THE RESOURCE DECOUPLING IMPORTANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION IN ROMANIA.

In this paper we aim to emphasize and to analyse the importance of resource decoupling for securing a sustainable production and economic growth in Romania. Increasing the resource-efficiency is a strategic objective which should be seen in the context of the European Sustainable Development Strategy and global efforts to achieve a transition towards a resource-efficient, circular and green economy, by decoupling growth from resource use. Some theoretical and methodological background issues are introduced for a deeper understanding of the most important concepts which underpin the current objectives and trends of sustainable economic growth: resource efficiency, resource productivity, resource decoupling. We outline the role of the resource productivity indicator in assessing progress towards the most important objectives of relevant strategic documents for sustainable and resourceefficient economic development in the European Union and Romania. In the tables and graphs presented in the paper, we shall try to compare the level and evolution of key statistical indicators, in Romania and in EU-27, to check the main trends in resource decoupling, the impact of the economic crisis as well as whether these trends may be consistent with the principles of a sustainable consumption and production. The conclusions and recommendations are based on the finding that, in the analysed period 2002-2013, the decoupling of economic growth from the resource use was achieved in Romania due to the economic crisis time (2008-2010). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]