- This Strategy is a commitment of the Government to achieve a more innovative, competitive and sustainable development and growth model that maximizes the available resources.
- It is aligned with the Package of Measures and the Action Plan for a circular economy of the European Commission
- The Action Plan of the Spanish Strategy foresees 70 measures, until 2020, to promote technological, organizational and social innovations and contribute to deploy in Spain the necessary changes in production and consumption models, with a budget of 836 million euros
- There are already a total of 240 social and business agents who have signed the Pact for the Circular Economy, launched by the Ministry last September
The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment has opened public information on the draft of the future Spanish Strategy for Circular Economy, a document that includes an Action Plan (2018-2020) with 70 measures aimed at achieving a development model and more innovative, competitive and sustainable growth, minimizing waste generation, and endowed with more than 836 million euros in budget.
It is thus intended to involve the business sector, civil society and the consumer in this process of preparing the final text of the Spanish Strategy of Circular Economy, a document that can be consulted and make the contributions considered until next March 12 of 2018 on the link https://goo.gl/iJYmgT from the Ministry's web portal (www.mapama.es).
The Strategy, led by the Ministries of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment (MAPAMA) and Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MINECO), implies cooperation with almost all Government Ministries, within an Interministerial Commission: those of Energy, Tourism and Digital Agenda (MINETAD); the Treasury and Public Function; that of Employment and Social Security; the one of Promotion; that of the Presidency and for the Territorial Administrations; Health, Social Services and Equality; as well as the Economic Office of the Presidency. It has also had the collaboration of the autonomous communities and the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP).
SPANISH STRATEGY ALIGNED WITH THE EUROPEAN
The new Strategy 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.
This European Action Plan aims to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a new and ambitious plan to respond to global challenges.
ACTION PLAN UNTIL 2020 WITH 70 MEASURES
The Spanish Circular Economy Strategy is a document that will allow progress in the transition to a circular economy through the implementation of different action plans. This will allow, as the different actions are carried out, their effects are evaluated and, where appropriate, the necessary adjustments can be made to achieve the objectives set for 2030.
The document incorporates the first Action Plan (2018-2020) of the Strategy, the effects of which will be evaluated in order to plan the next action plan. In addition, on a transversal basis, three key points are incorporated into this first Action Plan: awareness and participation, research, innovation and competitiveness, and employment and training.
ECODISEÑO
Among the measures contemplated in this Action Plan are those related to the design of goods and services, promoting innovation from the beginning, in such a way that the use of resources is minimized and the use of polluting substances in its manufacture is minimized to reduce the waste produced and that can be recovered as by-products in subsequent manufacturing processes, ensuring the protection of human health and the environment.
In addition, technological and financing innovations stand out, since the private sector will be involved through credits, reimbursable aid or subsidies that allow companies to adopt an early circular economy model in their management.
From the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment, the use of the European Voluntary Environmental Audit System (EMAS) and the use of the European Ecolabel in all productive and service activities will be promoted to achieve greater implementation.
PUBLIC HIRING, AGRO-FOOD AND SMART TOURISM
Public procurement will be another key point of the Strategy, since it represents an important part of consumption due to the significant volume of expenditure of the different public administrations within the market. Therefore, they must promote actions to implement green public procurement, establishing measures or developing criteria that can be used by contracting bodies.
Regarding food, the “More food, less waste” 2017-2020 Strategy will be implemented, which will promote transparency, dialogue and coordination among all actors in the food chain. Organic food production will also continue to be supported.
Among these 70 measures, the promotion of the secondary raw materials market, the promotion of water reuse or the development of an Intelligent Tourist Destinations Program that guarantees the sustainable growth of the tourist destination stand out.
EMPLOYMENT AND PUBLIC WORK
In the employment sector, the labor market will be prepared for the transition to a low-emission economy, and a line of study will be developed on new jobs generated in the development of the Circular Economy, such as the use of alternative energy, use of waste as by-products and the necessary support for training in these matters.
Public work is another sector to which special attention will be given. Thus, the implementation of the circular economy in civil works and, together with the Ministry of Development, will be encouraged to reduce pressure on the use of raw materials. Thus, it is intended that civil and civil works be used for construction and demolition waste, integrating them into construction processes, provided that the health of people and the protection of the environment are guaranteed.
MORE THAN 836 MILLION EUROS BUDGET
The actions included in the 2018-2020 Action Plan have sufficient personal and material resources for its correct execution.
In some cases the actions can be carried out with the personal means authorized by the proposing department and, in other cases, an additional budget has been provided to guarantee their execution, which amounts to more than 836.7 million euros, of the that 57% will go to water, 29% to R&D and 4% to employment, among other items.
USE OF RESOURCES
The latest data collected by Eurostat shows that, during 2014, 2,502 million tonnes of waste were generated in the European Union, of which only 900 million were reused, 36%. Regarding the recycling rate by State there are large differences, ranging from 80% in some areas and less than 5% in others.
In the case of Spain, according to the same statistical source, 110.5 million tons of waste were generated in 2015 and approximately 30% of the waste generated was recycled, still below the European average (36%), which It means that much of the resources are being wasted in an international context in which raw materials are increasingly scarce and expensive.
It is estimated that, until 2030, the Circular Economy can generate a profit of 1.8 billion euros in the European Union as a whole, which means 0.9 billion more than the current linear economy model. The European Commission also calculates a saving in raw materials by the industry of 600,000 million euros (8% of the annual turnover of the EU in 2015) and that the creation of employment represents around 580,000 new jobs work associated with the new model, of which 30% is associated with full compliance with community waste regulations and eco-innovation.
COVENANT FOR THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Last September, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment, Isabel García Tejerina, presided over the signing of the Circular Economy Pact, signed by 55 social and business agents. To date, there are already a total of 240 signatory entities and companies.
They committed 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 infrastructure and services, among other points.
