

© European Communities, 2001

Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged

What kind of environment do we want to live in? What kind of environment do we want our children and grandchildren to inherit? This is the starting point for the new Environment Action Programme: Environment 2010: Our Future, Our Choice, which the Commission has proposed to the MemberStates and the European Parliament.

All of us believe that the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat should be free of harmful pollutants. We want to avoid the threat and uncertainty of climate change. A clean and healthy environment is vital to the quality of life we desire for ourselves now and for our children in the future.

Protecting the planet creates both challenges and opportunities. Through greater efficiency and better use of natural resources, we can break the old link between economic growth and environmental damage. We can be both more prosperous and greener.

Environment 2010: Our Future, Our Choice - the Sixth Environment Action Programme has been presented in two parts:

1. The European Commission’s Policy Statement (referred to as a Communication);

2. The European Commission’s proposed text for a legal decision by Environment Ministers and the European Parliament.

The main bulk of the Programme forms the Policy Statement, which is now European Commission policy. The Commission is committed to working towards the objectives set out in this statement and summarised in this booklet.

The proposed text for a legal decision now needs to be discussed and formally adopted by joint agreement by the Parliament and the Council of Ministers. This will be followed by more detailed proposals from the Commission on individual measures.

While Environment 2010: Our Future, Our Choice establishes our priorities for action over the next 10 years, the Commission will review progress after five years, updating the Programme as necessary to take account of new developments and information.