Green Week Conference 2011 Resource efficiency - Using less, living better

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

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Green Week Conference 2011 Resource efficiency - Using less, living better

The 11th edition of Green Week, the biggest annual conference on European environment policy, will take place from 24 to 27 May 2011 in Brussels and around Europe. This year's theme is "Resource Efficiency - Using less, living better".


Over some 40 sessions, the conference will address the problem of resource depletion and scarcity, and the challenges and opportunities presented by constraints on resources. The conference will also showcase public and private strategies that are promoting a shift towards lower carbon use and a more efficient use of resources.
Green Week offers a unique opportunity for debate and exchanges of experience and best practice. Over the past decade, the conference has established itself as an unmissable event for anyone involved with protecting Europe's environment. The 2010 edition attracted some 3 400 participants from government, business and industry, non-governmental organisations, academia and the media.
Green Week is open to the public and participation is free of charge.
We look forward to welcoming you to Green Week 2011!

CCRES
Overview

24 May

14:30 - 16:00
Opening session: Resource scarcity: challenges, drivers and EU responses
16:00 - 16:30 Coffee break
16.30 - 18.00
1.1. The Transition towards a resource efficient economy" in partnership with UNEP
2.1 "Role of employment & social policies in a move towards a low carbon & resource efficient economy" In partnership with DG EMPL
3.1 "Food waste" in partnership with DG SANCO
4.1 Phosphorus - will we have enough?
18:00 - 20:30 Cocktail BERL
25 May

09.30 - 11.00
1.2 Recycling policy instruments
2.2 "Eco-innovation, optimising the eco-efficiency of products and processes" in partnership with DG RTD
3.2 Wet and well connected? Soil sealing and trade-offs
4.2 Greener chemicals, cleaner resources
11:00 - 11:30 Coffee Break
11.30 - 13.00
1.3 Mapping out the future
2.3 "Sustainable use of plant protection products - a contribution to the efficient use of resources" in partnership with DG SANCO
3.3 Water efficiency - every drop counts
4.3 A European response to the "scramble for global resources" in partnership with Friends of Europe
13:00 - 14:30 Lunch
14:30 - 16:00
1.4 "Informing decision-makers about the state of the planet's resources: the role of science and innovation" In partnership with JRC + ESA + ENTR + R&I
2.4 Financing eco-innovation
3.4 Land is a resource - how can we use it best?
4.4 "Speeding up the revolution in how business thinks of resource efficiency" in partnership with Friends of Europe
16:00 - 16:30 Coffee Break
16.30 - 18.00
1.5 Monitoring our impact on the environment: the role of Ombudsmen
2.5 Towards a more ambitious SCP action plan
3.5 "The 2011 Energy Efficiency Plan: the next steps" in partnership with DG ENER
4.5 "Resource efficiency & competitiveness" in partnership with DG ENTR
26 May

09.30 - 11.00
1.6 New business ideas for the ‘circular economy’
2.6 Progressing towards a resource efficient economy – a better use of market-based instruments while reforming environmentally harmful subsidies
3.6 Marine resources
4.6 Forest resources - how much wood can we take and what should we use it for?
11:00 - 11:30 Coffee Break
11.30 - 13.00
1.7 Waste as a resource
2.7 Green Public Procurement - state of play & future prospects
3.7 Access to Raw materials & efficiency in the EU's Extractive industry
4.7 Biodiversity: a precious key resource & a boundary condition for a resource efficient society
13:00 - 14:30 Lunch
14:30 - 16:00
1.8 "Indicators and targets for resource efficiency" in partnership with DGs ESTAT ECFIN & European Environment Agency
2.8 Addressing the Rebount Effect
3.8 "Competitiveness and sustainable construction" In partnership with DG ENTR in partnership with DG ENTR
4.8 "EU and national roadmaps for a low-carbon economy by 2050" in partnership with DG CLIMA
16:00 - 16:30 Coffee break
16.30 - 18.00
1.9 Cohesion policy - investing for resource efficiency
2.9 The United Nations conference on sustainable development in 2012: can it deliver on resource efficiency?
3.9 "A single European Transport Area for competitive and sustainable transport" in partnership with DG MOVE
4.9 "Bio-Economy: ensuring food security and sustainable management of bio-resources" in partnership with DG RTD
27 May

10.00 - 12.00
Closing session: Towards a resource-efficient Europe in 2020
More info at http://solarserdar.blogspot.com.

25 May 2011

1.2 Recycling policy instruments

25 May - 09.30 - 11.00
Re-using waste as a resource in the economy saves virgin materials, promoting resource efficiency. EU policy instruments to promote recycling include legislation such as the Waste Framework Directive and strategies like the Thematic Strategy on Waste Prevention and Recycling and the Raw Materials Initiative, but there are numerous differences between Member States. Some Member States have adopted specific economic instruments that have shown to be very efficient to boost recycling.
This interactive session looks at different policy instruments available to national and European policy makers to boost recycling in Europe. The audience and an expert panel of European and national policy-makers, industry and NGO representatives will debate the future direction of EU recycling policy in a global context.
Speakers:

Jean-Pierre Hannequart, Director General, Bruxelles Environnement IBGE
Peter Kurth, President of the BDE, Federation of the German Waste, Water and Raw Materials Management Industry, Senator (Rtd)
Judith Merkies, Member of the European Parliament, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Moderators:

