Transitions to sustainable lifestyles in Europe in a 2050 perspective

1. Collaboration for Sustainable Lifestyles through Business and
Social Innovations, 4-5 November 2013
Transitions to sustainable lifestyles
in Europe in a 2050 perspective
Almut Reichel
Project Manager SCP and waste, European Environment Agency

2. Key messages
Global megatrends are increasing
pressures on the environment
Europe: technological
improvements are outweighed
by growing consumption
Vision 2050: a sustainable world
needs major changes

3. Global developments

4. Population growth
EEA SOER2010

5. Continued economic growth
Past and projected global economic output (2005 USD PPP), 1996–2050
Note: gross domestic product expressed in billion 2005 US dollars at purchasing power parity.
Source: OECD 2013: 'All Statistics - OECD iLibrary'.

6. Middle class population by world regions,
2009 and 2020
2000
Million
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
2009
800
2020
600
400
200
0
North America
Kharas (2010)
Europe
Central and South
America
Asia Pacific
Sub-Saharan
Africa
Middle East and
North Africa

7. Global resource use
200
180
160
140
120
Metals
100
Fossil fuels
Minerals
80
Biomass
60
40
20
0
1980
1990
2000
2008
2010* 2020* 2030* 2040* 2050*
Note: *projection
Source:SERI (2013): SERI Global Material Flows Database. 2013 Edition.
Available at: www.materialflows.net

8. European developments

9. Material use decoupling: EU statistics
Source: EEA 2012: Material resources and waste – 2012 update

10. EU materials trade balance
EEA 2012

11. Europe’s ecological footprint and biocapacity

12. Stock and energy efficiency of selected
household appliances
200
index
180
160
140
120
EU-27
Stock TV
total consumption all
appliances
Stock washing machine
Stock refrigerator
100
Specific consumption
TV
80
Specific consumption
washing machine
60
Specific consumption
refrigerator
Source: SCP023 indicator (draft)

13. We need to address all stages of the life-cycle
Production
Improving the eco-efficiency of
production of goods and services
End-of-life
Products/Services
Improving the eco-efficiency of waste
management including reuse and
recycling
Improving products and services using
eco-design and other measures
Consumption
Reducing consumption levels and/or
changing consumption patterns
away from eco-intensive goods and
services

14. The EU vision for 2050
EU‘s 7th Environmental
Action Programme
‘Our prosperity and healthy
environment stem from an
innovative, circular economy were
nothing is wasted and where natural
resources are managed in ways that
enhance our society‘s resilience.
Our low carbon growth has long
been decoupled from resource use,
setting the pace for a global
sustainable economy.‘

15. Transition needed to meet the 2050 vision

16. Thank you!
Almut Reichel
Project Manager, Sustainable Consumption & Production and Waste
www.eea.europa.eu