Some More Data

Still reading the Commission's Communication on the European Green Deal. Here are some interesting facts (the primary sources are referenced to in the Communication):

a. Between 1990 and 2018, the European Union has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 23%; at the same time, the economy grew by 61%. This means that the decoupling of economic growth and carbon emissions is achievable.

b. According to the United Nations' "Global Resources Outlook 2019: Natural Resources for the Future We Want" report,  the annual global extraction of materials has tripled from 1970 to 2017 and it continues to grow. About half of total greenhouse gas emissions and more than 90% of biodiversity loss and water stress come from resource extraction and processing of materials, fuels and food, according to the same report.

c. More pertinent to this blog's content, according to Eurostat's Circular Material Use Rate table, EU’s industry accounts for 20% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions, and only 12% of the materials it uses come from recycling.




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