Resource
policy
Sustainable resource policy is critical to counter exploitation of humans and the earth, reduce dependence on non-renewable resources and promote the transition to a circular economy. Commodities must be approached as a whole, in order to avoid shifts from plastic, for example, to paper.
To achieve this, ambitious policies are necessary. We urge politicians in the Netherlands, Belgium and Europe to come up with the right environmental policies to promote the needed transition.
More ambition needed
Strong public policies are necessary to counter the “triple planetary crisis”: climate change, environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. In practice, we still see that agreements with regard to resources are not properly anchored in policy, even though this plays a crucial role in all these crises. Often environmental policies focus on specific product groups or issues, such as packaging, electronics or litter. While these are good developments, it is necessary that overarching policies are formulated that specifically direct reductions in the overall resource consumption.
Because how we handle our resources is largely in the hands of policymakers. Only strong governments and decisive European and international institutions can stop systematic waste. With overarching goals, clear policy frameworks and appropriate reporting requirements, resource use should be reduced to sustainable levels.
However, this does not happen by itself. Therefore, Fair Resource Foundation encourages politicians and policymakers to establish ambitious resource policies that not only set long-term goals but also take concrete steps to achieve them.
Respect earth's carrying capacity
Fair Resource Foundation works toward a world in which resource consumption is within the carrying capacity of the earth and consumption is distributed fairly. This is only possible if we rearrange our production and consumption systems. This change does not imply the austerity of society. On the contrary, it offers opportunities for innovation, efficiencies and the creation of broad prosperity in a more sustainable and equitable manner.
In our vision of the future, there is a strong focus on reducing the demand for new raw materials through prevention measures, different product design, life extension and commitment to reuse systems. To address global challenges such as deforestation, overexploitation of natural resources and climate change, it is essential to cooperate internationally.
Latest publications
On Commodity Policy
RESOURCE POLICY
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