Klaus Koegler
2.2 "Eco-innovation, optimising the eco-efficiency of products and processes" in partnership with DG RTD

25 May - 09.30 - 11.00
Challenges like resource depletion, climate change and population growth mean that future generations could face environmental problems on a scale not yet seen on our planet. To counter that, there is now an imperative need to reduce our impact on the environment. This is more than a question of innovative products and processes: it will also mean new business models that help us make the most of new technologies. What is required is a new innovation strategy that uses breakthroughs in products and processes to enable a major rethink of the technical and economic systems which could create synergies and a momentum for significant change. This session will provide an overview of the potential offered by eco-innovation in delivering eco-efficient product and services.
Speakers:

Prof. Dr René Kemp, International Centre for Integrated Assessment and Sustainable Development (ICIS), Maastricht University
Michal Miedzinski, Technopolis Group
Arnold Meijer, Agentschap NL, NL Milieu en Leefomgeving
Michelle Wyart, Industrial Mineral Association (MA) Europe
Moderators:

Luisa Prista, Head of Unit Environmental Technology, DG Research, European Commission
Hervé Martin, Head of Unit LIFE-Environment & Eco-Innovation, DG Environment, European Commission
3.2 Wet and well connected? Soil sealing and trade-offs

25 May - 09.30 - 11.00
In our efforts to put a roof above our head, or to move from A to B, we are gradually covering the countryside with cement and asphalt. That's bad news for the soil. Every year, an additional 1,000 km² of land is now being claimed for housing, industry, roads and recreational purposes in the EU. Almost 500 km² - an area half the size of Berlin - is completely sealed over. And the trends are worrying: in the first six years of this century, land take increased by 3% within the EU, and exceptionally high increases with more than 6% were observed in the Netherlands, Portugal, Ireland, Cyprus, and Spain.
The consequences are far-reaching. Soil sealing can mean the loss of fertile soils for food production, reduced water infiltration, and increased of run-off bringing additional flood risk and potentially catastrophic floods. Soil biodiversity suffers, and above-ground biodiversity also disappears as landscapes are fragmented.
This session will present land take trends in the EU, and explore ways to minimise the negative consequences of sealing.
Speakers:

Nicola Filippi, Regione Emilia Romagna, Direzione Generale Ambiente, Difesa del Suolo e della Costa
Ms Gundunla Prokop, Environment Agency Austria, Competence centre for soil and land use management
4.2 Greener chemicals, cleaner resources

25 May - 09.30 - 11.00
What are persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic (PBT) chemicals? Where are they found, and do we want them to further contaminate our resources?
EU chemicals policy - including REACH - is intended to ensure that chemicals are used safely, keeping humans and the environment safe from harm. REACH encourages the substitution of hazardous chemicals by less dangerous ones. This lowers the chemical contamination of natural resources, protecting them from further deterioration. If waste is to be used a resource - a key objective of EU waste policy - then recyclable materials must be safe, and that means reducing the number of hazardous inputs.
This session will focus on Persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic (PBTs) substances. As a group, PBTs pose an unacceptable risk to future generations, and the resources they will depend upon. Some of them are still in common use, in pesticides, brominated flame retardants and stain repellents, and in items such plastics, polystyrene, sofas, computers. Their impact on the environment is significant, and EU action is needed to prevent further contamination of our resources. Speakers will provide an overview of PBTs and where they can be found, the laws in place to regulate them, and what is being done to replace them.
Speakers:

David Gee, Senior Adviser, European Environment Agency
Prof. Dr. Martin Führ, University of Darmstadt
Jack de Bruijn, Director Risk Management, European Chemicals Agency
Chair:

Astrid Schomaker, Head of Unit on Chemicals, Biocides & Nanomaterials, DG Environment, European Commission
1.3 Mapping out the future

25 May - 11.30 - 13.00
With the growing realisation about the numerous socio-economic, political and environmental challenges bestowed upon our rapidly changing world comes also the difficulty to understand upcoming challenges and opportunities. Attempts to understand and anticipate the future become extremely difficult when considering both the uncertainty of events yet to come and the complexity of interactions between the socio-economic and environmental spheres.
Starting from a (global) system perspective, this session will map out possible futures by explaining key inter-linkages between the larger environmental system and socio-economic developments. It will allow for an open debate on how sustainable futures can be achieved through present actions.
The key outcome of the session will be improved understanding of global trends, factors that generate them and rationales for sound policy intervention. The session will help to build consensus among participants on key areas for future action.
Speakers:

Helen Mountford, Deputy Director, OECD Environment Directorate
Prof. John R. Barrett, Chair in Sustainability Research, School of Earth and Environment, - University of Leeds
Dr Tom Kram, Nederlands Environmental Assessment Agency
Moderators:

Dr Joachim Spangenberg, Vice-President, Sustainable Europe Research Institute (SERI)
2.3 "Sustainable use of plant protection products - a contribution to the efficient use of resources" in partnership with DG SANCO

25 May - 11.30 - 13.00
Crops need protection against pests and diseases, regardless of the production system chosen by the farmer. Plant protection products are often the main - and only - tool available to farmers. By crop production and use of plant protection products always has an impact on natural resources. In recent years a comprehensive strategy has been put in place to reduce the use of plant protection products, aiming to ensure the sustainable use of these products and to contribute to the efficient use of our resources. Integrated pest management is one of the cornerstones in this strategy. Regulators, farmers, industry and NGOs will present their experience and exchange views on these matters.
Speakers:

