The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment (MAPAMA), Isabel García Tejerina, and the European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, inaugurated this morning the debate sessions for the preparation of the future Spanish Circular Economy Strategy, an event in which a total of 55 social and business agents signed the Circular Economy Pact.
This Pact, promoted by MAPAMA and the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MINECO), represents a commitment that has been valued very positively by Isabel García Tejerina, who has considered it “essential” to promote the change to a development model “that guarantees a sustainable future”, since “our future will be sustainable or it will not be”.
The development of the Spanish Strategy has been considered by the minister as “a great opportunity to be better stewards of our environment without sacrificing our well-being, in a more responsible and sustainable way”.
García Tejerina, in addition, has described as essential to adopt a model based on the sustainable use of resources and environmental protection to “maximize the efficiency of resources, both material and energy, so that they remain as long as possible in the production cycle and to reduce the generation of waste”
ENGAGING THE BUSINESS SECTOR AND CIVIL SOCIETY
The minister recalled that in Spain, since 2008, the productivity of national consumption of materials has risen by 85%, while the energy consumed between 2000 and 2013 in relation to our GDP has fallen by 20%.
These data have been considered “positive and a stimulus to adopt the circular economy production model”, which will be aligned and adapted to the conditions of Spain, with the Package of Measures and the Action Plan for a European circular economy, presented by the European Commission in December 2015.
The future Spanish Circular Economy Strategy will be “ambitious, it will involve the business sector, civil society and the consumer, who is an indispensable driver of any social change, and who will be able to participate during the public consultation process”, explained the minister.
COMMITMENTS OF THE PACT
The Pact signed this morning includes the commitment to reduce the use of non-renewable natural resources, promote the analysis of the life cycle of products, the incorporation of eco-design criteria, promote guidelines that increase the overall efficiency of production processes, promote innovative forms of sustainable consumption or the use of digital infrastructures and services. among other points.
In addition, they are committed to disseminating and promoting common initiatives and indicators that favour the development of the circular economy.
The full text of the Circular Economy Pact and the list of signatory organisations are attached.
