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EU local and regional authorities contributing to the

Mid-term review of Europe 2020

Assessment of the Resource Efficient Europe flagship initiative

Three years after its launch, the Committee of the Regions will take stock of the Resource Efficient Europe flagship initiative at a conference to be held on 2-3 September 2013 in Vilnius. This conference will be the sixth in a series of 7 CoR events and monitoring initiatives on the mid-term review of Europe 2020 in 2014. More news on this conference may be found on the CoR's website[1].

By participating in this survey, you will:

-  ensure that your views are taken into account in the debate held during the conference;

-  contribute to the 4th CoR Monitoring Report on Europe 2020, to be published in October 2013;

-  contribute to the CoR's consultative activity in this area over the coming months;

-  contribute to the mid-term review of Europe 2020 in 2014.

If you wish to participate in this survey, Please complete this questionnaire in any eu language, using the spaces provided, and return it in text format to:

by 28 June 2013

For more information on this survey and for details of how to join the

Europe 2020 Monitoring Platform, go to:

http://portal.cor.europa.eu/europe2020/

The questionnaire is available on this website in all official languages of the EU

You can find more information on Resource Efficient Europe, as seen from the local and regional authorities' viewpoint, in the Committee of the Regions' publication Delivering on the Europe 2020 Strategy Handbook for Local and Regional Authorities[2]. General information on Europe 2020 may be found on the strategy's official website[3].

Contributor information[4]

Name of sender: / Tadeusz Truskolaski
Contact details:
(address, telephone, email) / Ul. Słonimska 1, 15-950 Białystok; 085-869-6001;
On behalf of:
(name of local or regional authority) / Białystok City Hall
Type of organisation / City Region
County/Province Association of local and/or regional authorities
Other (please specify)
Country: / Poland
Member of the EUROPE 2020 Monitoring Platform: / Yes No
Covenant of Mayors signatory: / Yes No
Covenant of Mayors Territorial Coordinator / Yes No

