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November 5, 2024
Implementing circular IT practices can help reduce environmental risk and save money. Knowing where to start can be a key challenge. TCO Development's new guide offers practical advice on procuring IT products that support a circular economy, helping organizations thrive in a sustainable future.
Step 1: Partner with sustainability-driven suppliers
Engage in open dialogs, meetings, and requests for information (RFI) to gather information. Clearly communicate your organization's sustainability and circularity ambitions and needs. Specify the sustainability data you require access to ensure transparency and accountability.
Step 2: Include circular criteria in procurement policies and processes
To enable circular IT management, products must be designed for longevity. Materials and components should be easily accessible and available.
Step 3: Prioritize durable, high-capacity products
Adopt a long-term perspective when purchasing IT products. Choose high-performance products with enough capacity to meet the organization's needs for several years. Consider replacing traditional software with cloud-based solutions to reduce performance demands and extend product lifespan.
Step 4: Embrace the Second-Hand Market
Maximizing product life is critical for a circular economy. When a product no longer meets the initial user’s needs, it should be redistributed or sold to a second user. Second-hand purchases offer both cost savings and a reduced sustainability impact.
Step 5: Establish Clear KPIs
Identifying the right KPIs helps your organization meet legal requirements on sustainability reporting and take steps toward meeting internal or external circularity goals. For IT, the negative sustainability impacts are embedded in the products you use. Indirect climate impact (scope 3 emissions) stems from the manufacturing phase. Extending product lifespan directly reduces annual Scope 3 emissions.
Download the full guide at TCO Development website.
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October 31, 2024
The Circular Economy Guide was created to support the development sustainable business. The Guide addresses fundamental concepts of the Circular Economy, including minimizing waste and maximizing the value of resources, as well as the tools and techniques, such as Life Cycle Assessment, needed to implement these concepts and monitor their benefits.
The Guide is intended for anyone interested in understanding how the Circular Economy can be applied in different sectors and how Life Cycle Assessment can be used to measure the environmental performance of products and services.
Learn more at the One Planet Network knowledge cener.
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October 24, 2024
The “Circular Economy as an Enabler for Responsible Banking” series of resources helps banks operationalise the interlinkages between the circular economy and climate, nature, pollution and healthy and inclusive economies. It provides actions for banks to move from setting sustainability targets to implementation, emphasising the integration of circular economy principles in their lending and investment decisions for high impact sectors.
The buildings and construction sector contributes significantly to global climate change, accounting for approximately 21 per cent of global GHG emissions and 37 per cent of global CO2 emissions, making the sector is key in addressing emissions reduction.[1] Circular solutions offer a viable pathway to reduce emissions across the whole life cycle of buildings.
A sectoral supplement to the climate-focused “Circular Solutions to Achieve Climate Targets”, this paper is designed to assist signatories to the Principles for Responsible Banking and net-zero committed financial institutions in integrating circular solutions in the buildings and construction sector as part of their climate transition plans to achieve net-zero emissions or climate mitigation targets, though a reduction of their financed emissions and through transition finance strategies. Further, it explores specific areas of action in internal policies and processes, client engagement, portfolio composition and financial flows, and advocacy and partnerships.
The climate-focused report and sectoral supplements follow the initial report “Leveraging the Nexus between Circularity and Sustainability”. This paper is aimed at setting the scene and providing a general overview on operationalising the interlinkages between circular economy and climate, nature, pollution, and healthy and inclusive economies.
Access the other sectoral supplement on the textile sector here.
These new resources set out practical guidance for signatories to the Principles for Responsible Banking to move from target-setting for sustainability objectives to delivering on their commitments. The Principles for Responsible Banking are a unique framework for ensuring that signatory banks’ strategy and practice align with the vision society has set out for its future in the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement.
Learn more at UNEP Finance Initiative webpage.
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October 15, 2024
This series of 20 good practices reflects experiences on ecolabelling, sustainable public procurement, or the joint use of ecolabelling and sustainable public procurement that have demonstrated positive impacts on fostering sustainable consumption and production — for this reason, they are called "good practices.” These good practices aim to promote global exchange by providing information and examples of various approaches that entities from different countries and contexts can apply to strengthen the use of ecolabels and sustainable public procurement. They were developed as an outcome of the Working Group on Ecolabelling from the Consumer Information Programme, under the One Planet network, and the EcoAdvance project, jointly implemented by the German Cooperation for Development (GIZ), the United Nations for Environmental Protection (UNEP), and the Oeko Institute, funded by the Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, nuclear safety and consumer protection (BMUV), and the International Climate Initiative (IKI).
