Resource efficiency is a key policy issue for the European Union. In this context, this project will provide independent expert advice on issues relating to sustainable management of natural resources. More specifically, the project focuses on water resource management and the management of resources used for agriculture. Scientific, technological and best practice solutions are identified and assessed for their potential to improve the sustainability of water management and agriculture. These issues are analysed in terms of their funding from other EU policies, their potential socio-economic benefits, opportunities for better integration in the EU, possible barriers to uptake and knowledge transfer as well as other environmental impacts and remaining research gaps.

Ecologic Institute is part of a consortium of 3 institutes led by Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), working on a framework contract for the Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA) unit of the European Parliament.

The main objective is to assess the potential role that scientific research, technologies, and best practices play in ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources in the EU. The impacts of these technologies and best practices on other environmental media such as soil, air and biodiversity are analyzed. As a secondary objective, the project aims to assess which agriculture and land management issues can be approached with technology, and which issues can be better tackled by promoting non-technological options.

Focus areas

In the first area of focus, water management, the project will:

• examine key water issues in Europe, especially water quantity, 
• identify existing innovative water management technologies and practices in view of their water saving potential,
• describe practical approaches for the contribution of innovative technologies for sustainable water management,
• assess the cost-effectiveness of the identified innovative technologies and practices.

Within the second area of focus, agriculture, the project will:

• provide an overview of the potential impact of climate change on agriculture and the impact of agriculture on water availability,
• deepen the understanding of the degree of support that innovative technologies and best-practices may or may not need under the CAP,
• examine the potential of slurry and manure acidification to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and assess its cost-effectiveness.