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This chapter examines geopolitical considerations as a motive for the EU’s regulations to reduce the use of primary resources. The chapter presents two different geopolitical perspectives on resource stewardship: firstly, a traditional economic perspective that global value chains for resources and products are challenged when protectionism hinders trade, and secondly an environmental and geoscience perspective that global use of primary resources entails such extensive environmental risks that it in itself constitutes a security threat to a prosperous Earth and thereby European societies. The chapter encompasses an environmental law analysis of the implementation of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, focusing on three more specific reforms: (1) EU product and waste legislation, (2) EU plastics regulation, and (3) EU legislation on strategic and critical raw materials. It discusses challenges from multi-level governance and the prerequisites for governance to lead to reduced use of primary resources. One conclusion drawn is that a life-cycle perspective on products and materials should constitute a principle of EU law; this principle should also be used as a yardstick when designing new legislation. Another conclusion is that resource stewardship and security aspects should be held together more to show a way out of Europe’s geopolitical dilemmas.

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The EU’s Renewed Interest in Resource Use: Geopolitical Aspects of Security and the Environment

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  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年

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  • Åsa Romson

摘要

This chapter examines geopolitical considerations as a motive for the EU’s regulations to reduce the use of primary resources. The chapter presents two different geopolitical perspectives on resource stewardship: firstly, a traditional economic perspective that global value chains for resources and products are challenged when protectionism hinders trade, and secondly an environmental and geoscience perspective that global use of primary resources entails such extensive environmental risks that it in itself constitutes a security threat to a prosperous Earth and thereby European societies. The chapter encompasses an environmental law analysis of the implementation of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, focusing on three more specific reforms: (1) EU product and waste legislation, (2) EU plastics regulation, and (3) EU legislation on strategic and critical raw materials. It discusses challenges from multi-level governance and the prerequisites for governance to lead to reduced use of primary resources. One conclusion drawn is that a life-cycle perspective on products and materials should constitute a principle of EU law; this principle should also be used as a yardstick when designing new legislation. Another conclusion is that resource stewardship and security aspects should be held together more to show a way out of Europe’s geopolitical dilemmas.