Policy Mixes for fostering decoupling - 3rd Newsletter on DYNAMIX research findings

Dear Reader,

The DYNAMIX project aims at identifying and assessing promising policy mixes in support of absolute decoupling of resource use and environmental impacts from EU economic growth. Recent project findings obtained since the last DYNAMIX newsletter include a report on DYNAMIX policy mixes, the revised Common Approach and a publication of findings on drivers for resource use efficiency in the Journal of Cleaner Production.

We are excited to announce that the 4th DYNAMIX Policy Platform (a joint DYNAMIX-POLFREE event), “An ambitious Circular Economy Package for Europe: achieving Europe’s resource efficiency potential” will take place on 13- 14 April 2015 in Brussels. During the different keynote interventions, interactive working-groups and panel discussions, participants will be actively engaged in the discussion of:

  • How resource efficiency aspects should be included in the new package?
  • What a more ambitious package should look like?
  • What kind of policies and policy mixes should be considered?
  • What may be the socio-economic opportunities derived from it?
  • What are the expectations and needs of Member States, policy makers and relevant stakeholder groups?

Resource policy is being developed further on the European level (e.g. the Manifesto and policy recommendations from the European Resource Efficiency Platform and the upcoming Communication on a Circular Economy) and on the national level in various Member States. We hope to contribute to ambitious resource policy and to foster ongoing discussions and developments towards greater resource efficiency and absolute decoupling.

We hope that this newsletter will encourage you to follow-up on our project and exchange with our researchers - we are looking very much forward to that!

With kind regards,

the DYNAMIX team

In this newsletter

  1. Development of DYNAMIX policy mixes - Report published
  2. Revised Common Approach - Report published
  3. The 4th DYNAMIX Policy Platform
  4. Publication of findings on drivers for resource use efficiency in Journal of Cleaner Production

 

1. Development of DYNAMIX policy mixes - Report published

This report documents the development of the initial dynamic policy mixes that were developed for assessment in the DYNAMIX project. The policy mixes were designed within three different policy areas: overarching policy, land-use and food, and metals and other materials. The policy areas were selected to address absolute decoupling in general and, specifically, the DYNAMIX targets related to the use of virgin metals, the use of arable land and freshwater, the input of the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus, and emissions of greenhouse gases (please see the revised Common Approach). The overarching mix includes a broad variety of key instruments. The land-use policy mix emphasizes five instruments to improve food production through, for example, revisions of already existing policy documents. It also includes three instruments to influence the food consumption and food waste. The policy mix on metals and other materials primarily aims at reducing the use of virgin metals through increased recycling, increased material efficiency and environmentally justified material substitution. To avoid simply shifting of burdens, it includes several instruments of an overarching character.

Download the full report here.

2. Revised Common Approach - Report published

In January 2015, the Common Approach was revised to integrate additional insights from the research progress within the project as well as external feedback. The Common Approach serves to clarify the key concepts and assessment criteria used in DYNAMIX. In particular, it derives working definitions for the the terms 'absolute decoupling', 'resource efficiency', 'paradigm' and 'policy mix'. It is based on a detailed analysis of scientific literature and policy documents as well as intense discussions with stakeholders. Moreover, the team proposes five key targets for resource efficiency policy as a benchmark against which to assess the effectiveness of policy interventions. The pragmatic target set covers metal, land and freshwater use, nutrients input, and greenhouse gas emissions.

The revised report now integrates relevant findings from the DYNAMIX ex-post policy analysis of existing resource efficiency policies and the development of promising future policy mixes for decoupling. Moreover, the revised version reflects feedback received during conference presentations, discussion at the 2nd and 3rd DYNAMIX Policy Platforms, Advisory Board meetings as well as comments by the project’s scientific reviewer.

Download the full report here.

3. The 4th DYNAMIX Policy Platform

The 4th DYNAMIX Policy Platform, “An ambitious Circular Economy Package for Europe: achieving Europe’s resource efficiency potential” will take place in Brussels on 13- 14 April 2015. This will be a joint event between two FP7 research projects, DYNAMIX and POLFREE,which both explore the potential of a resource efficient Europe. The focus of the 4th Policy Platform will be on the EU Circular Economy Package. Since the last version has been withdrawn, the new European Commission aims at drafting a new, broader and more ambitious package. By bringing together high-level experts and results from these two major European research projects on resource efficiency, the 4th Policy Platform aims to: 1) generate a high level expert discussion around a new Circular Economy Package, and 2) work on policy recommendations to support the European Commission for a more ambitious Circular Economy Package. For the full agenda and chance to register please got the event page here.

4. Publication of findings on drivers for resource use efficiency in Journal of Cleaner Production

Prevailing resource use patterns of the global socio-industrial metabolism are unsustainable. For effective resource policies, drivers for such unsustainable resource use and their effects need to be better understood and mapped. By means of meta-analysis, we identified a set of ten driver categories that affect unsustainable resource use, inter alia prevailing consumption and production patterns, use and design of infrastructure and technology, underlying paradigms and world views, resource prices and the level of knowledge and information of resource users. In relation to such a multi-dimensional network of drivers causing unsustainable resource use, resource policy should combine policy objectives and instruments into policy mixes to target key drivers and their interrelations.

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.02.038