Lars Peter Jørgensen, Farmer
Peter Hall, Farmer, Target Farm
Friedhelm Schmider, Director General, European Crop Protection Association (ECPA)
Antoine Messéan, Head of Unit, INRA – ENDURE Network
3.3 Water efficiency - every drop counts

25 May - 11.30 - 13.00
Water is life, sustaining ecosystems and regulating our climate. But did you know that it is a finite resource, and that less than 1% of the world's fresh water is directly accessible for human use? As demand for water continues to rise across Europe, there is a vital need to heighten awareness of the value of effective water management.
This session will deal with the practical management of water, demonstrating ways of saving water and managing available resources more sustainably across a variety of different sectors. The session will begin with a broad overview of future water demand, with suggestions for meeting that demand, followed by presentations on best practice water management in sectors such as agriculture, industry, and urban areas. Certification and footprinting systems will also feature.
Speakers:

Dr Giulio Boccaletti, Expert Associate Principal, McKinsey & Company
Prof. Enrique Cabrera
Prof. Chandra A. Madramootoo, Dean McGill University, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Sabine von Wirén-Lehr, Water Stewardship Program Coordinator, European Water Partnership (EWP)
Ulrike Sapiro, Corporate Responsibility Director – Environment, Coca-Cola Company Europe
Eva Hernández Herrero, Doñana Project Coordinator, WWF Spain
Moderators:

Peter Gammeltoft, Head of Unit Protection of Water Resources, DG Environment, European Commission
4.3 A European response to the "scramble for global resources" in partnership with Friends of Europe

25 May - 11.30 - 13.00
The European Environment Agency (EEA) warns that demand for growing resources may undermine the EU's economic prospects. As well as for oil and gas, Europe must now compete in the global scramble for strategic metals and minerals. But do Europe's boardrooms share these mounting concerns over peak energy, land grabs for resources or export restrictions such as China's on rare earth minerals? Should Europe's response be to soften its environmental standards to allow more domestic exploration of critical resources? Where are the resource dangers and bottlenecks and can the EU's resource efficiency strategy really solve this access problem? Could an ambitious new strategy on resource recovery from waste provide an answer to these challenges?
Speakers:

Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for Environment
Andrzej Kraszewski, Minister for the Environment, Poland
Karlson "Charlie" Hargroves , Co-Founder and Director, The Natural Edge Project, University of Adelaide
Corinne Lepage, Member of the European Parliament, Vice-Chair Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Dr Michael Warhurst, Senior Waste and Resources Manager, Friends of the Earth, London
Moderators:

Willy De Backer, Head of the Greening Europe Forum, Friends of Europe
1.4 "Informing decision-makers about the state of the planet's resources: the role of science and innovation" In partnership with JRC + ESA + ENTR + R&I

25 May - 14:30 - 16:00
In many parts of the world, non-renewable resource use is close to the limit and renewable resources are being used beyond their reproductive capacity. Corrective measures are needed to improve the efficiency of resource use and ensure that continued stable living can be achieved within the "safe operating space" of our planet.
A shift towards resource efficiency will require a better understanding of how the Earth works, and the limits are to its safe operation. This understanding must rest on a rigorous scientific analysis presenting the facts in an understandable way to politicians, persuading them to act and implement corrective measures.
The shift will depend on the availability of appropriate tools. Earth observation satellites are a key tool because of their ability to capture the big picture: they monitor the planet and available resources continuously over large areas, including remote sites. Operational services that combine satellite observations with models and in situ observations can deliver products that are readily usable by policy makers. Examples of such applications already exist and illustrate how a systematic knowledge base approach to policy making could work in support of improved resource efficiency. Policy developments stemming from these applications are beginning to emerge and point the way towards improved use of resources.
Speakers:

Mark Doherty, Head of the Exploitation Division, European Space Agency
Josiane Masson, GMES Bureau, European Commission, DG Enterprise
Alan Belward, Head of Unit Global Environment Monitoring, Joint Research Centre, European Commission
Manuela Soares, Director Environment, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
Moderators:

Patrice Christmann, Head of Unit Mineral Resources Strategy, BRGM (French Geological Survey)
2.4 Financing eco-innovation

25 May - 14:30 - 16:00
The session will debate issues related to access to finance in the context of eco-innovation. Presentations will highlight market trends, recent studies on the topic, the hands-on experience of financial actors and businesses, and what can be learned from European financial support programmes. Trends and needs related to financing resource efficient innovations will also be discussed.
Speakers:

Beatriz Yordi-Aguirre, Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation
Martin Koch, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
Coenrad de Vries, Start Green, Sustainable Innovation Fund I, Consumer Products Fund
Moderators:

Morten Larsen, Chief Analyst, Oxford Research Consultancy
3.4 Land is a resource - how can we use it best?

