Background and organization of the ECOREG project
Eco-efficiency
The definition launched by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) offers a good starting point for analysing eco-efficiency: "Eco-efficiency is reached by the delivery of competitively priced goods and services that satisfy
human needs and bring quality of life, while progressively reducing ecological impacts and resource intensity throughout the life cycle, to a level at least in line with the Earth''s estimated carrying capacity." In this definition, eco-efficiency is
considered to encompass all the three dimensions (ecological, economic, social and cultural) of sustainable development. Eco-efficiency is thus a mean to reach sustainable development, and therefore it can be viewed from many angles. These include macro-
(national economy), meso- (region) and micro-economic (company) aspects, as well as changes needed in
consumer behaviour and Western lifestyles.
In concrete terms, the following developments are characteristic while companies and other institutions strive to improve eco-efficiency by decreasing material flows in production and, at the same time, adding more value:
- reducing the materials intensity of goods and services
- reducing the energy intensity
- reducing toxic dispersion
- enhancing material recyclability
- maximising sustainable use of renewable resources
- extending product durability
- increasing the service intensity of goods
Demonstration character
The scope of the ECOREG project pertains to regional eco-efficiency, its characterisation and demonstration by using the Finnish Kymenlaakso as a case study. Kymenlaakso will thus serve as a pilot region for which methods and practices will be
developed, to be reproduced and transferred for use in other European regions.
The Kymenlaakso region offers versatile starting points for a demonstration of the diverse aspects of regional eco-efficiency:
- The nature in Kymenlaakso is sensitive and vulnerable to environmental risks. The region covers, among others, the Salpausselkä ridges, important from the point of view of water supply, parts of the river Kymijoki, facing a potential pollution problem
caused by organic chlorines and mercury deposited at the river bottom, as well as the eastern Gulf of Finland, a sea area suffering from severe eutrophication.
- Heavy process industry - mainly forest industry - dominates the industrial structure and is centred along the river Kymijoki.
- The environmental impacts and risks of transportation in the Kymenlaakso region are significant, especially due to active road, train and ship traffic through the region, and due to two big seaports (Kotka and Hamina) by the Gulf of Finland.
Consequently, efficient logistics is one of the focal points in the communication strategy of Kymenlaakso.
- The economic performance in the local industry has been good in recent years. It has not been reflected in the regional economy to the same extent, although it has also grown. In terms of population, the Kymenlaakso region is slowly declining.
Innovative feature
In recent years, vigorous R&D work has been done in the EU member states and countries worldwide for conceptualising, assessing and modelling sustainable development and eco-efficiency. The use of environmental indicators, especially promoted by
the European Environment Agency (EEA), has attracted growing attention. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and management - a methodology and a way of thinking, crucial for any eco-efficiency study - has been elaborated in the projects of the EU´s R&D
Framework Programmes and in the national programmes of the member states. LCA has also been successfully standardized by the International Organization for Standardization (European standards EN ISO 14040 - 14043). Material flow analysis (MFA), another
methodology central in eco-efficiency evaluations, has been intensively developed, the German Wuppertal Institute as a forerunner.
The innovative feature of the ECOREG project lies in:
- combining these newest methodologies, statistical data generally available in the EU member states, and diverse indicators for constructing appropriate measures of progress made in regional eco-efficiency
- involving key regional actors (economic actors, municipalities, NGOs, environmental, industrial and other authorities) in assessing the indicators and in agreeing on a long-term evaluation and prioritization mechanism in pursuit of increased
eco-efficiency
Project organization
Beneficiary
- Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)
Contact person: Dr. Matti Melanen, Research Professor
www.environment.fi/syke Finnish Environment Institute
Partners
- Southeast Finland Regional Environment Centre
Contact person: Mr. Juha Pesari, Senior Engineer
www.environment.fi > Regional Environment Centres > Southeast Finland
- Regional Council of Kymenlaakso
Contact person: Mr. Lasse Liljeqvist, Environmental Planner
www.kymenlaakso.fi/internet.htm?regional_council
- University of Oulu, Thule Institute
Contact person: Dr. Ilmo Mäenpää, Docent
thule.oulu.fi/
Co-financier
- Ministry of the Environment
Contact person: Ms. Taina Nikula, Senior Advisor
www.environment.fi/ym Ministry of the Environment
Steering group
- Executive Director Tapio Välinoro, Regional Council of Kymenlaakso (chairperson)
- Director Leena Gunnar, Southeast Finland Regional Environment Centre (vice chairperson)
- Project Manager Frank Hering, Kymenlaakso Regional Organisation of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation
- Managing Director Vesa Junttila, LCA Engineering Oy
- Director General Lea Kauppi, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)
- Director, Social Affairs, Sakari Laari, City of Kouvola
- Managing Director Kimmo Naski, Port of Kotka Ltd
- Senior Advisor Jyrki Pitkänen, Employment and Economic Development Centre Southeastern Finland
- Vice President, Environmental Affairs, Tuija Suur-Hamari, Stora Enso
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