- This Strategy is a commitment of the Government to achieve a more innovative, competitive and sustainable development and growth model, which will maximize the available resources.
- It is aligned with the European Commission's Package of Measures and Action Plan for a circular economy
- The Action Plan of the Spanish Strategy foresees 70 measures, until 2020, to promote technological, organizational and social innovations and contribute to deploying 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 Circular Economy Strategy, a document that contains an Action Plan (2018-2020) with 70 measures aimed at achieving a development model and more innovative, competitive and sustainable growth, reducing waste generation to the maximum, and endowed with more than 836 million euros of budget.
The aim is to involve the business sector, civil society and the consumer in this process of preparing the final text of the Spanish Circular Economy Strategy, a document that can be consulted and make the contributions that are considered until March 12. of 2018 in 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 of the Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MINECO), implies cooperation with practically all Government Ministries, within an Inter-ministerial Commission: those of Energy, Tourism and Digital Agenda (MINETAD); the Treasury and Public Function; that of Employment and Social Security; that of Development; that of the Presidency and for Territorial Administrations; that of 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 in Spain, with the Package of Measures and the Action Plan for a European circular economy, which was 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 UP TO 2020 WITH 70 MEASURES
The Spanish Circular Economy Strategy is a document that will allow progress in the transition towards a circular economy through the implementation of different action plans. This will allow, as the different actions are carried out, their effects to be 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 cross-cutting basis, three key points are incorporated into this first Action Plan: awareness and participation, research, innovation and competitiveness, and employment and training.
ECODESIGN
Among the measures contemplated in this Action Plan, those related to the design of goods and services stand out, promoting innovation from the beginning, so as to minimize the use of resources and minimize the use of polluting substances in their manufacture 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 circular economy model early in their management.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment will promote the use of the European Voluntary Environmental Auditing System (EMAS) and the use of the European Ecolabel in all productive and service activities to achieve its greater implementation.
PUBLIC PROCUREMENT, FOOD AND INTELLIGENT TOURISM
Public procurement will be another of the key points of the Strategy, since it represents an important part of consumption due to the significant volume of spending 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 the contracting authorities.
Regarding food, the “More food, less waste” Strategy 2017-2020 will be implemented, which promotes transparency, dialogue and coordination among all agents in the food chain. Organic food production will also continue to be supported.
These 70 measures include boosting the market for secondary raw materials, promoting the reuse of water or developing a Smart Tourist Destinations Program that guarantees the sustainable growth of the tourist destination.
EMPLOYMENT AND PUBLIC WORK
In the employment sector, the labor market will be prepared for the transition towards a low emission economy, and a line of study will be developed on the 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 works is another sector to which special attention will be paid. Thus, the implementation of the circular economy in civil works will be promoted and, together with the Ministry of Public Works, to reduce pressure on the use of raw materials. Thus, it is intended that civil and public works use construction and demolition waste, integrating it into construction processes, provided that the health of people and the protection of the environment are guaranteed.
MORE THAN 836 MILLION EURO 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, a guideline budget, necessary to guarantee its execution, has been provided, which amounts to more than 836.7 million euros, of which that 57% will go to water, 29% to R & D & i and 4% to employment, among other items.
USE OF RESOURCES
The latest data collected by Eurostat shows that, in 2014, 2,502 million tons of waste were generated in the European Union, of which only 900 million was reused, 36%. Regarding the recycling rate by State, there are great 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 trillion euros in the whole of the European Union, which is 0.9 trillion 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 job creation 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.
PACT FOR THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Last September, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and the Environment, Isabel García Tejerina, presided over the signing of the Pact for the Circular Economy, signed by 55 social and business agents. Today there are already a total of 240 signatory entities and companies.
They pledged to reduce the use of non-renewable natural resources, promote the analysis of the life cycle of products, the incorporation of ecodesign 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.
