Time for sustainable resources in the EU

Caritas Europa co-signed an open letter to EU decision-makers calling for EU legislation on Sustainable Resource Management with over 100 organisations, including NGOs, academics, think tanks, and trade unions. 

Our goal is for the legislation to set binding EU material footprint reduction targets to five tonnes per capita by 2050, limiting our resource extraction and our
negative impact on global warming, biodiversity loss, water stress, pollution, and social injustices.

The Directive will steer the EU and its Member States to develop implementation strategies, emphasising reductions in high-consumption sectors like transport, construction, and digital industries, and to develop sector-specific roadmaps with binding sub-targets. This approach can support a just transition, in line with ILO guidelines, while respecting workers’ rights. The Directive will also ensure the EU’s strategic autonomy and reduce supply chain vulnerabilities.