Dr. Janez Potočnik became a Member of the European Commission in May 2004. As the Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Potocnik is recognized for his strong commitment to the mainstreaming of the environmental dimension in the development of a more resource-efficient economy, as reaffirmed by his recent call for a 'New Environmentalism'.

His leadership has been constantly emphasizing how global resource constraints should trigger changes in the way the economy functions and in the way humanity lives. The Commissioner calls for the three “I’s” — innovation, incentives and integration — aiming at enabling a shift from the present linear model of intensive resource consumption to a circular model, thus reinforcing the essence of a green economy that will generate jobs, create competitiveness, while protecting health and the environment.

Dr. Potocnik’s work also highlights the need to reduce food waste and supports the European Commission’s initiatives aimed at reducing food waste, resulting in the EU’s target to halve food waste by 2020. The 2013 EU Communication on Sustainable Food will not only look at food waste, but also at ways to tackle resource inefficiencies across the entire value chain, with the ultimate objective of helping the food system become more resilient and competitive.