Diego Francesco Marin – 2024 – Tackling the problem at the source: Towards an EU Sustainable Resource Management Law

Abstract

There is an urgent need for sustainable resource management to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution – including inequality. Despite global efforts like the Paris Agreement and the EU’s Green Deal, greenhouse-gas emissions around the world continue to rise, and resource extraction remains a significant contributor to environmental degradation. 

The EU’s material footprint is double the sustainable level. The EU needs to develop a Sustainable Resource Management Law to systematize resource management and reduce the EU’s material footprint. the Law would emphasizes the importance of designing cities towards dematerialization, prioritizing workers’ rights and leisure, and fostering a policy framework that supports sustainable initiatives for a habitable planet and  promotes global peace.

Bio

Diego Marin, a master’s graduate in international development from the University of Kent, works within the EBB’s Economic Transition Unit. His expertise lies in raw materials, with a focus on environmental justice, geopolitics, and circular economy. Diego has done on the ground research in Europe and Latin America on understanding how mining companies operate on the ground. Diego leads efforts in analysing the impacts of green and digital transitions while actively working on political strategies for a raw materials binding target across the EU. As a co-author of the report “Green Mining is a Myth: the case for cutting EU resource consumption,” he advocates for sustainable resource management, shaping a greener future for the European Union.