Berlin, 16 February 2015 “We face the challenge of creating more prosperity with less consumption of resources and less interference with nature. This will not only help the environment but also generate direct economic benefits”, emphasised the German Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks at the European Resources Forum, a three-day conference on environmental protection being hosted by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA).The conference was held in Berlin from 11-14 November 2014 and attracted 370 participants from over 40 countries. The conference summary, presentations and photos were officially published today.

Minister Hendricks pointed out: “We bear special responsibility as an industrialised country. We must set an example for other countries as to how technical, economic and social development can be achieved while protecting nature at the same time. Resource efficiency is the key word in this context.”

The main recommendation of the European Resources Forum (ERF) 2014 was presented by conference chair Harry Lehmann, of the organising German Federal Environment Agency (UBA): “The European Resources Forum 2014 urges European governments, the European Parliament and the European Commission to continue with the Roadmap to a resource efficient Europe and with the initiatives and actions linked to it, especially with the so called Circular Economy Package. The fear that resource efficiency endangers the economy is wrong. The opposite is true: a resource efficient Europe is an opportunity for economic growth and job creation.”

WRF President Xaver Edelmann presented a keynote speech, about main lessons learnt from previous editions of the World Resources Forum, and in particular recommendations for Europe. WRF Managing Director Bas de Leeuw chaired a session on the Sustainable Development Goals and post 2015 process, download the session report here: ERF 2014 session report (pdf).

The aim of the European Resources Forum (ERF) is to provide a European platform for discussion of the issue of sustainable resource use by focusing on the political and scientific debate on this subject. The ERF takes place biennially and is hosted by the German Federal Environment Agency. It seeks to contribute to the development and implementation of common positions for policymaking in Europe and internationally. The ERF is an important instrument for communication on resource issues and for setting up networks and initiating stakeholder alliances at European level.Find here the full press release. Find here all articles of the Student Reporters Blog.