Abstract
In this article we develop a comprehensive conceptual framework for resource efficiency indicators with a consistent link of resource use to the socio-economic system and activities therein as well as to the natural system and its ecosystem functioning. Three broad groups of indicators are defined: (1) resource use indicators representing pressures on the environment; (2) resource efficiency indicators relating resource use indicators to the socio-economic side; and (3) environmental impact indicators linking resource use impacts on the state of the natural system. Based on this conceptual framework we develop a structure for possible resource efficiency indicators and conduct a RACER evaluation on the Relevance, Acceptance, Credibility, Easiness and Robustness of indicators. With the RACER evaluation, we identify areas where indicators are well established and available as well as areas where indicators still need further development or even need to be designed first.
Highlights
Ecological economics and industrial ecology are interdisciplinary areas of research focused on the study of the interactions between socio-economic systems and the natural environment
We investigated seven indicator sets addressing sustainable resource use and the indicator coverage therein: (1) Environmental Data Centre on Natural Resources, which includes around 40 indicators [75]; (2) EEA Core set of indicators (CSI), which includes 37 indicators [76]; (3) EEA Sustainable consumption and production indicators (SCP), which includes 39 indicators [77]; (4) Eurostat Sustainable Development Indicators (SDI) which selects ca. 46 indicators [78]; (5) Europe 2020, which has around eight indicators [79]; (6) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) yearbook Key Environmental Indicators, which includes 15 indicators [80]; and (7) OECD Environmental and green growth indicators with 25 indicators under “environment” [81]
We propose a comprehensive conceptual framework for resource efficiency indicators
Summary
Ecological economics and industrial ecology are interdisciplinary areas of research focused on the study of the interactions between socio-economic systems and the natural environment. Despite resource efficiency being used as the concept to capture sustainability problems, there is not yet a conceptual framework available that clearly puts socio-economic activities, resource use, and environmental impacts on the natural system, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in relation to each other (see [17]) In these policies, the term resource is based on a very broad definition that encompasses very different physical dimensions such as material extraction or land use or biodiversity. The EU policy for example addresses materials, energy, water and land as resources and as the core focus of action needed, but in addition requests the consideration of wastes and emissions as well as biodiversity and ecosystem services when discussing resource efficiency [18,19] This is so far implemented by a proposal of one headline indicator (GDP per unit of material use; see [13]) complemented by a dashboard of indicators.
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