25 May - 14:30 - 16:00
Land is a finite resource, setting a basic limit for all non-marine activities. Traditionally, land use is an area of subsidiarity for the EU, where Member States make their own decisions and maintain their own planning systems. But EU policies do cause land use change: energy and transport policies have a significant impact on land use inside the EU and beyond, and development, agriculture and nature protection policies seek to minimise the negative social and environmental impacts of land use change.
Although indicators and statistics (food prices, the growing population, rising demand for housing, the impacts of climate change) give cause for concern, the exact nature and extent of land scarcity remains unclear. But there are clear benefits in preserving valuable land uses, and policy initiatives such as green infrastructure demonstrate that it is possible to get more from our existing protected ecosystems by joining them up to deliver more than one ecosystem service. Such initiatives need to be taken at a range of levels, from the regional planning level up to the screening of EU policies for their land use impact.
This session will set out the state of play on some of the modelling work, and examine the potential consequences of a number of EU policies. It will conclude with a panel discussion on possible ways to improve the situation.
Speakers:

Prem Bindraban, Director ISRIC, World Soil Information
Ariel Brunner, Head of EU Policy, BirdLife International
Luisa Marelli, Institute for Energy, Renewable Energy Unit, Joint Research Centre, European Commission
Moderators:

Aminda Leigh, Broadcast Journalist and Writer, Director of the AMROS Anglo-Italian services
4.4 "Speeding up the revolution in how business thinks of resource efficiency" in partnership with Friends of Europe

25 May - 14:30 - 16:00
The world of business in Europe is increasingly aware of the risks of scarcity of energy, water and raw materials, and also of the attractive opportunities created by more productive and efficient use of these resources. New instruments and best practices like life-cycle assessment, bio-mimicry and "cradle to cradle" or constant recycling of valuable waste materials can do much to help businesses integrate natural resource into their long-term strategies. What sort of action plan could help European companies first to measure and then reduce their resource impact? Could EU-level rules stimulate the integration of environmental, social and governance information in annual financial reports as a first step towards "integrated reporting" by companies?
Speakers:

Bernard ter Haar, Director General for Climate & Environment, Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, The Netherlands
Karl Falkenberg, Director General, DG Environment, European Commission
Salvatore Gabola, European Public Affairs Director, Coca-Cola Europe
Douglas Mulhall, Senior Researcher, Cradle to Cradle at the Dutch Research Institute for Transitions (DRIFT), Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Former Managing Director of EPEA Internationale Umweltforschung, Germany
Moderators:

Willy De Backer, Head of the Greening Europe Forum, Friends of Europe
1.5 Monitoring our impact on the environment: the role of Ombudsmen

25 May - 16.30 - 18.00
Environmental protection and resource-efficiency depend on due process and access to information, underpinned by public participation and proper record-keeping. When national, regional or local administrations fail to act on matters affecting the ability of the environment to provide key services such as clean water to present and future generations, Ombudsmen can ensure that due process is respected. This session explores the varying position of Ombudsmen in European governance, and how this might evolve to protect the environment more effectively.
Speakers:

Sándor Fülöp, Parliamentary Commissioner for Future Generations (Hungarian Ombudsman)
Nikiforos P. Diamandouros, European Ombudsman
Jeremy Wates, Secretary General, European Environmental Bureau
Prof. Jonas Ebbesson, Department of Law, Stockholm University
Moderators:

Pia Bucella, Director, Nature, Biodiversity & Land Use, DG Environment, European Commission
2.5 Towards a more ambitious SCP action plan

25 May - 16.30 - 18.00
In 2012, the Commission will present a successor to the 2008 Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Action Plan. Most of proposals included in the 2008 plan have now been implemented, and work for its 2012 successor is now under way. This session will present and discuss some of the most promising policy options for the 2012 plan, looking at what can be learnt from the earlier plan, and how its successor can contribute to the implementation of the EU Resource Efficiency Agenda. Questions to be addressed include the level of ambition, the involvement of the Commission, Member States and stakeholders, and how to build on the achievements of the previous plan.
Speakers:

Pascal Gréverath, Assistant Vice President Environmental Sustainability, Nestlé
Doreen Fedrigo, Senior Policy Analyst, Institute for European Environmental Policy
Robert M. Rivett, Vice President of Technology, Emerson Electric
Pavel Misiga, Head of Unit Sustainable Consumption and Production, DG
Moderators:

Fiona Harvey, The Guardian
3.5 "The 2011 Energy Efficiency Plan: the next steps" in partnership with DG ENER

25 May - 16.30 - 18.00
The new Energy Efficiency Plan will be out shortly which puts forward energy efficiency measures across the whole energy supply chain. These measures will transform daily life with the potential to generate considerable financial savings for citizens, improve Europe's competitiveness, create new jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Plan will be followed up by legislative action to support the Plan's objectives. This session will address the Plan and the follow-up to it in more detail.
Speakers tba
4.5 "Resource efficiency & competitiveness" in partnership with DG ENTR

25 May - 16.30 - 18.00
For Resource Efficiency to succeed, it must have a positive impact on EU competitiveness at the same time. Building on the results of a Commission study into the effects of resource efficiency on the competitiveness of different enterprises, this session will include concrete examples of what companies are already doing to improve their resource efficiency, against the backdrop of broader cross-cutting issues in different industry sectors. Answers will be sought to key questions, including: What are the barriers that are holding back further improvements in resource efficiency in industry? In which areas could policy help further incentivise investments in resource efficiency? And how can the promotion of resource efficiency also create growth and jobs?More info at http://solarserdar.blogspot.com.