All the cases studies are available in English and Spanish.
1. Grouping of sustainable certifications under a recognition scheme or pre-approved list
This good practice explores the benefits of grouping ecolabels (ISO 14024) and sustainable certifications under a recognition scheme or pre-approved list to streamline sustainable public procurement. This approach helps public procurers easily identify and trust products and services with credible sustainability performance, mitigating the challenge of assessing diverse and often unreliable environmental claims. The MyHIJAU Mark in Malaysia and the EPA’s Framework in the USA serve as examples of successful implementation.
2. Implementation of an e-marketplace of sustainable products and services
This good practice explores the benefits of using e-marketplaces to help public procurers easily identify and trust products and services with ecolabels (defined by ISO 14024) and sustainable certification schemes, mitigating the challenge of assessing diverse and often unreliable environmental claims. The MyHIJAU Mark in Malaysia and the Thai Green Cart in Thailand are examples of successful implementation.
3. Implementation of an e-catalogue with sustainable products and services
This good practice explores the benefits of creating centralized platforms for sustainable procurement. An e-catalogue includes pre-approved products and services vetted by a central purchasing body, allowing public procurers to purchase products directly without a tender. It typically features both conventional and sustainable items, and filters are available to help procurers search exclusively for sustainable products and services, like the ones with ecolabels and sustainable certifications.
4. Ecolabels and certifications strategies to educate consumers and companies about sustainability
This good practice explores the methods used to promote the use of ecolabels and sustainable certification schemes by providing awareness, information, and education. It helps to develop a more sustainable market where consumers prioritize sustainable and certified products, and companies innovate to offer certified products and services with reduced environmental impact. EU Ecolabel, Vitality Leaf in Russia, Blue Angel in Germany, and the international Rainforest Alliance certification are examples of successful implementation.
5. Government strategies to educate the public procurement ecosystem about sustainable practices
This good practice explores the benefits of educating to empower public procurers, decision-makers, auditors, citizen oversight groups, and the private sector with the necessary knowledge to make environmentally conscious decisions. These programs include workshops, guidance materials, training sessions, and online courses designed to foster a culture of sustainability and responsible procurement practices across all levels of public procurement. Successful implementations include Colombia Compra Eficiente's Virtual Training School, the European Commission's green public procurement toolkit, Costa Rica’s Ministry of Finance webinars, Indonesia's Massive Open Online Course for SMEs, Ecuador’s certification program for public procurers, and France's online platform, award program, and regional networks to exchange experiences on sustainable public procurement.
6. The adoption of biodiversity conservation criteria by ecolabels and certification schemes
This good practice explores the benefits of incorporating biodiversity-focused criteria in ecolabels to help public procurers and consumers identify and trust products and services with credible sustainability performance, addressing the challenge of environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. The Nordic Swan, Good Environmental Choice (Sweden), Singapore Green Label, and Life Certification serve as examples of successful implementation.
7. Integrating ecolabels, certifications and sustainable public procurement in National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans
This good practice explores the benefits of incorporating ecolabels, certifications, and sustainable public procurement into National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) as instruments to promote biodiversity-friendly production and consumption. It also helps align national procurement practices with international biodiversity targets, which further promotes individual country’s conservation efforts. France and Japan's NBSAPs serve as examples of successful implementation.
8. Sustainable public procurement policies that use ecolabels and environmental certifications
This good practice explores the benefits of aligning public procurement criteria with existing ecolabels or environmental certifications. These tools can also define test methods and verification processes to ensure compliance with these criteria. Some countries have strong institutional policies that actively encourage or require the use of ecolabel-aligned criteria while others take an ad-hoc approach, depending on the willingness of the procurers. China, the United States, Korea, Japan, Thailand, the European Union, Brazil, Ecuador, and Argentina have policies that are examples of different kinds of implementation.
9. Ecolabels and certifications criteria for construction materials and their use on sustainable public procurement
This good practice explores the benefits of incorporating ecolabels, certifications, and sustainable public procurement into the building and construction sector as instruments to promote environmentally responsible production and consumption. It also helps align national procurement practices with global climate and biodiversity targets, supporting individual countries' efforts to reduce environmental impacts. GreenPro, Korea Ecolabel, FSC, and PEFC certifications serve as examples of successful implementation.
10. Measuring the environmental impact of ecolabels
This good practice explores the importance of assessing the environmental benefits of ecolabelled products using science-based methodologies to enhance their credibility and effectiveness. The EPEAT ecolabel for electronics, the Korean Ecolabel, the GreenPro Ecolabel in India, and the China Environmental Labelling Programme serve as examples of successful implementation, demonstrating how these ecolabels measure reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, energy savings, resource conservation, and other environmental impacts compared to conventional products.
