Interview with Vilaggazdasag newspaper - Main contents

The EU is depleting the Earth's resources at a rate that exceeds the global average. This year the EU's Overshoot Day - the date by which EU citizens have used as much from nature as the planet can annually renew - fell on 10 May, while Hungary's resource consumption turned unsustainable on 14 June. Can the process be reversed or at least slowed down?

Absolutely, and that’s why I am here in Hungary. Using resources more wisely - cutting waste before it happens, recycling and keeping materials in the loop for as long as possible - that’s the whole point of the circular economy. We know it can be done because it is already happening in lots of places.

The danger of movements like Overshoot day is that they can lead to despair - that’s not the right response. There are plenty of solutions, in all sectors of society, from simple gestures like getting rid of single-use plastics to bigger changes like different business models. The challenge isn’t finding them, it’s making them more widespread.

To what extent does the structure of overconsumption in Hungary and in the region differ from that of Western European countries?

We have a framework for monitoring the circular economy, and it does show some interesting trends in Hungary. According to the most recent figures available (2016), Hungary is using less recycling materials than other EU economies (6.4 %, compared to an EU28 average of 11.7 %). But proportionally more people work in circular economy activities in Hungary than elsewhere (1.93 % of total employment, compared to the EU average of 1.73 %), which is a good sign. Although when it comes to how efficiently Hungary uses material resources to produce wealth, it is below the EU average (0.88 EUR/kg, compared to an EU average 2.04 EUR/kg).

Recently, we have seen a number of activists trying to raise awareness by taking a swim in pools filled with plastic waste. How far have Hungary and the EU as a whole progressed in the field of plastics recycling?

This is clearly an area where Europe needs to do more, and that’s why the Commission proposed the Plastics Strategy. It will take some time to bear fruit, but there is huge interest in many Member States when it comes to deploying more plastic recycling infrastructure, and finding innovative ways to recycle plastic, as proven by businesses engaging in the Plastic Alliance. And of course the new Directive on Single-Use Plastics will make a significant difference as well.

The biggest source of plastic waste is packaging, and we are addressing that by raising the recycling targets to 55% by 2030. The most recent figures show Hungary recycling 31% of this waste, against an EU average of 42%, so there is work to do for everyone.

Is Hungary lagging behind in the implementation of the Circular Economy Action Plan? If yes, what are the main areas concerned? On the other hand, in what areas are Hungary's intermediate results good or at least encouraging?

The recycling figures are not especially good - the EU has a 50 % target for recycling municipal waste by 2020, and Hungary’s current figure of 35 % is well below the EU average of 46 %, and the recycling of packaging waste is also falling short of the target. But there are good examples as well. The Ablakon Bedobott Pénz (money thrown in the window) initiative for companies to improve resource efficiency is one that should be emulated elsewhere in the EU, and the Ladybird Farm leisure centre promoting circular economy has also been singled out as an excellent example.

Innovative solutions can significantly contribute to sustainable development and environmental protection. In your experience, in which industrial sectors do Hungarian companies have the biggest innovation potential?

According to the 2018 European Innovation Scoreboard Hungary, ranked 21st, making it the 10th slowest-growing innovator (the figure has actually decreased very slightly since 2010). And with a total score of 63 in the overall 2017 Eco-innovation Scoreboard, Hungary was ranked 24th in the EU. But there is potential for growth there in all economic sectors, especially when it comes to water and energy savings, waste reduction, the recycling of materials, eco-design and the growth of a market for secondary raw materials.

What is your overall assessment of the performance of Hungary and the other Member States that have joined the EU since 2004 with regard to their national implementation of the EU's environmental policy and the relevant legislation?

I’m not sure how useful it is to continue using this criterion when we look at the Member States, as there are good examples everywhere, and when it comes to implementation the problems are very similar all over Europe. Estonia, for example is on the way to being a European leader in recycling. The highest proportion of protected natural areas is in Slovenia, and several others are not far behind. So in 2019 it’s less a question of historical remnants and more a question of political will today.

Primarily what issues did your and Minister for Innovation and Technology László Palkovics's discussions cover?

We had a detailed discussion about the opportunities that the circular economy can bring. Our exchanged looked at how separate collection is where effective waste management starts and how it is essential to attracting recyclers. Therefore, separate collection of glass, plastic, metal and paper, complemented by collection of biowaste is fundamental. We discussed Hungary’s ongoing work to establish a national circular economy framework and hope to see this become a top priority in the near future. I was very pleased to see that Hungary has used our EIR peer-to-peer tool for an workshop with several Member States on developing a circular economy action plan

How satisfied are you with the results you have achieved as an EU commissioner in the area of environmental policy? Where should environmental policy stand in 2024, at the end of the next mandate?

Looking back, there have been some big successes, like moving the circular economy to the economic mainstream, and an integrated strategy for plastics. Our action on single-use plastics in particular will definitely have global repercussions. It’s really for the next Commission to decide its own priorities, but I would hope to see even more ambitious action on the circular economy, extended to other areas, and I’d like to see Europe leading the world on a new deal for nature, with a headline target designed to curtail the threat of extinctions.

You are also responsible for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. In the latter area, what are the most challenging tasks also affecting Hungary that need to be addressed?

Protecting the oceans is a planetary concern, not just a national one. So what happens in the oceans - fish stocks, global warming, energy production seas - affects us all. As I look to the future, I want the good work to continue - I want the push for more sustainable fishing to continue, I want our engagement on international ocean governance to bear fruit, and I want to see a sustainable blue bioeconomy that works for the benefit of all. All of that is in Hungary’s interest as well.

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This interview was originally published in Vilaggazdasag newspaper https://www.vg.hu/ (Hungary on 26 June 2019).