26 May 2011

1.6 New business ideas for the ‘circular economy’

26 May - 09.30 - 11.00
More businesses in Europe are finding that they can convert their bi-products and waste from production processes into a useful resource – for themselves, or for a neighbouring enterprise. The ‘circular’ approach to resources can save money, by eliminating waste disposal costs and reducing bills for energy or raw materials. This session will explore some of the innovative ideas for the second use of waste and new approaches to designing production, will hear how governments are now building some of these models into policy, and will discuss how the EU can contribute to the take-up of the best models. Hear about ‘industrial symbiosis’, ‘cradle to cradle’ and ‘product service systems’, with some of Europe’s top experts in these areas.
Speakers:

Peter Laybourn, Chief Executive, International Synergies Ltd
Monika Griefahn, Environmental Protection and Encouragement Agency (EPEA), Cradle to Cradle
Markus Bjerre, Economist, Danish Enterprise and Construction Authority (EBST)
Martin Andersen, Head of Office Kalundborg EU-Office, Kalundborg Industrial Symbiosis
Moderators:

Rick Thompson, Former BBC International News Editor, T-Media
2.6 Progressing towards a resource efficient economy – a better use of market-based instruments while reforming environmentally harmful subsidies

26 May - 09.30 - 11.00
Unregulated market forces can lead to pollution, because there is no incentive not to harm the environment. This can be countered if environmental costs are factored into economic choices. Market-based instruments such as taxes, charges and trading schemes can help do this, giving firms and households a permanent incentive to use natural resources more efficiently. Improvements in energy technologies (gas, carbon capture and storage, solar), the emergence of effluent treatment and waste-processing and recycling industries are all due at least in part to forward-looking taxation policies. These instruments can stimulate industrial innovation and efficiency improvements, leading to increased competitiveness, and they have the added advantage of creating revenues for public budgets.
Across the EU, there are wide differences in the extent to which market-based instruments are used to ensure that policies are resource-efficient, and there are important differences in their objectives: some are for cost recovery for certain services (waste-related charges), while others are intended to reduce the use of specific products considered to be harmful (such as pesticides).
This session will look at successful examples of MBIs for resource efficient policy in use in the Member States and the reasons for their success. What are their specific objectives - environmental, strategic or simply revenue oriented? Are there negative side effects in terms of competitiveness or distributional concerns, and how can they be addressed? And is there a positive role for the EU to coordinate national initiatives and set a strategic framework?
Speakers:

Algirdas Šemeta, Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud, European Commission
Jean-Philippe Barde, Paris Institute of Political Sciences (SciencesPo) & former Head of National Policies Division, OECD, Environment Directorate
Kai Schlegelmilch, Vice-President Green Budget Germany/Green Budget Europe
Chris Lenon, Group Strategic Adviser, Tax Policy, Rio Tinto plc
Chair:

Walter Deffaa, Director General, DG TAXUD, European Commission
3.6 Marine resources

26 May - 09.30 - 11.00
Marine and coastal regions face major economic, social and environmental challenges, including the depletion of fish stocks, biodiversity loss, pollution, climate change and coastal erosion. But they also hold great potential: a wide range of resources, largely unexploited, can be reaped from the seas and oceans, and with proper management can ensure their availability for future generations. These include living resources, which could inspire ground breaking developments in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and biotechnology, fossil fuels and renewable energy resources, and vast unexploited stocks of minerals, whose importance grows as land-based deposits are depleted. Marine and coastal ecosystems also have an important regulatory role and constitute the basis of important economic activities.
This session will focus on the manifold opportunities offered by marine resources, and on the dangers of using them in an unsustainable way. It will also look at ways of moving towards a more sustainable exploitation of mineral, biotic and renewable energy resources, which offer additional and alternative economic opportunities and jobs for coastal populations.
Speakers:

Paul Holthus, Executive Director, World Ocean Council
Dr Joël Querellou, Head of Laboratory Microbiology of Extreme Environments , Ifremer Brest
Prof. Michael Scoullos, Chairman, Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MOI-ECSDE)
Gustaaf Borchardt, Director, Water Chemicals & Biotechnology, DG Environment, European Commission
Moderators:

Anna Rosbach, Member of the European Parliament, Intergroup "Seas and Coastal Affairs"
4.6 Forest resources - how much wood can we take and what should we use it for?

26 May - 09.30 - 11.00
Forests are versatile ecosystems, delivering public goods and supplying raw materials for a range of industries. Foresters have long been aware of this role, but as with any resource, this flexibility has its limits, and if too much wood is taken from forests for new uses, the ability to supply traditional industries and provide ecosystem services will be compromised.
It's not yet clear where these limits lie, or what the best uses of wood resources might be. A multiplicity of studies has provided conflicting results, leaving the sector in the dark as to what the long term trends might be, at a time when forests are under threat from climate change and other challenges. A vision for the future is particularly crucial for forests as foresters need to make decisions on what to plant now, with an eye on what the market might be in 2050 or beyond.
This session will take stock of the latest scientific evidence and point out knowledge gaps, for the EU and the wider global picture. Panelists will debate the implications for the forest industry, its traditional clients and potential new users, how to preserve ecosystem services and biodiversity habitats, and the appropriate EU and Member State policy response.
Speakers:

Veerle Dossche, FERN
Kit Prins, Formerly UNECE/FAO
Laszlo Döry, President, European Panel Federation
Prof. Dr. Udo Mantau, Zentrum Holzwirtschaft - Universität Hamburg
Philipp Freiherr zu Guttenberg, President, German Forest Owners Association (AGDW), Vice-President, European Forest Owners Association (CEPF)
Moderators:

