(Finance) – In 2023, the consumption of raw materials in the EU decreased by 5 percent (14.1 tonnes per capita) compared to 2018 (14.9 tonnes per capita). The share of secondary raw materials in all production factors in the economy (‘circularity rate’) stood at 11.5 percent in 2022. This means that there has been no change since 2017. Furthermore, in 2021, gross value added in the environmental goods and services sector increased by 0.28 percentage points (pp), from 2.24 percent in 2016 to 2.52 percent of GDP. This is what emerges from a report by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, on Responsible consumption and production.
“THE consumption and production models – the report states – have broad environmental and social impacts. The Sustainable Development Goal ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’ (SDG 12) requires action on many fronts, including the adoption of sustainable practices by businesses, the promotion of sustainable procurement practices by policy makers and environmentally friendly lifestyles of consumers. The monitoring of SDG 12 in the EU context focuses on progress made in decoupling environmental impacts from economic growth, promoting the green economy and addressing waste generation and management.
The consumption of raw materials (material footprint) indicates the quantity of extraction necessary to produce the products required by end users in the geographical area of reference. In 2023 the non-metallic minerals represent the highest percentage of 52.3 percent, followed by biomass (21.8 percent), from fossil energy carriers (18.1 percent) and from metallic minerals (7.8 percent).
The European Commission has recently adopted an important package of measures for the sustainable use of key natural resources. The aim is to strengthen the resilience of natural ecosystems across the EU, better help Europe adapt to climate change and ensure lasting food and material security.