Framing policy responses to resource scarcity. Presentation of the European Report on Development 2011-2012 European Parliament Development Committee, and Council of the European Union Working Party on Development Cooperation  9 July 2012, Brussels James Mackie of ECDPM presented the European Report on Development 2011-2012 entitled "Confronting scarcity: Managing water, energy and land for inclusive and sustainable growth".

1. ERD 2012
Confronting scarcity:
Managing water,
energy and land for inclusive and
sustainable growth

2. Overview
Problem
• Access to water, energy and land is crucial for growth and poverty reduction.
• But global and interrelated environmental pressures are threatening to
undermine the development prospects of the poorest countries and people.
Response
• All countries urgently need to recognise and address in an integrated
manner the rapidly growing scarcity and increased pressures on water,
energy and land (WEL).
• This involves a WEL nexus approach to policy-making and management.
• Requires joint action by a variety of actors (governments, business, and
international actors such as the EU) to promote inclusive and sustainable
growth (ISG) around a four-pillar response

3. Water-energy-land (WEL) nexus

4. Framing Policy Responses
Improve resilience Manage demand to
to shocks and reflect scarcity (e.g.
protect poorest); change food and
packaging wastage);
Expand quality and
quantity of supply
(renewable energy, Promote use
soils, water storage); efficiencies
(Productive,
allocative, WEL /
nexus-wide);
4

5. Transformative action is needed

6. Roles across the EU (PCD)
(EU institutions and member states)
• EU internal policies
– Sustainable consumption and supply, Resource Efficient Europe, reforming
CAP, reassessing biofuel policies
• EU external policies such as trade and investment policies
– New partnerships to promote responsible investment in water, renewable
energy and land
• EU development co-operation
– Implementation of EU Agenda for Change; renewable energy partnerships,
improve transparency around land deals, WEL nexus diagnostic and policy
initiative, challenging business to promote an ecosystems approach
• EU’s role in shaping global governance
– Enhanced UNEP role and SDGs, ambitious positions on climate change

7. Reforming EU Development cooperation
(EU institutions and member states) – See Box 11.5
EU development cooperation programmes should support and improve:
•Governance and analysis that identifies winners and losers
•Institutional development in relation to WEL-nexus pressures.
•Improve EU-wide harmonisation and coordination.
•Government capacity to coordinate WEL-nexus stakeholders.
•Provide data and other support to enhance transparency on WEL linkages,
•State–business relations on the WEL nexus, including policies that promote
responsible private investment.
•Renewable energy partnerships involving finance, TA and technology transfer.
•Social protection for resource shocks to support those most vulnerable to changes
•Regional integration to deal with water stresses and energy shortages.
•Infrastructure projects that support poverty reduction through improved WEL-
nexus management.
•Blending of grants and loans for water infrastructure & renewable energy

8. Overall: 5 priorities for action
• Reduce environmental footprint of consumption (especially, but
not only, in developed countries such as the EU) to promote
inclusive growth without increasing resource use.
• Promote innovation to increase agricultural productivity to feed
9bn+ people sustainably by 2050 and to scale up renewable
energy technologies to deliver sustainable energy for all by 2030.
• Establish or reform institutions for an integrated approach
towards managing resources.
• Push for inclusive land policy to ensure access to land and water
for the poorest and most vulnerable.
• Price natural resources and services comprehensively and
appropriately (e.g. using payments for ecosystem services), whilst
safeguarding the welfare of the poorest.

9. Thank you
Dirk Willem te Velde (ODI) and
James Mackie (ECDPM)
For more information on ERD 2011/2012:
www.erd-report.eu
www.odi.org.uk
www.die-gdi.de
www.ecdpm.org