Description: A policy framework for sustainable resource management (SRM) is required both to guarantee the materials and energy supply of the EU economy and safeguard the natural resource basis in the future. Goals and strategies for sustaining the metabolism of the economy are described. Data are presented on the material throughput and physical growth of the EU's economy, on total material requirements (TMR), its composition, the decoupling from economic growth, and the increased shift to other regions. A first future target Material Flow Balance (t- MFB) of the EU is outlined. Detailed data reveal the "top ten" resource flows. Policy design for SRM should aim at an integrated and balanced approach along the material flow, comprising resource extraction, the product cycle and final waste disposal. Strategies and potential instruments to manage fossil fuels, metals and industrial minerals, construction minerals and excavation are discussed. Possible priorities and examples are given for target setting, focusing on limited expansion of built-up area, reduced use of non-renewables, increased resource productivity, and shift to sustainable cultivation of biomass.

Description: This report focuses on the contribution of ICT to improvements in resource efficiency and transport intensity at the macro, meso and micro levels. It presents the research on environmental effects of e-business and e-work. The research strand explored the implication of ICT and its applications from the micro- (case study), meso- (different e-business types) and macro-level (macro-economic and policy level). The "macro-analysis-module" aimed at quantifying the potential contribution of e-business and ICT to dematerialisation and resource productivity. The analysis followed a top-down approach complementary to the case study based microanalyses. It compromised the analysis of energy-use and selected material flows (CO(2)) of three EU Member States to determine whether there is any macro-level evidence of dematerialization and increased resource productivity resulting from e-business and ICT. From a micro and meso level perspective, the research object has been the provision of new IT based applications instead of "traditional" products, services and customs (e-commerce and telework). The research quantified the resource- and transport efficiency of e-business in different case studies and identified key factors determining the impact on resource- and transport efficiency.

Description: In this paper the results of an analysis of the material intensity of advanced composite materials are presented. The analysis is based on the MIPS-concept of the Wuppertal Institute which allows the calculation of the overall material intensity of products and services. It can be shown that the production of one kg of E-Glass fibers is connected with the consumption of 6.2 kg materials, 95 kg water and 2.1 kg oxygen which is of similar size compared to the inputs required in steel production. Material inputs required to produce one kg of p-aramid are 37 kg of materials and 19.6 kg air. Values for carbon fibers are even higher yielding to 61.1 kg of abiotic materials and 33.1 kg of air. Similarly, the production of epoxy resins is connected with larger material flows than the production of polyester resins. Of core materials, inputs per kg for PVCfoam exceed those in PUR-foam production by a factor of 1.4 in water to 2.3 in abiotic material consumption. However, ecologically decisive are not the inputs per kg but the material input per service unit. Therefore, the material input per service unit computed for the body of a passenger ship and a robot arm are compared with alternative steel and aluminium versions. Both examples show that in the case of significant inputs during the user phase of products, even a more material intensive investment in the production phase can yield significant ecological benefits over the whole life-cycle compared to metal versions. Improvements can easily reach a factor of two albeit significant potential for engine optimizations have still been neglected. Results already include the actual recycling quota of metals whereas for composites only virgin material has been calculated as any form of real recycling does not actually exist but only certain types of downrecycling. Of those treatment options, first material recycling and second the use in blast furnaces would lead to better results in resource productivity than incineration and landfills. The paper finally draws some conclusions about the potential advantages of material substitution in the automotive industry. Due to the rather short real operation time of cars during their user phase - around six months - an investment in advanced composite materials in car production only results in a significant improvement of the overall eco-efficiency of cars if it allows a substantial weight reduction of the overall vehicle.