We have been following with interest the recent debates in China about the relationship between economic growth, creating a better life for all and the need to reduce pollution and enter an era of sustainable development. These discussions are interesting because they are also key questions for us in Europe: How can we create the economic growth we all need and at the same time reduce pollution, secure clean water and reduce the wasteful use of natural resources? To this end, on July 18 and 19 we will be in Beijing to meet with ministers, officials, businesses and civil society to discuss how we can best achieve green growth in Europe and China, as well as globally.

The rise of the world population to more than 9 billion by 2050 and the growth of the middle class globally mean that we will need three times more resources by 2050. The demand for food, feed and fiber is projected to increase by 70 percent. Without important efficiency gains, by 2030, we will need 40 percent more water than we can access. Yet already, 60 percent of our ecosystems underpinning these resources are degraded.

It is crucial that we address these issues and that we do so together. Our future together, taking into account population growth and the growth in consumption, will be shaped by how well we manage existing limited resources, and whether we decide today to turn environmental protection into opportunities for sustainable growth.

All countries will need to move from a linear economic model, where we extract, produce, use and throw away, to a circular economy where we re-use, repair and recycle. This is not just an aspiration; it is inevitable. After all, we have only one planet and it is finite. When the laws of economics come up against the laws of physics there can only be one winner.

We will have to change the way we produce and consume. Businesses must produce more with less and must lead the way toward the Green Economy. Progressive businesses and investors already realize this. Clever investors also realize that those who produce the innovative solutions today will be the winners of tomorrow. And consumers have a key role to play when choosing what to buy.

Last year's United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio showed that in this context the European Union and emerging powers such as China play a key role. We face the same resource pressures and environmental challenges although we are at different development stages.

The EU and China share the vision that environmental protection and economic growth not only can, but must, go hand in hand. Our growth strategy in Europe stresses the importance of more efficient use of natural resources and of reducing emissions and pollution. China's current Five-Year Plan (2011-15) contains very similar aspirations toward a more efficient use of resources, including energy, and introducing new targets for the reduction of key pollutants. Both China and Europe recognize that our future economic growth needs to be green, and this makes us key partners in international cooperation on the Green Economy.

The emphasis put on environmental issues by China's new leadership creates a very good basis for closer cooperation between the EU and China on environmental issues. We have already a very well established ministerial level dialogue aimed at exchanging views on environmental policies in China and in Europe. We have also implemented concrete cooperation projects focused on issues such as public participation in environmental decision-making, improvement of waste management, reduction of air, water and heavy-metal pollution. These projects have been hugely successful as European and Chinese experts work side-by-side to find solutions to concrete problems.

We look forward to some interesting discussions on our visit to China. The actions and decisions we take together in the coming years will be vital, not just for us, but for all citizens of the world.

Janez Potonik is European commissioner for the Environment and Antonio Tajani is vice-president of the European Commission, responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship.

(China Daily USA 07/17/2013 page11)