Resource
policy
Sustainable resource policies are critical to counter human and earth exploitation, reduce dependence on non-renewable resources and promote the transition to a circular economy. Resources must be approached as a whole, in order to avoid shifts from plastic, for example, to paper.
To achieve this, ambitious policies are necessary. Therefore, 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 too little that resource agreements are 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 imperative that overarching policies be formulated that specifically guide the reduction of the entire land use consumpie.
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 the carrying capacity
Fair Resource Foundation works toward a world in which resource consumption is within the carrying capacity of the earth and 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 picture 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 Resource Policy
RESOURCE POLICY
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