Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Role of Policy in Unlocking the Potential of Resource Efficiency Investments

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Investing in Resource Efficiency

Abstract

By enabling greater economic output with less resource consumption, and fewer corresponding environmental impacts, increasing resource efficiency should, it might be argued, be attractive both for its economic and environmental benefits. However, it often remains the case that resource efficiency potential is not fully exploited.

In this chapter, we argue that a combined environmental and economic benefit—or “win-win” outcome—from resource efficiency policies, is possible. However, realising the “win-win” requires carefully coordinated policy packages, holistically designed so that policies across different areas act to reinforce each other.

This chapter brings together the concepts and arguments presented throughout this book, and distils key implications and principles for policy makers. We discuss various barriers which prevent actors from spontaneously applying resource-efficient options, and the policy responses that could increase resource efficiency in each of those areas. Following this, we then discuss the importance for achieving the “win-win” effect, of coordination across policy areas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    See Chaps. 9 and 10 for further details.

  2. 2.

    See Chaps. 9 and 10 for a detailed discussion of the lending approaches taken by the EIB and EBRD.

  3. 3.

    See https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/47978/1010-green-deal-summary-proposals.pdf (last accessed on 14 January 2018).

  4. 4.

    For a detailed description of this regulation, and some exemptions, see https://www.out-law.com/en/topics/property/environment/minimum-energy-efficiency-standards-for-uk-rented-properties/ (last accessed on 14 January 2018).

  5. 5.

    Regions for Recycling (undated) ‘System of deposit-packaging’, Good Practices Tallinn Factsheet 1, http://www.regions4recycling.eu/upload/public/Good-Practices/GP_Tallinn_deposit-packaging.pdf

References

  • Abdelaziz EA, Saidur R, Mekhilef S (2011) A review on energy saving strategies in industrial sector. Renew Sust Energ Rev 15:150–168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allwood J (2014) Squaring the circular economy: the role of recycling within a hierarchy of material management strategies. In: Handbook of recycling. Elsevier, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Ambrose MD, Tucker SN, Delsante AE, Johnston DR (2008) Energy efficiency uptake within the project house building industry. In: Yang J, Brandon PS, Sidwell AC (eds) Smart & sustainable built environments. Blackwell, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Backlund S, Thollander P, Palm J, Ottosson M (2012) Extending the energy efficiency gap. Energy Policy 51:392–396

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benoy A-M, Owen L, Folkerson M (2014) Triple win - the social, economic and environmental case for remanufacturing. Policy Connect, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Bogner J, Ahmed MA, Diaz C, Faaij A, Gao Q, Hashimoto S, Mareckova K, Pipatti R, Zhang T (2007) Waste management. In: Metz B, Davidson OR, Bosch PR, Dave R, Meyer LA (eds) Climate change 2007: mitigation. Contribution of working group III to the fourth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge/New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Cagno E, Worrell E, Trianni A, Pugliese G (2013) A novel approach for barriers to industrial energy efficiency. Renew Sust Energ Rev 19:290–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carruth M, Allwood J (2012) The development of a hot rolling process for variable cross-section I-beams. J Mater Process Technol 212:1640–1653

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clancy JM, Curtis J, O’Gallachóir BP (2017) What are the factors that discourage companies in the Irish commercial sector from investigating energy saving options? Energ Build 146:243–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Tilly S (2002) Waste generation and related policies: broad trends over the last ten years. In: Addressing the economics of waste. OECD, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Defra (2016) Make an environmental claim for your product, service or organisation (Online). Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/make-a-green-claim/make-an-environmental-claim-for-your-product-service-or-organisation. Accessed 18 June 2017

  • Dobbs R, Oppenheim J, Thompson F, Brinkman M, Zornes M (2011) Resource revolution: meeting the world’s energy, materials, food, and water needs. McKinsey Global Institute, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • EC (2015) Closing the loop – an EU action plan for the circular economy, COM(2015) 614 final. European Commission, Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • EC (2016) Directive 2008/98/EC on waste (Waste Framework Directive) (Online). http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/framework/. Accessed 17 June 2017

  • EIAG (2006) Bridging the gap between environmental necessity and economic opportunity. Environmental Innovations Advisory Group, London

    Google Scholar 

  • EMF (2015) Growth within: a circular economy vision for a competitive Europe. Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Cowes, Isle of Wight