Policy challenges and responses at regional and local level

BOX 1 – Resource Efficient Europe: basic information
Resource efficiency means using the Earth's limited resources — metals, minerals, fuels, water, land, timber, fertile soil, clean air and biodiversity — in a sustainable manner. Increasing resource efficiency can secure growth and jobs by stimulating technological innovation, boosting employment in the fast developing 'green technology' sector and opening up new export markets. It can also benefit consumers through more sustainable products.
The Resource Efficient Europe Flagship Initiative was adopted in 2010, as an integral part of the Europe 2020 strategy under the sustainable growth pillar, to "help decouple economic growth from the use of resources, support the shift towards a low carbon economy, increase the use of renewable energy sources, modernise our transport sector and promote energy efficiency"[5]. It sets out a framework to help ensure that long-term strategies in areas such as climate change, energy, transport, industry, raw materials, agriculture, fisheries, biodiversity, water and waste management, land use and regional development all deliver results in the area of resource efficiency[6] in order to:
-  boost economic performance while reducing resource use;
-  identify and create new opportunities for economic growth and greater innovation and boost the EU's competitiveness;
-  ensure the security of supply of essential resources;
-  fight against climate change and limit the environmental impact of resource use.
The Flagship Initiative was outlined in four long-term roadmaps with a 2050 horizon, respectively on climate[7], energy[8], transport[9] and resource-efficiency[10], issued in 2011, and a number of other policy initiatives with a 2020 perspective[11], covering the following aspects:
·  Promoting sustainable consumption and production by setting “appropriate” price signals, providing consumers with relevant environmental information, establishing minimum environmental performance standards and putting in place incentives to reward efficient businesses;
·  Turning waste into resources through more targeted recycling and re-use, separate collection and energy recovery, with landfilling to be virtually eliminated;
·  Supporting more research and innovation focusing on resource efficiency goals;
·  Phasing out environmentally harmful subsidies, getting prices right and shifting from taxation of labour to environmental taxation;
·  Better valuation of natural capital and ecosystem services by public authorities and businesses;
·  Halting the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services;
·  Promoting better management of water resources;
·  Improving air quality standards;
·  Better management of land-use, soils and marine waters.
The Committee of the Regions adopted its opinion on "A resource-efficient Europe – flagship initiative under the Europe 2020 Strategy"[12] in October 2011.
A European Resource Efficiency Platform (EREP)[13] has been set by the European Commission in order to provide high-level guidance to the European Commission, Member States, local and regional authorities, and private actors on the transition process towards a more resource-efficient economy.
In December 2012, the EREP issued its "Manifesto for A Resource-Efficient Europe"[14], identifying the following actions:
1.  Encouraging innovation and accelerating public and private investment in resource-efficient technologies, systems and skills, as well as SMEs;
2.  Implementing, applying and adopting smart regulation, standards and codes of conduct that a) create a level playing-field, b) reward front-runners and c) accelerate the transition, and d) take into account the social and international implications of our actions.
3.  Abolishing environmentally harmful subsidies and shifting the tax burden away from jobs to encourage resource-efficiency;
4.  Creating better market conditions for products and services that have lower impacts across their life-cycles, and that are durable, repairable and recyclable, inspiring sustainable life-styles by informing and incentivising consumers;
5.  Integrating wider policy areas, such as in the fields of transport, food, water and construction.
6.  Adopting policy goals to achieve a resource-efficient economy and society by 2020, setting targets that give a clear direction and indicators to measure progress relating to the use of land, materials, water and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as biodiversity.
1) What are the main challenges currently facing your region/city in terms of (i) the more efficien²t use of resources, (ii) the shift towards a low carbon economy, (iii) energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources, (iv) the modernisation of the transport sector, (v) the change in producers' and consumers' behaviour (see Box 1)?
Multiple answers possible.
more efficient use of resources
shift towards a low carbon economy
energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources
modernisation of the transport sector
change in producers' and consumers' behaviour
Please explain.
The City of Bialystok and the surrounding municipalities together make up the Bialystok Functional Area. To meet local needs and expectations, the City of Bialystok is developing its transport infrastructure to increase the capacity of its principal thoroughfares, improve public transport and provide a safer environment for all road users.
The City is implementing a multi-stage project on "Improving the Quality of the Functioning of the Public Transport System." Under the project, the municipality is involved in modernising particularly busy sections of local roads, replacing the public transport fleet (with safer, more comfortable and low emission vehicles), introducing bus lanes, investing in low-energy street lighting, promoting the use of public transport by local people. The municipality is also introducing a number of innovative IT solutions including e-tickets, real-time travel information and a Traffic Management System, which will improve traffic flow in the Bialystok area.
2) Which of the aims of the Resource Efficient Europe flagship initiative (listed in Box 1) are most relevant in view of the challenges currently facing your city/region?
Multiple answers possible.
Boost economic performance while reducing resource use
Identify and create new opportunities at local level for economic growth and greater innovation and boost the EU's competitiveness
Ensure the security of supply of essential resources
Fight against climate change and limit the environmental impacts of resource use
Please explain.
Making more efficient use of limited resources continues to be the principal challenge facing the City of Bialystok. Cities of regional importance are playing a decisive role against the background of the financial crisis and Poland's public finance crisis. They are recognised as major poles of growth. Unfortunately, the limited possibilities for increasing revenue are hampering the rollout of a policy to support economic development.
