In the European strategic agenda, water is gradually gaining the recognition it deserves, as illustrated by the recent publication of the European Water Resilience Strategy. This momentum is positive, and it must now be translated into concrete action. Robust technological solutions already exist to protect water resources, save water, reuse water, and create alternative water resources.
Their deployment must now accelerate. To achieve this, the EU must drive a shift towards a financial model that rewards performance in terms of quality, efficiency, and resource preservation. While the investment gap is estimated at €23 billion per year across the EU, the current economic model, which is largely dependent on consumption volumes, is no longer fit to meet the challenges of the years ahead.
In the field of waste management, clear policy decisions have been taken in recent years. These decisions are already yielding tangible results across Europe, notably a significant reduction in the volumes of waste landfilled over the past decades: from 61% in 1995 to 22% in 2023, under strong regulation such as the EU Landfill Directive1.
In the context of geopolitical tensions and volatile energy markets, waste treatment can provide electricity and heat strengthening energy autonomy
Choices that, even today, can help make waste treatment a lever contributing to Europe’s strategic autonomy. In the context of geopolitical tensions and volatile energy markets, waste treatment can provide electricity and heat strengthening energy autonomy while ensuring more predictable and competitive prices for municipalities and industry. In France, energy-from-waste contribution to energy sovereignty is substantial. By 2030, up to 36 TWh of thermal energy and biogas could be produced from non-recyclable waste, equivalent to 8% of the French gas consumption2.
As discussions on the inclusion of energy-form-waste into the European carbon market (EU ETS) are set to take place in the coming weeks, it is essential to fully take into account the potential of these activities to strengthen the continent’s energy security. The risk, if the specific characteristics of the sector are not considered, would be to lead to higher costs for local authorities and households for uncertain environmental gains.
Finally, waste treatment can also play a key role by providing secondary raw materials through recycling. Demand for critical raw materials such as copper could rise by up to 40% by 2040. In a time of global scarcity, recycling is essential for both competitiveness and strategic autonomy. This requires action on two fronts: bridge the cost gaps between virgin and recycled materials by recognising the positive externalities of recycling, whilst introducing a European preference requirement on the incorporation of recycled materials.
Waste treatment can also play a key role by providing secondary raw materials through recycling
The upcoming Circular Economy Act can be a true opportunity to stimulate the use of European recycled materials that directly contribute to decarbonisation, while circularity - which is built on a strong local industrial base - should be recognised as a strategic sector under the Industrial Accelerator Act.
Forthcoming regulatory developments will be instrumental in advancing a comprehensive and integrated approach to water and waste management, and in unlocking their full potential to strengthen Europe’s resilience. Let’s rise to the occasion.
List of references
- Eurostat: Municipal waste statistics - Statistics Explained - Eurostat
- Based on the 2021 consumption, source : FNADE, https://www.fnade.org/ressources/documents/source/1/5303-Contribution-de-la-filiere-dechet-au-mix-energetique-2023.pdf
Credit (author's headshot): Thomas Laisne
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