    Google Scholar 

  • EMF (2017a) The concept of a circular economy (Online). Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Cowes, Isle of Wight. http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy/overview/concept. Accessed 21 June 2017

  • EMF (2017b) The principles of a circular economy (Online). http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy/overview/principles. Accessed 21 June 2017

  • FAO (2011) The state of the world’s land and water resources for food and agriculture (SOLAW) - managing systems at risk. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome/London

    Google Scholar 

  • GIB (2017a) Accelerating the UK’s transition to a greener, stronger economy (Online). Green Investment Bank. http://www.greeninvestmentbank.com/about-us/. Accessed 17 June 2017

  • GIB (2017b) Bringing private capital into the Green Investment Bank (Online). Green Investment Bank. http://www.greeninvestmentbank.com/about-us/privatisation-process/. Accessed 17 June 2017

  • Gillich A, Sunikka-Blank M, Ford A (2017) Lessons for the UK green deal from the US BBNP. Build Res Inf 45:384–395

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grubb M, Hourcade J-C, Neuhoff K (2014) Planetary economics - energy, climate change and the three domains of sustainable development. Routledge, Abingdon

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupt Y, Sahay S (2015) Review of extended producer responsibility: a case study approach. Waste Manage Res 33:595–611

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hirst E, Brown M (1990) Closing the efficiency gap: barriers to the efficient use of energy. Resour Conserv Recycl 3:267–281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • HMRC (2017) HMRC tax and duty bulletins (Online). http://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutyBulletins.aspx. Accessed 19 June 2017

  • Hogg D, Wilson D, Gibbs A, Astley M, Papineschi J (2006) Modelling the impact of household charging for waste in England. Final report to Defra. Eunomia Research and Consulting, Bristol

    Google Scholar 

  • IEA (2012) World energy outlook. International Energy Agency, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCC 2014. Summary for policymakers. In: Edenhofer O, Pichs-Madruga R, Sokona Y, Farahani E, Kadner S, Seyboth K, Adler A, Baum I, Brunner S, Eickemeier P, Kriemann B, Savolainen J, Schlömer S, Von Stechow C, Zwickel T, Minx JC (eds) Climate change 2014: mitigation of climate change. Contribution of working group III to the fifth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaffe AB, Stavins RN (1994) The energy-efficiency gap what does it mean? Energy Policy 22:804–810

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jordan N, Lemken T, Liedtke C (2014) Barriers to resource efficiency innovations and opportunities for smart regulations − the case of Germany. Environ Policy Gov 24:307–323

    Google Scholar 

  • Kimura O (2012) The role of standards: the Japanese top runner program for end-use efficiency. Historical case studies of energy technology innovation. In: Grubler A, Aguayo F, Gallagher KS, Hekkert M, Jiang K, Mytelka L, Neij L, Nemet G, Wilson C (eds) The global energy assessment. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Maegaard P, Krenz A, Palz W (eds) (2013) The rise of modern wind energy - wind power for the world. CRC Press, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin D (1996) Targeted information acquisition and dissemination programmes - A key mechanism for overcoming barriers to the promotion of energy efficiency and environmental control technology in transport. In: IEA, OECD & Government of Mexico (eds) Conference on Towards clean transport. Mexico, pp. 559–566. OECD, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of the Environment (2013) Fundamental plan for establishing a sound material-cycle society. Ministry of the Environment, Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  • Molenbroek E, Smith M, Groenenberg H, Waide P, Attali S, Fischer C, Krivosik J, Fonseca P, Santos B, Fong J (2014) Evaluation of the energy labelling directive and specific aspects of the ecodesign directive. Final technical report, Decoys

    Google Scholar 

  • Moynihan M, Allwood J (2014) Utilization of structural steel in buildings. Proc R Soc Math Phys Eng Sci 470(2168):20140170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • NISP (2009) The pathway to a low carbon sustainable economy. National Industrial Symbiosis Programme, International Synergies, Birmingham

    Google Scholar 

  • Niza S, Santos E, Costa I, Ribeiro P, Ferrão P (2014) Extended producer responsibility policy in Portugal: a strategy towards improving waste management performance. J Clean Prod 64:277–287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Keeffe J, Gilmour D, Simpson E (2016) A network approach to overcoming barriers to market engagement for SMEs in energy efficiency initiatives such as the green deal. Energy Policy 97:582–590

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park JM, Park JY, Park H-S (2016) A review of the National eco-Industrial Park Development Program in Korea: progress and achievements in the first phase, 2005–2010. J Clean Prod 114:33–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • PBL (2014) Sustainability of international Dutch supply chains. In: Progress, effects and perspectives. PBL, The Hague