Development and growth paths are updated on an on-going basis. The City of Bialystok is currently implementing its 2011-2020+ strategy, requiring significant action in terms of infrastructure and the preparation of an appropriate investment base. Moreover, this will also involve a period of intense work to improve cooperation between the academic and business worlds. The public sector has a key role to play in this respect.
In addition to preparing investment sites, the City of Bialystok has also set up the Bialystok Science and Technology Park, which supports innovative activity. Furthermore, it is instrumental in helping to continually boost potential and exchange information between the academic and business worlds.
3) The CoR opinion[15] on Resource Efficient Europe focuses on i) low-carbon, resource-efficient transport and energy systems; ii) sustainable consumption and production; iii) zero-waste economy; iv) efficient use of raw materials (minerals, forests and biomass); v) biodiversity, ecosystem services and land use.
Has your city/region adopted policies in the following fields of resource efficiency? Which actions has it applied (innovation/investments, regulations, modifying subsidies, others as identified by EREP in box 1)?
Multiple answers possible.
low-carbon, resource-efficient transport
low-carbon, resource efficient energy systems
sustainable consumption and production
zero-waste economy
efficient use of raw materials (minerals, forests and biomass)
biodiversity, ecosystem services and land use
Please explain.
Pollution caused by high volumes of traffic is a problem in all large cities. This problem is particularly acute for the people of Bialystok.
The City of Bialystok is introducing a low-emissions public transport system as part of its current projects. The measures currently being implemented include replacing the vehicle fleet, creating high-quality bus corridors for the public transport system, improving the principal urban thoroughfares as well as introducing a system that will make it easier to tailor the size and number of vehicles to local needs.
4) The Resource Efficient Europe flagship initiative recognises and promotes the interdependency of environmental, economic and social policies.
Have the policies adopted by your city/region (as stated in your answer to question 3), been interlinked as part of an integrated framework? If yes, please describe in brief, highlighting their mutual interlinks and potential synergies.
All investments have been included in the integrated plans being carried out under EU-funded projects. In this way, the City hopes to improve its energy efficiency, increase the share of renewable energy sources, limit emissions, and make more effective use of its limited resources.
5) The Resource Efficient Europe Flagship Initiative contributes to the process of reaching the headline targets set under the sustainable growth pillar of the Europe 2020 Strategy for energy and climate change:
·  Greenhouse gas emissions 20% lower than 1990 (or even 30% if the conditions are right)
·  20% of energy from renewables
·  20% increase in energy efficiency
To what extent are these targets feasible based on your local situation?
20% GHG Highly feasible Fairly feasible Not feasible
20% RES Highly feasible Fairly feasible Not feasible
20% EE Highly feasible Fairly feasible Not feasible
Please explain.
The City of Bialystok does not have an appropriate legal instrument which can be used to address these types of issues. These issues are tackled using the City of Bialystok's resources e.g. the thermal upgrading of school and nursery school buildings. Multiannual plans are in place (along with the 2010-2020+ strategy) which outline future paths of action.
The impact on all these aspects is therefore medium; it is large in the case of infrastructure and the public sector and low in the case of the private sector. There is a need to step up national action in order to implement EU policies.
6) The Covenant of Mayors[16]. – currently counting over 4,500 signatories - is a voluntary commitment by local and regional authorities to meet and exceed the EU 20% CO2 reduction objective through increased energy efficiency and the development of renewable energy sources.
Beyond energy and climate change, regions and cities have an important role to play in fostering resource efficiency. They can invest in green buildings, sustainable water and waste management, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by promoting cleaner modes of transport and oversee the protection of ecosystems.
Do you consider this type of dissemination and networking platform to be a useful initiative? If yes, would your city/region be in favour of expanding the approach of the Covenant of Mayors framework to other key areas of the Resource Efficient Europe flagship initiative, such as biodiversity and land use, waste and water management or air pollution, provided that relevant EU targets are identified?
Biodiversity and land use
Waste management
Water management
Air pollution
Others
Please explain.
The dissemination and networking platform clearly makes it easier to adopt the right decisions and speed up the process by allowing municipalities to base their action on the experience of other cities. At the same time, it facilitates the process of establishing contacts with partners from other cities. We suggest expanding the approach used under the Covenant of Mayors to include waste management as well.
7) The Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe (see Box 1) sets out the following milestones to be reached by 2020 for the three key sectors which are responsible for 70-80% of all environmental impact:
·  Food - 20% reduction in the food chain’s resource inputs,
·  Buildings – all new buildings to be nearly practically zero-energy and highly material efficient; 2% renovation rate per year for existing building stock; 70% of non-hazardous construction and demolition waste to be recycled.
·  Mobility - an average 1% annual reduction in transport GHG emissions starting from 2012.
To what extent are these milestones appropriate to your local situation?
Food Highly appropriate Fairly appropriate Not appropriate
Buildings Highly appropriate Fairly appropriate Not appropriate
Mobility Highly appropriate Fairly appropriate Not appropriate
Please explain.
Given the urban nature of our municipality, food is not an issue of interest to the City of Bialystok.
The focus on buildings is good for the environment but may entail high social costs (higher cost of buildings), which could restrict people's access to housing. This is a significant obstacle, particularly for Poland's poorest regions.
There are plans to create a whole neighbourhood set aside for low-emission housing.
In terms of mobility, the City of Bialystok is taking action to curb levels of pollution, especially from public transport. It is also trying to shape public attitudes by encouraging people to use public transport.

How is the Resource Efficient Europe relevant to your city or region?