The news blog keeps you updated on upcoming events in the European world of sustainable consumption and production. Paying members of PREPARE can add their own content, while outsiders are more than welcome to send their news to prepare-net [at] prepare-net [dot] com
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Green fiscal reform can create jobs and stimulate innovation across the EU
17 May, 2013
Increasing some tax rates and removing subsidies on environmentally harmful products and services can boost economic growth if the revenue generated is then used to relieve the tax burden on employment and investment.
The findings come from a series of studies from the European Environment Agency (EEA) looking at the potential for fiscal reform in four EU countries affected by the current economic crisis.
Green Buildings specialist and REF/Waste Expert sought
16 May, 2013
From: Viera Feckova
IFC, the International Finance Corporation, is looking for experts:
1. Green Buildings Specialist
2. REF / Waste Expert
Terms of Reference for both positions can be downloaded below.
Progress towards clean energy has stalled
23 April, 2013
International Energy Agency (IEA) Report
The rapid expansion of renewable technologies is one of the few bright spots in an otherwise bleak assessment of global progress towards low-carbon energy, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in an annual report to the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) here today.
Global SCP Clearinghouse pre-launched
22 April, 2013
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), as the Secretariat of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (10YFP), has pre-launched the online Global SCP Clearinghouse, a unique one-stop hub dedicated to advancing Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) worldwide. Through knowledge sharing, cooperation and participation tools, all stakeholders – governments, UN agencies and other international organizations, the business sector and civil society – will be offered the opportunity to:
New proposal for measurement of environmental performance of products and organisations
19 April, 2013
Environmental footprint of products and organisations
The European Commission has put forward proposals to standardise measurements for assessing the environmental footprint of products and organisations. The new common standard will be based on life-cycle assessment and will reward the most resource-efficient products and organisations on the European market. The plans are designed to reduce confusion over product labelling among consumers and to reduce the cost to businesses of providing environmental information.
Eurobarometer survey reveals divided opinions in Europe on CSR
16 April, 2013
A new Eurobarometer poll suggests that European citizens are divided in their opinion of the corporate world, with a significant proportion believing that companies are paying less attention to their impacts on society and the environment than they did 10 years ago. The survey, commissioned by the European Commission, Directorate-General Enterprise and Industry, questioned European citizens and other selected nationalities about the influence that companies have on their societies.
Journal of Environmental Accounting and Management
10 April, 2013
The new Journal of Environmental Accounting and Management has been launched and the first issue published. It provides a unique combination of micro and macro aspects as well as economic and natural sciences.
Commission to propose mandatory company reporting of environmental and social performance
11 March, 2013
The European Commission is to put forward proposals next month requiring companies to publish information on their management of environmental and social issues. The move follows publication in October 2011 of the Commission’s 2011-14 Strategy for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The mandatory reporting requirements will apply to large companies in the public and private sectors but not to small and medium-sized enterprises.
LIFE+ Call for Proposals 2013
25 February, 2013
The seventh LIFE+ call for proposals was published by the European Commission on 19 February, 2013, with up to €278 million available for co-financing of projects under three headings:
- Nature and Biodiversity (NAT);
- Environment Policy and Governance (ENV);
- Information and Communication (INF).
Reducing the EU's dependency on raw materials
13 February, 2013
European Commission has launched the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials, bringing together Member States and other stakeholders to help make Europe a world leader in raw materials exploration, extraction, processing, recycling and substitution by 2020. To this end, the Commission proposes concrete targets to be achieved by 2020 to reduce Europe's dependency on imported raw materials, to replace rare materials with substitutes and to set up innovative pilot actions, e.g. pilot plants for exploration, mining, processing, collecting and recycling.