We would be delighted to present these good practices during one of your events. Additionally, if you would like to replicate some of them, share a good practice that we could systematize, or learn more about the EcoAdvance project, please contact us at ciscp@un.org.
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October 12, 2024
How to facilitate nature-friendly food systems? The new policy brief “Implementing GBF Target 16: Addressing biodiversity impacts of food consumption” presents key recommendations for decision-makers.
Target 16 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) calls on national governments to reduce the global footprint of consumption. Since the food sector is driving biodiversity loss globally, sustainable food systems need to be a policy priority. Policy action is needed to effectively promote nature-friendly food production practices, improve the availability of sustainable food options and encourage a voluntary shift towards low-meat and plant-based diets. Additional measures need to reduce food waste and overconsumption as well as improve access to information. While systemic changes are required, they must be implemented in an equitable manner to leave no one behind.
The policy brief summarizes insights from the working group “Biodiversity & Consumption” of the UNEP One Planet network’s Consumer Information Programme, with contributions from the network’s Sustainable Food Systems Programme. Its development was supported by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN).
Download the publication at here.
Learn more at the One Planet Network News Center.
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September 29, 2024
This specific good practice, Integrating ecolabels, certifications and sustainable public procurement in National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans - Cases from France and Japan, explores the benefits of incorporating ecolabels, certifications, and sustainable public procurement into National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) as instruments to promote biodiversity-friendly production and consumption. It also helps align national procurement practices with international biodiversity targets, which further promotes individual country’s conservation efforts. France and Japan's NBSAPs serve as examples of successful implementation.
This specific good practice, Integrating ecolabels, certifications and sustainable public procurement in National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans - Cases from France and Japan, explores the benefits of incorporating ecolabels, certifications, and sustainable public procurement into National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) as instruments to promote biodiversity-friendly production and consumption. It also helps align national procurement practices with international biodiversity targets, which further promotes individual country’s conservation efforts. France and Japan's NBSAPs serve as examples of successful implementation.
More details at UNEP One Planet Network Knowledge Center.
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September 12, 2024
EPA is implementing a new label program to help federal purchasers and other buyers find and buy cleaner, more climate-friendly construction materials and products. The label program is made possible by a $100 million investment from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act and aims to cut climate pollution linked to the production of construction products and materials, which accounts for more than 15% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. The Inflation Reduction Act invests billions of dollars to reduce industrial emissions while supporting good union jobs, greater equity, and a strong manufacturing base, including $350 million to support EPA’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from construction materials.
Label Program Approach
On Aug. 7, 2024, EPA issued its Label Program Approach for Identifying Low Embodied Carbon Construction Materials. The label program will define what constitutes“clean”construction materials in support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s landmark Buy Clean Initiative, which leverages the Federal Government’s power as the world’s largest purchaser to catalyze demand for clean construction materials used in federal buildings, highways, and infrastructure projects. Materials and products that earn the label will be listed in a central, publicly accessible registry, making it easier to identify - and therefore purchase - these materials.
The label program will prioritize steel, glass, asphalt, and concrete, as there are significant opportunities to reduce carbon emissions from these materials and they represent the vast majority of construction materials and products purchased with federal funds.
EPA will implement the program using a phased approach that all material categories will be able to follow at a cadence that aligns with the material’s market maturity and data availability. These phases are:
Phase I: Data Quality Improvement. Standardizing and improving the quality of data underlying and provided by EPDs.
Phase II: Threshold Setting. Using robust EPDs, data, and other credible and representative industry benchmarks to determine thresholds for specific material categories and types.
Phase III: Labeling Materials and Products. Labeling materials and products that meet EPA’s criteria.
The label program will offer a tiered rating system for construction materials and products. Thresholds will be informed by a public input process before being finalized and will be periodically reviewed and updated to encourage continuous improvement and help users meet sustainability objectives. The top threshold tier will be designed to help recognize and reward innovative efforts to achieve deep reductions in embodied carbon associated with these construction materials and products.
To earn the label, manufacturers will submit an EPD for their materials to demonstrate that they meet the eligibility criteria. The label program will determine which recognition level a construction material is eligible for based on information provided in EPDs. EPA’s label program will use a conformity assessment and verification approach for EPDs aligned with the existing EPD verification system, and consistent with standards and best practices within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 17000 series, and those required by EPA’s Framework for Assessing Environmental Performance for Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing.
