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8.4 % decrease in Europe’s consumption footprint between 2012 and 2020, although levels continue to exceed planetary boundaries. The EU must achieve a sustained reduction in the overall level of consumption while increasing the use of products that have less impact on the climate and environment.
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Title: Europe’s consumption footprint
Status: Indicator
Coverage: EU Member States, 2010-2020
The metric depicts the footprint of EU consumption by economy sector. Overall, the EU’s consumption footprint is considered high, as it exceeds the planetary boundaries for several types of impact, such as impacts on climate change and land use. Housing and household goods contributed the most to the footprint along the whole period. The consumption footprint decreased by more than 8% between 2010 and 2020 (by 6% up to 2019 – year before the Covid 19 pandemic, which had also a strong influence on consumption levels). Significant differences appear of consumption footprint per capita by Member State (see EEA indicator).
At present, it is uncertain if the EU will achieve a significant reduction in its consumption footprint. Major efforts are needed to both reduce the overall level of consumption and increase the use of products that have less impact on the climate and environment.
The 8th Environment Action Programme calls for the EU to significantly reduce by 2030 its consumption footprint, i.e. the environmental and climate impacts that result from EU citizens’ consumption, to bring it within planetary boundaries. The consumption footprint refers to the environmental and climate impacts resulting from the consumption by EU citizens of goods and services, whether produced within or outside the EU.
Definition
This indicator monitors the environmental and climate impacts associated with the EU’s consumption of goods and services, regardless of where these are produced around the world. The indicator is based on economic input and output accounts that are translated into 14 impact categories. These are then weighted according to their importance and summed up into a single score.
Methodology
This data has been calculated by EEA based on Eurostat consumption trend data, the input-output table EXIOBASE and the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology. The calculations summarize the level of consumption footprint in million points (the environmental and climate impacts that result from EU citizens’ consumption) for EU27 member countries between 2010 to 2020, and the level of consumption footprint in points per capita (the environmental and climate impacts that result from EU citizens’ consumption) for EU27 member countries in 2020 compared to 2010.
More details: EEA (2022), ‘Weighted impacts of EU consumption, 2010-2020’, https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/weighted-impacts-of-eu-consumption.
Metadata
Source: European Environment Agency (EEA) indicator Europe’s consumption footprint,
https://www.eea.europa.eu/ims/europe2019s-consumption-footprint
, based on the methodology described in EEA (2022) – see above.Unit: Million points.
Temporal coverage: 2010-2020.
Geographic coverage: EU27.
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