    Google Scholar 

  • Polo AL, Haas R (2014) An international overview of promotion policies for grid-connected photovoltaic systems. Prog Photovolt 22:248–273

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poschen P (2015) Decent work, green jobs and the sustainable economy. International Labour Office/Greenleaf Publishing, Geneva/Sheffield

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenow J, Eyre N (2015) Re-energising the UK’s approach to domestic energy efficiency. In: Proceedings of ECEEE summer study, pp. 281–289

    Google Scholar 

  • Schleich J, Gruber E (2008) Beyond case studies: barriers to energy efficiency in commerce and the services sector. Energy Econ 30:449–464

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seely A (2009a) Landfill tax: introduction and early history. House of Commons Library standard note SN/BT/237 (6 October). House of Commons, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Seely A (2009b) Landfill tax: recent developments. House of Commons Library 2009: standard note SN/BT/1963 (15 December). House of Commons, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Seely A (2015) Landfill tax (qualifying fines) order 2015. House of Commons Library 2015: briefing paper number CBP 7228 (17 June) (Online). http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-7228. Accessed 19 June 2017

  • Simon J (2015) Case study 4: the story of Contarina. Zero Waste Europe

    Google Scholar 

  • Sorrell S, O’Malley E, Schleich J, Scott S (2004) The economics of energy efficiency: barriers to cost-effective investment. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham

    Google Scholar 

  • Trebilcock M (2011) Perception of barriers to the inclusion of energy efficiency criteria in buildings. Revista de la construcción 10:4–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UNEP (2011) Recycling rates of metals – a status report. A report of the Working Group on Global Metal Flows to the International Resource Panel. Graedel TE, Allwood J, Birat J-P, Reck BK, Sibley SF, Sonnemann G, Buchert M, Hagelüken C

    Google Scholar 

  • UNEP (2013) Metal recycling: opportunities, limits, infrastructure. A report of the Working Group on Global Metal Flows to the International Resource Panel. Reuter MA, Hudson C, van Schaik A, Heiskanen K, Meskers C, Hegeluken C

    Google Scholar 

  • UNEP (2014) Decoupling 2: technologies, opportunities and policy options. A report of the Working Group on Decoupling to the International Resource Panel

    Google Scholar 

  • UNEP (2017) Resource efficiency: potential and economic implications. A report of the International Resource Panel. Ekins P, Hughes N, et al

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Berkel R, Fujita T, Hashimoto S, Geng Y (2009) Industrial and urban symbiosis in Japan: analysis of the eco-town program 1997–2006. J Environ Manag 90:1544–1556

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Vliet A (2013) Case study 1: the story of Capannori. Zero Waste Europe

    Google Scholar 

  • Vogel JA, Lundqvist P, Arias J (2015) Categorizing barriers to energy efficiency in buildings. Energy Procedia 75:2839–2845

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watson J (2012) Climate change policy and the transition to a low-carbon economy. In: Dolphin T, Nash D (eds) Complex new world: translating new economic thinking into public policy. IPPR, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu F, Han F, Cui Z (2014) Assessment of life cycle environmental benefits of an industrial symbiosis cluster in China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22:5511–5518

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu F, Han F, Cui Z (2015a) Evolution of industrial symbiosis in an eco-industrial park in China. J Clean Prod 87:339–347

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu F, Han F, Cui Z (2015b) Reducing carbon emissions through industrial symbiosis: a case study of a large enterprise group in China. J Clean Prod 103:811–818

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu HJJ, Popiolek N, Geoffron P (2016) Solar photovoltaic energy policy and globalization: a multiperspective approach with case studies of Germany, Japan, and China. Prog Photovolt 24:458–476

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Sustainable Resources, University College London, London, UK

    Nick Hughes & Paul Ekins

Authors
  1. Nick Hughes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Paul Ekins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nick Hughes .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University College London, Institute for Sustainable Resources, London, United Kingdom

    Florian Flachenecker

  2. University College London, Institute for Sustainable Resources, London, United Kingdom

    Jun Rentschler

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Hughes, N., Ekins, P. (2018). The Role of Policy in Unlocking the Potential of Resource Efficiency Investments. In: Flachenecker, F., Rentschler, J. (eds) Investing in Resource Efficiency. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78867-8_12

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation