Environmental economics - nature capital, biodiversity, circular economy
A research programme exploring sustainable pathways through circular economy practices and natural capital management.
Bruegel’s Environmental Economics Programme analyses potential gains and losses linked to accounting the value of nature and biodiversity into the economic activity. It looks at how circular economy practices can integrate with sustainable management of natural resources to foster ecological and economic resilience.
This programme aims to propose solutions on how to bring resource efficiency goals into the policies and instruments on the agenda of the next term of the EU institutions, and to mainstream evidence about the contribution that the circular economy could make to achieving high-profile strategic goals. Moreover, it covers the topic of financial tools for biodiversity, with a purpose to share the latest practices and stimulate a better-informed policy discussion on the topic.
This stream of work was funded by the Sitra Foundation and the Heinrich Böll Foundation.
Featured content

Finance for nature: how to improve funding for the protection of biodiversity
This policy brief summarises the options and outlines the main considerations in finding better ways to value nature

Nature on the balance sheet: a financial perspective
How can businesses, governments and financial institutions work together to tackle the global biodiversity crisis?

Towards a circular single market: Strengthening EU economic security and competitiveness
What does a circular single market mean for Europe’s economic future?

Closing the loop: the case for a circular EU economy
Why moving to a circular economy is essential in the fight against climate change

A circular single market for sustainable competitiveness
The Draghi report’s focus on critical raw materials misses the contribution of resource efficiency to productivity

A European circular single market for economic security and competitiveness
This Policy Brief gives an overview of the environmental and economic cases for Europe to improve resource efficiency
Bruegel team
Heather Grabbe
Bruegel Senior fellow
Luca Léry Moffat
Research analyst
Mathias Sand Brander
Project officer