Environmental Economics

EU Environmental Policies
European Council commitments in 1972 to establish a Community environmental policy, the first EAP was decided upon in November 1973
The Single European Act (1986) marked the beginning of a more prominent role for environmental protection in EU policy-making, introducing the principal that environmental protection should be considered in all new Community legislation
Treaties of Maastricht (1992) and Amsterdam (1997), which made sustainable development one of the EU's central objectives. Sustainable development also forms a key part of the Lisbon Strategy launched in 2000, which underpins all EU policy regarding the single market

Major Environmental Problems
Sustainability :
Protection of the agriculture soil,
Reafforestation
Demographic control,
Energy saving,
Development of renewable energy sources.
Radioactive contamination seems the most dangerous kind of pollution.
Greenhouse Effect : carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone
Ozone Depletion
Toxic chemicals :
-industrial wastes (e.g.: chemical industry)
- transportation (e.g.: oil tankers)
-agriculture ( fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides)
-consumption (e.g.: paints, PVC bottles)
-civil waste (e.g.: detergents)

The Sixth Environment Action Programme of the European Community 2002-2012
What is the 6th EAP?
Decision of the European Parliament and the Council, which is adopted on 22nd July 2002
Framework for environmental policy-making in the European Union for the period 2002-2012 and outlines actions that need to be taken to achieve them

The 6th EAP identifies four priority areas:
Climate change
Nature and biodiversity
Environment and health
Natural resources and waste…