Anya Sitaram, BBC World presenter
1.7 Waste as a resource

26 May - 11.30 - 13.00
Today there is a clear division in Europe between those who see waste as a problem and those who see it as an opportunity. To the latter, it is a resource and a business opportunity, a solution with the potential to reduce Europe's greenhouse gas emissions, generate energy, enrich soil and reduce our dependency on imported raw materials.
This session will look at the extent to which European policies have contributed to the emergence of a recycling industry in the European Union, posing numerous questions: how in practice can we set targets for waste polices to contribute significantly to the challenge of resource availability? What practical steps can be taken to encourage the application of the 'Sustainable Material Management' concept? How can we improve the competitiveness of the recycling Industry in the European Union? How can we balance public intervention and market forces to promote a recycling society? How can we improve the recycling performances of the Member States still relying heavily on landfilling? And, in a "recycling society", what place is there for incineration and ... prevention?
Speakers:

Stephan Csoma, Senior Vice-President Government Affairs
Henry Saint Bris, Senior Vice-President for Corporate Marketing, SUEZ Environment, France
Kit Strange, Director, Resource Recovery Forum
Moderators:

Barbara Dewulf, International Coordination, Bruxelles Environment (IBGE – BIM)
2.7 Green Public Procurement - state of play & future prospects

26 May - 11.30 - 13.00
Green Public Procurement - ensuring that public bodies factor environmental thinking into their public spending - has considerable potential to make Europe more resource-efficient. It is currently a voluntary instrument at EU level, supporting the Member States' endeavours for greening their procurement. Some countries are advancing very quickly while others are lagging behind. This session will look at the current state of play and weigh up possible approaches to be taken in the future.
Speakers:

Heide Rühle, Member of the European Parliament, Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Peter Nohrstedt, Project Director Procurement, Swedish Environmental Management Council
Pavel Misiga, Head of Unit Sustainable Consumption and Production, DG
Alexandre Affre, Senior Adviser, Environment & Energy, Business Europe
Moderators:

Rene Wyndham, T-Media
3.7 Access to Raw materials & efficiency in the EU's Extractive industry

26 May - 11.30 - 13.00
Raw materials are essential inputs for the competiveness of industry and for the development of many environmentally-friendly, clean-technology applications. However, we are dependent on the import of a number of non-energy non-agricultural raw materials from outside the EU.
In response to this situation we need to foster an efficient sustainable supply of materials from European sources. While much attention has been given to recycling of waste, there has been less focus on how to improve efficiency in the extractive phase of the raw materials value chain. This includes possible improvements in efficiency in the recovery of valuable materials from mining waste.
This session will look at the extent to which European policies have contributed to fostering a sustainable EU mining industry, how innovation can help improve recovery rates and what role can be played to improve recovery of valuable materials from mining waste.
Speakers tba
4.7 Biodiversity: a precious key resource & a boundary condition for a resource efficient society

26 May - 11.30 - 13.00
The first part of the session will set out the role of biodiversity and ecosystem services for human societies and economies, and give an overview on the current situation with regards to pressures on the overall health of ecosystems and the resulting consequences. Planetary boundaries for a number of key parameters will be discussed. In the second part innovative and re-discovered solutions which are indispensable for a resource efficient world are explored. It will be demonstrated that investing in nature e.g. through the development and use of ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and mitigation - green infrastructure can bring jobs and business opportunities while delivering multiple benefits at a comparatively low cost.
Speakers:

James Griffiths, Managing Director Ecosystems, Water and Sustainable Forest Products Industry, World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
Shulamit Alony, Regional Business and Biodiversity, IUCN European Union Representative Office
Dr Christine von Weizsäcker, Coordinator of the Biotechnology Programme Ecoropa Germany
Steve Isaac, Director – Golf Course Management, R&A Championships Ltd
Patrick Blanc, creator of the Vertical Garden
Moderators:

Christopher Boyd, Biodiversity Unit, DG Environment, European Commission
1.8 "Indicators and targets for resource efficiency" in partnership with DGs ESTAT ECFIN & European Environment Agency

26 May - 14:30 - 16:00
High level panelists present key messages and different perspectives on resource efficiency indicators and targets. Participants are invited to provide their reflections and views - after which panelists and participants will discuss questions such as: From which perspectives do we need to measure resource efficiency? How should the consumption of resources be measured differently for renewable and non-renewable resources? And which targets and indicators do we need to assess performance? How do we identify them?
Speakers:

Pedro Díaz Muñoz, Director for Sectoral and Regional Statistics, Eurostat
Anne Bucher, Director for Structural Reforms and Competitiveness, DG Economic and Financial Affairs, European Commission
Birgit Schwenk , Head of Division General and Fundamental Aspects of Ecological Resource Efficiency, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany
Moderators:

Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director, European Environment Agency
2.8 Addressing the Rebount Effect

26 May - 14:30 - 16:00
The Rebound Effect is an increase in consumption, which can occur as an unintended side-effect of the introduction of technology and policy instruments aimed at environmental efficiency improvements, in particular where gains bring reduced costs. For example, the addition of insulation measures in a home, which help to make the home more thermally efficient and cheaper to heat, can result in householders leaving the heating on for longer or at a higher temperature. Where it occurs the rebound effect can limit the environmental improvement potential from policy, market and technology instruments.
The existence and significance of the rebound effect in reality and how to address it is still hotly debated. The European Commission's Addressing the Rebound Effect project provides a state of the art review on the latest thinking on the significance of rebound effects and measures to address it in policy http://rebound.eu-smr.eu. For Green Week - key experts provide the latest thinking on rebound effects from the EU and USA.
Speakers:

