| Abstract [eng] |
The aim of the study is to assess the sustainability of resources used in the European Union and to compare the progress of member states in implementing the circular economy plan. The thesis comprises three primary sections: a literature review, the research phase with its outcomes, and the concluding section with recommendations. The analysis of literature reveals that the raw materials extraction sector in the European Union has faced a decline over the past decade. Although the EU aims to transition from a linear to a circular economy, this shift is not expected to happen swiftly. Scientific literature highlights the group of critical raw materials as the primary risk for the EU. Crucial tasks for the EU's raw material sector include the sustainable use, search for replacements, or development of recycling technologies for critical raw materials. Following the literature analysis, the author conducted a study on circular economy indicators. The evaluation suggests that there is an observable trend toward more sustainable economic development. Both the proportion of recycled waste and the productivity of raw materials, along with international trade in recycled materials, are on the rise. The assessment using the WASPAS-N method revealed that Western and Southern European countries, such as Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and Belgium, exhibit a more sustainable utilization of raw materials. Conversely, Northern and Central-Eastern European countries, including Bulgaria, Finland, and Romania, scored lower in terms of sustainable raw material usage. Based on the results and analysis of the sustainability assessment of raw material usage, the primary goal for countries should be the reduction of unnecessary or excessive consumption, aiming to minimize the generation of waste. A decrease in the remaining waste from consumption automatically results in a higher proportion of materials available for recycling and reuse. |
