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The 8th Environment Action Programme aims to significantly reduce the EU’s material footprint, meaning the amount of raw material extracted to produce goods and services. The per capita material footprint remained stable during 2010-2022 and dropped by 4.5% in 2023. Raw material extraction was 14.1 tonnes per capita in 2023, which is considered unsustainable and above the global average. Based on historical trends, It appears unlikely that the EU will significantly reduce the per capita material footprint in the coming decade unless the 2023 drop continues. Major effort is needed to reduce extraction and consumption, by switching to goods and services that require less material.
Figure 1. EU Material Footprint, expressed in tonnes of raw material equivalent per capita
The European Union’s material footprint refers to the amount of material extracted from nature, both inside and outside the EU, to manufacture or provide the goods and services consumed by EU citizens. The 8th Environment Action Programme aim to significantly decrease the EU’s material footprint to safeguard precious natural resources and to mitigate environmental impacts, such as climate change and biodiversity loss.
From 2010 to 2023, the EU per capita material footprint decreased by 5.7%. The material footprint fell markedly in 2020 — influenced by the economic slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic — yet increased again by 2021. Another sharp decrease of 4.5% occured between 2022 and 2023, mainly caused by a decrease in the consumption of metals and fossil fuels.
While the fossil fuels’ decreasing consumption reflects the EU’s decarbonisation efforts and market diversification due to the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the metals consumption decrease of 20% is more substantial and pronounced. The EU decreased its imports of metals from Russia and increased its exports to Ukraine, overall resulting in a lower metals’ footprint. It is uncertain if this is a temporary decrease and the market will recalibrate using different supply chains, or if it remains a permanent phenomenon with sustained lower metals consumption.
Consumption of non-metallic minerals is the highest of the various material groups, accounting for 53% of the footprint in 2023. Consumption changes in this group were largely responsible for the overall trend during the entire time period. Biomass was the next largest group (22%), followed by fossil fuels (17%) and metals (7%). The share of fossil fuels decreased (24% in 2010), while the share of non-metallic minerals increased from 46% in 2010. Non-metallic minerals account for a large part of the total material footprint, yet they have less environmental and climate impact than metals and fossil fuels. This is because they are mostly composed of inert materials such as gravel, limestone.
The material footprint provides a comprehensive measure of all materials extracted to satisfy consumption demand in the EU, including materials extracted outside the EU and imported. The reliance on external suppliers differs by material. Demand for metals and fossil fuels is mainly met by imports, while demand for biomass and non-metallic minerals is largely met by domestic extraction.
The EU’s total material footprint is above the global average and greater than those of low- and middle-income non-EU countries. The level of resource consumption exceeds the planet’s ‘safe operating space’ for resource extraction. This indicates, if the world were to consume resources at this level, the capacity of the planet to provide these resources would be exceeded.
Material footprints could be reduced by decreasing consumption or choosing goods or services whose production or provision needs less material. Various circular economy policies (as part of the EU circular economy action plan) aim to reduce the need for primary material extraction, by keeping materials in the economy for as long as possible, their value as high as possible, and boosting high-quality recycling.
Excluding the temporary dip in 2020, the level of the material footprint was relatively stable until 2022. Available projections for material use, such as the OECD Global Material Resources Outlook, predict an increased future demand for materials in the EU. However, if the recent sharp decrease in 2023 continues, it may lead to significant reductions. Given this uncertainty, it appears unlikely that the EU will significantly reduce its material footprint in the coming decade.
Figure 2. EU Member States’ Material footprint in t/cap for the years 2010 and 2023, ranked according to the 2023 footprint
Material footprints vary substantially across EU countries, from 7.5 tonnes/capita in the Netherlands to 44.4 tonnes/capita in Finland. Since 2010, 15 of the 27 Member States have reduced their material footprint. Spain, the Netherlands, Greece and Cyprus reduced their footprints by more than 30%. However, Romania, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Bulgaria’s increased theirs by more than 50%.
Differences in material footprints among countries are difficult to explain, as they are based on the structure and efficiency of the economy and citizens’ consumption patterns. However, elements such as high levels of circularity in the national economy are particularly important. High levels of circularity partly explain the low footprint value in the Netherlands, which has the lowest material footprint in the EU and also the highest circular material use rate. On the other hand, Finland and Romania with the highest material footprint display the lowest circular material use rate.