RICS joins Antwerp Declaration to make industry more sustainable

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors has endorsed the Antwerp Declaration, a European commitment to making the built environment greener

The Antwerp Declaration for a European Industrial Deal was initiated on 20 February 2024, and marks a collaborative effort in European industrial leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to improve the European industrial sector in terms of sustainability, innovation, and competitiveness.

RICS has endorsed the agreement as part of its commitment to sustainable industrial policies and European economic growth.

The Antwerp Declaration covers 10 key pillars

1. Competitiveness and Regulatory Coherence: The Declaration calls for a comprehensive action plan to enhance European competitiveness. It emphasises the need to streamline regulations, eliminate unnecessary complexities, and ensure a coherent legislative framework that supports industrial growth.
2. Public Funding and Clean Technology: A significant component of the Declaration is the establishment of a Clean Tech Deployment Fund. This fund aims to de-risk private investments in clean technologies through public funding, fostering innovation and sustainability in energy-intensive industries.
3. Energy Competitiveness: The Declaration advocates for making Europe a globally competitive provider of energy by prioritising low-carbon, renewable, and nuclear energy projects. This includes developing a robust EU Energy Strategy to lower energy costs and promote cross-border energy co-operation.
4. Infrastructure Development: Targeting the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the Declaration emphasises the need for world-class digital, CCUS, and recycling infrastructures. It calls for the removal of permitting obstacles and the development of trans-European networks to support industrial transformation.
5. Raw Materials Security: Ensuring the security of raw materials through scaling up domestic mining, sustainable processing, and recycling is critical. The Declaration promotes global partnerships and innovative approaches to secure a steady supply of essential materials.
6. Demand for Net-Zero Products: The Declaration seeks to boost demand for net-zero, low-carbon, and circular products. It encourages transparent product footprints and supports public procurement initiatives that prioritise sustainable products.
7. Single Market Enhancement: Strengthening the Single Market for integrated value chains, waste, and recycled materials is vital. The Declaration calls for improved enforcement of measures and the creation of a true European energy market.
8. Innovation Framework: Fostering a smarter innovation framework is essential for technological advancement. The Declaration promotes digitalisation, protects intellectual property, and supports the transfer of demonstration to commercial technologies.
9. Effective Legislation: The Declaration advocates for a new spirit of law-making that encourages entrepreneurship and investment in clean technologies. It emphasises coherence, industrial reality, and robust data for effective policymaking.
10. Results-Oriented Structure: To achieve these ambitious goals, the Declaration proposes the installation of a First Vice-President responsible for delivering the European Industrial Deal, ensuring legislative integration and alignment.

RICS feels more needs to be done for sustainability

Last week, RICS launched its 2024 sustainability report and found that commitment to green building practices in the UK is ‘lacking.’

The report suggests that most in the industry feel that a lack of policy and government incentives for green and sustainable practices is a huge barrier, along with the costs of both buy-in and materials.

These barriers to full adoption of sustainable practices need to be overcome in order to reach 2050 targets, says the report.

Despite this, the report also showed that the UK has some of the highest rates of biodiversity measurement in projects worldwide.

In a written announcement of its endorsement of the Antwerp Declaration, RICS wrote: “As Europe navigates the complexities of the 21st century, the Antwerp Declaration provides a comprehensive roadmap for industrial resilience and growth. RICS’s participation in this initiative reflects its dedication to influencing positive change and delivering enduring benefits to society. Together, with its partners and stakeholders, RICS is poised to contribute to a prosperous, sustainable future for European industry.”