Dr Dorothy Maxwell, Technical Director, Global View Sustainability Services (GVSS) Ltd.
Steve Sorrell, Prof. Senior Fellow, Sussex Energy Group, SPRU (Science & Technology Policy Research)
Dr Harry D. Saunders, Managing Director, Decision Processes Incorporated
Kurt Muehmel, Consultant, BIO Intelligence Service
Panellist:

Alexander Neubauer, Senior Fellow, Ecologic – Institute for International and European Environmental Policy
Moderators:

Aminda Leigh, Broadcast Journalist and Writer, Director of the AMROS Anglo-Italian services
3.8 "Competitiveness and sustainable construction" In partnership with DG ENTR in partnership with DG ENTR

26 May - 14:30 - 16:00
Although sustainable construction is at the core of various policy and regulatory initiatives, the issue has not yet developed a coherent framework that takes into account the environmental as well as the social and economical implications of the various policy measures, in particular on the competitiveness of the enterprises of the construction sector. This session will outline the challenges facing EU construction enterprises with respect to recent development in regulation and standardisation, the assessment of sustainability performances, the increasing demand for resource efficiency, labour market conditions and new approaches in Public Procurement. This session will outline future policy options which the Commission is considering in the context of the future Communication on sustainable competitiveness of construction enterprises.
Speakers:

Daniel Hiniesto Muñoz de la Torre, ACCIONA Infraestructuras, Direction Technological Innovation
Dr Johan van Dessel, Head of Division, Belgian Building Research Institute (BBRI)
John Griggs, Principal Science Officer, Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering
Marta Szigeti Bonifert, Executive Director, Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe (REC)
Koen Rademaekers, Head Energy & Transport, ECORYS
4.8 "EU and national roadmaps for a low-carbon economy by 2050" in partnership with DG CLIMA

26 May - 14:30 - 16:00
The international community has agreed on the objective of keeping global warming below 2°C compared with the temperature in pre-industrial times. At the Cancún climate conference last December it was decided that industrialised countries should develop low-carbon growth strategies in line with this goal.
This session will introduce the roadmap for moving to a competitive low-carbon economy in 2050, adopted by the European Commission in March, and will also provide insights into national low-carbon growth strategies. Member States that have developed their own roadmap for cutting emissions by 2050, or are in the process of doing so, will share their views on the challenges and opportunities of greening the economy. Potential measures for making a cost-effective transition to the low-carbon economy at national level will also be discussed.
Speakers:

Dr Simon Marr, Climate Protection German Emissions Trading Authority (DEHSt), Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany
Nuno Lacasta, Director Climate Change, Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, Portugal
Neil Johnson, Head of International Mitigation, Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), UK
Venelina Varbova, Regions for Sustainable Change Project (INTERREG IVC), Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe (REC)
Moderators:

Rene Wyndham, T-Media
1.9 Cohesion policy - investing for resource efficiency

26 May - 16.30 - 18.00
The recent Communication "Regional policy contributing to sustainable growth in Europe 2020" underlined the need to invest more and better for sustainable growth.
This session will explore ways to put that into practice. It will look at how to capitalise on the opportunities of the low carbon and resource efficient economy, and how authorities in Member States should invest more in areas such as energy efficiency in residential buildings, renewable energies, and sustainable transport. They can also build on the available funding to preserve ecosystem services and biodiversity as well as investing in natural risk prevention. Boosting eco-innovations through deployment of ICT and green technology clusters will strengthen the competitiveness of the regions.
"Investing better" means improving the sustainability of co-funded projects. This means more consideration of life-cycles, green public procurement, and checking investments against climate change and resource efficiency criteria, as well as improvements to indicators and monitoring and evaluation.
These aspects of the Regional Policy have serious implications for a Resource Efficient Europe in 2020. This session will help stimulate Member States to make the transition to resource efficient economies with the use of Regional Policy funding. It is jointly organised by DG Environment and the DG for Regional Policy.
Speakers:

Mikel Landabaso Alvarez, Head of Unit, Thematic Coordination and Innovation, DG Regional Policy, European Commission
Markus Trilling, EU Funds Coordinator, Friends of the Earth Europe – CEE Bankwatch Network
Peter Kuppers, 'Cradle to Cradle' project, Province of Limburg, The Netherlands Sandra Hills, Contracts Manager, ENWORKS
Sandra Hills, Contracts Manager, ENWORKS
Moderators:

George Kremlis, Head of Unit Cohesion Policy and Environmental Impact Assessments, DG Environment, European Commission
2.9 The United Nations conference on sustainable development in 2012: can it deliver on resource efficiency?

