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http://www.euractiv.com/sections/sustainable-dev/environmen...

The environment cannot be an afterthought to the

economy
Published: 16/12/2014 - 16:07 | Updated: 16/12/2014 - 16:08

Luc Bas, Director of the Brussels office of the

International Union for Conservation of Nature. [IUCN]
How do we communicate the need for fundamental change beyond this group of
environmentalists, scientists and progressive businesses? asks Luc Bas.
Luc Bas is the Director of the Brussels office of the International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN)
Last week, twenty civil society organisations pulled together to oppose efforts from a part of
the European business community to achieve a withdrawal or overhaul of pending EU
legislative proposals, including the EUs Circular Economy Package and legislation to
improve air quality.
Though research shows that environmental regulations are valued by 95% of EU citizens
and represent less than 1% of the estimated total administrative burden in the EU, they are
too often viewed as a hindrance to economic development.
Its time to stress that the environment cannot be an afterthought to the economy, but rather,
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is the basis for it.

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The
environment
be an afterthought
to the economy
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http://www.euractiv.com/sections/sustainable-dev/environmen...
Noting
this cannot
challenge,
the European
Environmental
Bureaus (EEB) 40th Anniversary

Conference was well-timed to discuss the decisive crossroads for the future of EU
environmental policies and regulations. Both the new structure of the European Commission
and its mandate for a focus on better regulation will define Europes environmental
standards for the years to come. One of these initiatives is the Regulatory Fitness and
Performance Programme (REFIT) of the EUs Birds and Habitats Directives, which aims to
create a simple, clear and predictable regulatory framework for business and citizens alike.
However, we must not forget that the EUs position as a global leader in sustainability is built
on its highly successful environmental legislation, including its nature directives, which have
helped introduce some of the highest environmental standards in the world, and have also
given the EUs innovative industries a competitive edge.
At the conference, Commissioner Vella pointed out that Today, it is no longer a matter of
choosing between economic growth and environmental protection. They must co-exist.
Environmental protection is an economic opportunity. He reassured participants that there
were no intentions to weaken environmental regulations, but also noted that adding layer
upon layer of legislation could be economically unproductive.
What is more important is to question the underlying assumption that everlasting
GDP-growth is the Holy Grail we should be vying for. Not only does pursuing this goal
frequently lead to shortsighted measures. It is also achieved at the expense of our natural
environment. I was therefore glad to see many panelists argue for a more radical paradigm
shift, not just incremental change, to ensure a transition to genuine sustainable
development. This included some very authoritative voices such as Connie Hedegaard
(former Commissioner for Climate Action), Simon Upton (Director of the Environment
Directorate of the OECD), Sunita Narain (Director General of the Centre for Science and the
Environment in India) and Joachim Spangenberg (Vice-President of the Sustainable Europe
Research Institute), who were unanimous in recognising the shortcomings of incremental
change to ensure long-term human prosperity.
We need to focus on the underlying issues, particularly over-consumption which spurs
unsustainable growth. We also cannot postpone thorough action by arguing that we dont
have a full and perfect solution. We must take the first steps to ensure that a paradigm shift
takes effect, based on current science, and adapt as we gain more knowledge. Above all,
we must address our societys wrongful acceptance of unsustainable lifestyles. As Mr.
Spangenberg noted, We must stop doing things in the best possible way if they are things
that should not be done at all.
At the conference, I moderated the session Threats to Nature. However, these are really
2threats
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to humankind, as we depend on nature in every aspect of our lives. After all,
nature

The
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| ...
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http://www.euractiv.com/sections/sustainable-dev/environmen...

Participants at the EEB conference, predominantly members of the environmental

community, generally shared these views. This reminded me of our biggest challenge: how
do we communicate the need for fundamental change beyond this group of
environmentalists, scientists and progressive businesses? This will require a clear and
powerful joint narrative that speaks to a wider audience with a variety of different interests
and values, for which the protection of our natural environment may not yet be the
necessary priority.
| Luc Bas
Sections:
SUSTAINABLE DEV. EU PRIORITIES 2020 SCIENCE & POLICYMAKING
People:
FRANS TIMMERMANS KARMENU VELLA
Topics:
BIODIVERSITY CIRCULAR ECONOMY REFIT HABITATS DIRECTIVE
SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

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