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The aim of this project is to provide support to the European Environmental Agency in the field of sustainable development both at the strategic level and operational level, and at the networking and communication level, promoting in particular the network of environmental economists established by the EEA in co-operation with the European Commission.

FEEM is partner in a Consortium of 18 European Research Institutes supporting the European Environmental Agency (EEA) on Environmental Economic Activities from 2004 to 2008. The Consortium, lead by Ecologic (Germany), includes high-level experts in environmental economic research from both old and new EU Member States. FEEM is part of the core research group of the Consortium.

The EEA provides support to European policy makers in the field of sustainable development through environmental economic instruments such as:
– the assessment of the environmental impacts of economic activities;
– cost- benefit analysis;
– the economic analysis of environmental policy;
– the monetary valuation of environmental goods and service;
– the use of sustainable development indicators.

The EEA Strategy 2004-2008 however calls for a more structured approach, to enhance the effectiveness of economic approaches and methodologies in environmental policy making.

The Consortium aims at providing support to the EEA in this direction, focusing on the following areas:

  • at the strategic level, fostering the EEA programming for the period 2005-2008. This includes assessing and reporting on environmental policy integration in broader policy areas, as well as on the integration of economic analysis into sustainable development and environmental policies;
  • at the operational level, gathering information and data on environmental economics, conducting environmental-economic analyses and assessments, reporting and communication to a wide range of stakeholders;
  • at the networking and communication level, promoting in particular the network of environmental economists established by the EEA in co-operation with the European Commission.

    • A first specific agreement on "Cost-effectiveness of environmental policies: an inventory of applied ex-post evaluation studies with a focus on methodologies, guidelines and good practice" was signed in September 2004 and the research work, which does not involve FEEM directly, is underway.

    The second specific agreement on "Costs of climate change impacts: a review of assessment studies with a focus on methodologies used" was signed in May 2005. The study includes an overview of the relevant literature in the area, an overview and assessment of the crucial methodological issues involved in costs assessment, and a synthesis of results leading to the identification of best practices and to the provision of recommendations to the EEA. The study was carried out in 2005 by FEEM and IVM and the final report was delivered in January 2006. FEEM is currently responsible for a follow-up study on the "Costs of adaptation to climate change" with IVM. The final report is due in December 2006. Both reports will be published jointly by the EEA.

    A third study on "The use of economic instruments in resource and waste management" was carried out in 2005 by Ecologic and individual expert Stefan Speck. Prof. Anil Markandya, Scientific Director of FEEM Servizi, was involved in an advisory role. He participated in the final workshop, held in Copenhagen in November 2006.

    A fourth specific agreement on "Subsidies, Taxes and Charges in European Transport" was carried out in 2005 by Ecologic, Chair for Transport Ecology at the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences TU Dresden, Fraunhofer Institute for System and Innovation Research (Fraunhofer ISI).

    The Consortium aims at providing support to the EEA on Environmental Economic Activities in the period between 2004 and 2008.

    The European Environment Agency (EEA) began its work on the interface between environment and economics soon after its establishment in 1994. Ever since then it has produced objective, reliable and comparable information for those concerned with framing, implementing and further developing European environmental and sustainable development policy, and for the wider European public.

    In its work, the EEA makes use of a wide range of environmentally-related economic information, such as assessments of past and future trends of economic activity as the main driving force behind environmental problems, cost and co-benefits of alternative policy packages, and economic instruments of environmental policy.

    The EEA’s Strategy 2004-2008 calls for a more structured approach, which will place increased focus on environmental pressures, quality and sensitivity in the context of sustainable development. Therefore the EEA seeks support in further developing areas of work on environmental economics.

    The Consortium intends to support the EEA at the strategic and operational level, as well as on networking and communication activities. Specific agreements are undertaken with a framework contract over a time span of maximum 4 years.

    As a member of the core group of the Consortium FEEM intends to carry out research within specific working agreements, at the same time contributing to the overall research work carried out by the Consortium through information sharing and reviewing.