26 May - 16.30 - 18.00
In 2012, the UN will host a major conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro. The conference, known as Rio+20 as it coincides with the twentieth anniversary of the 1992 Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, is intended to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development. It will assess progress to date, identify gaps in the implementation of commitments and address emerging challenges, with a focus on two major themes: "a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication" and "the institutional framework for sustainable development". The EU has a strong interest in both themes, as its 2020 objectives aim for sustainable, resource-efficient and low-carbon economy, and the Summit offers an opportunity to pursue this objective at global level. UNCSD also offers a platform to move forward the EU's long-standing agenda to improve global governance.
This Green Week session will discuss how UNCSD can help move the resource efficiency agenda forward at global level. Which concrete outcomes should be pursued in terms of policy-instruments? What specific issues (e.g. water, food, energy) and policies (e.g. development cooperation, trade) should it address and how? What role is there for private sector initiatives alongside actions by public authorities?
Speakers tba
3.9 "A single European Transport Area for competitive and sustainable transport" in partnership with DG MOVE

26 May - 16.30 - 18.00
In the spring of 2011, the Commission is due to adopt a White Paper on Transport. In line with the flagship initiative "Resource efficient Europe" set up in the Europe 2020 Strategy, European transport policy aims to help establish a system that underpins European economic progress, enhances competitiveness and offers high quality mobility services while using resources more efficiently. This session will outline the strategy and showcase a number of EU initiatives that highlight the contribution transport research is making to the modernisation and decarbonisation of the European transport system.
The following initiatives will be presented:
European Green Cars Initiative (EGCI) PPP that responds to today's environmental imperatives, encouraging all road transport stakeholders to move towards more sustainable transport. Research activities in the context of EGCI focus on internal combustion engines (e.g. improving fuel efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions), and electric and hybrid vehicles. Given the fact that congestion on European roads is a major cause of pollution, wastes time and energy, and is a threat to public health, research is conducted also in the area of logistics and co-modality with the overall aim of improving the efficiency of the transport system.
Clean Sky JTI and SESAR JU that are expected to contribute to accelerating the delivery of technologies for radically improving the environmental impact of air transport while increasing the competitiveness of the European industry, and encouraging the rest of the aviation community to shift up a gear toward greener products and ATM procedures.
CIVITAS (City-VITAlity-Sustainability) Initiative: Since 2002, the European Commission's Civitas Initiative has supported European towns and cities in testing new technologies and innovative concepts and to develop and implement ambitious integrated sustainable, clean and (energy) efficient urban transport strategies. CIVITAS is a programme "of cities for cities": To date, over fifty municipalities have participated actively as demonstration cities in EU-funded projects, while almost 200 cities belong to the Civitas Forum network - a vibrant platform for exchange of experience and cooperation on urban mobility issues. Currently, 25 cities (in 5 demonstration projects) are involved in the latest 'generation' of Civitas, CIVITAS PLUS (2008-2012). A new Civitas call for proposals is presently open and will close on 12 April 2012.
Speakers:

Alain Siebert, Chief Economic & Environment, SESAR Joint Undertaking
Dr Günter Lugert, Head of Department, Actuators & Control, Siemens AG
Dr Theodore Schlickmann, DG MOVE, European Commission
Giuseppe Pagnano, Clean Sky Joint Undertaking
Siegfried Rupprecht, Managing Director, Rupprecht Consult
Joint Chair:

Marjeta Jager, Director of General Policy, DG MOVE, European Commission
Dr András Siegler, Director for Transport, DG RTD, European Commission
4.9 "Bio-Economy: ensuring food security and sustainable management of bio-resources" in partnership with DG RTD

26 May - 16.30 - 18.00
Food security, climate change, healthy living and energy efficiency are all specific societal challenges tackled by the bio-based economy, and they all have an impact on innovation and growth. The bio-based economy - now worth around €2 trillion and supplying over 20 million jobs in Europe - aims to create an overarching framework for policies to help ensure food security and the sustainable management of biological resources. The bio-based economy is recognised as a key component of both the Innovation Union and Resource Efficient Europe flagship initiatives of Europe 2020. The Commission aims to adopt a Communication entitled a "European Strategy and Action plan towards a sustainable bio-based economy by 2020" by the end of this year. With the participation of the German Bio-Economy Council and EU-funded research projects, this session will be an opportunity to review key objectives and actions at a European and national level.
Speakers:

Prof. Fabio Fava, Full Professor of Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology, PhD Faculty of Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, DICAM, Unit of Environmental Biotechnology and Biorefinery
Michele Aresta, Director, Inter-university Consortium of Chemical Reactivity and Catalysis (CIRCC), University of Bari.More info at http://solarserdar.blogspot.com.

27 May 2011

Closing session: Towards a resource-efficient Europe in 2020

27 May - 10.00 - 12.00
Within the EU2020 strategy, the resource efficiency agenda has already generated detailed plans for various sectors, including the low-carbon economy, our energy system, and biodiversity, and a roadmap for a resource-efficient Europe is being prepared. These roadmaps offer medium-term visions about where society should be by 2020, and the steps we need to take to ensure that our economy is on a sustainable footing by the year 2050. Green Week 2011 will close with a session that illustrates the opportunities presented by a resource efficiency agenda, focusing on what progressive green companies, cities and regions are already doing, and on how these tangible steps can be scaled up for the whole of society. Discussions will focus around one key question: how can we ensure that a resource efficiency agenda delivers improved well being, and brings about a fundamental shift in attitudes and perceptions?
Speakers:

Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for Environment
Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action
Björn Stigson, President, World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
Sándor Fazekas, Minister of Rural Development, Hungary
Olaf Scholz, Mayor, City of Hamburg (to be confirmed)
Pier Carlo Padoan, Deputy Secretary General ,Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Chair:

Karl Falkenberg, Director General, DG Environment, European Commission
Followed by a cocktail.More info at http://solarserdar.blogspot.com.


CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES ( CCRES )