EPA published the Draft Label Program Approach in the Federal Register and accepted stakeholder input on this proposed approach through a 30-day public comment period. This draft program approach was also informed by public input received in response to a 2023 Request for Information, and input from other federal agencies, including the Federal Highway Administration in the Department of Transportation and General Services Administration.
More details at EPA website.
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September 5, 2024
It provides a structured approach for organisations to measure and assess their circularity performance. It aims to standardise the process by which organisations collect and calculate data, using mandatory and optional circularity indicators.
This standard will:
help organisations align with global sustainability goals
enhance transparency and accountability in environmental reporting
support strategic decision-making for sustainable resource management.
You can read a sample on the ISO website.
Together with ISO 59004 and ISO 59010, these standards offer a complete toolkit for achieving a circular economy, from principles to measurement.
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August 30, 2024
Program will support the Administration’s initiative to “Buy Clean” construction materials from U.S. manufacturers as part of the Investing in America Agenda
Aug. 7, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced its plan for implementing a new label program to boost clean American manufacturing by helping federal purchasers and other buyers find and buy cleaner, more climate-friendly construction materials and products. The label program is made possible by a $100 million investment in the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act and aims to cut climate pollution linked to the production of construction products and materials, which accounts for more than 15% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. The Inflation Reduction Act invests billions of dollars to reduce industrial emissions while supporting good union jobs, greater equity, and a strong manufacturing base, including $350 million to support EPA’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from construction materials.
“Thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, America has an opportunity to lead the world in developing cleaner construction materials to cut climate pollution and reap unprecedented economic opportunities,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “By clearly labeling what ‘buy clean’ means for products like concrete, glass and steel, EPA will help accelerate demand for these materials and continue to build the clean energy economy.”
“The Inflation Reduction Act is the most significant carbon-cutting piece of legislation in history,” said Elliot Doomes, Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service at the U.S. General Services Administration. “GSA is proud to work with the EPA, other government agencies, and private industry to use our buying power to drive the development of more sustainable building materials, create good-paying jobs, and lower operating costs for the American taxpayer. This program will accelerate our efforts to achieve a net zero federal footprint and catalyze American innovation.”
“The use of lower carbon materials, that have the durability of conventional materials while lowering greenhouse gas emissions, is one pathway that FHWA is pursuing to help us achieve President Biden’s goal of net zero emissions by 2050,” said Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Associate Administrator for Infrastructure Hari Kalla. “EPA’s announcement today supports transportation agencies throughout the country with tools to ensure we are appropriately implementing low carbon materials.”
The announcement builds on EPA’s selection of 38 organizations in July to collectively receive nearly $160 million to help businesses develop Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), which report climate pollution linked to the production of construction materials and products. These efforts will bolster the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers, which are among the cleanest in the world in key sectors.
The label program will define what constitutes “clean” construction materials in support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Federal Buy Clean Initiative, which aims to grow the market and reward innovation for American-made, lower-carbon construction materials. EPA anticipates that labeling requirements for each product type will be periodically reviewed and updated every two to four years to respond to and drive market shifts and help users meet sustainability objectives. The Inflation Reduction Act also provides more than $2 billion to the General Services Administration to use clean materials in the construction and renovation of federal buildings and $2 billion to the Federal Highway Administration to incentivize or reimburse the use of clean construction materials in transportation projects. Federal purchasing plays a significant role in industries like concrete, as federally funded government purchases account for more than 50% of all concrete poured in the U.S. every year. Materials and products that earn the new label will be listed in a central, publicly accessible registry, making it easier to identify - and purchase - these materials.
EPA’s label program will prioritize steel, glass, asphalt and concrete, as there are significant opportunities to reduce climate pollution from these materials and they represent the vast majority of construction materials and products that government agencies purchase with federal funds.
EPA also issued several supporting documents to help implement the label program, including Product Category Rule (PCR) Criteria – guidelines for developing EPDs, the disclosures that communicate climate and other environmental impacts of products. Other documents published today outline key remaining data gaps, provide a methodology for assessing life cycle data quality, and describe other federal data quality improvement activities.
EPA developed the Label Program Approach and PCR Criteria with input from stakeholders, including the Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, the General Services Administration, the Department of Defense, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other federal agencies. The agency also considered public comments solicited through Notices of Availability published in the Federal Register earlier this year and a 2023 Request for Information.
EPA will continue to seek stakeholder input on the ongoing development and implementation of this program. Next, EPA will request input on the draft conformity assessment system, which is a rigorous process for verifying a product or material has earned the label. EPA will also request input on the first draft product type threshold(s), which will set standards to determine which construction materials and products will be eligible to carry the label based on information from EPDs and other data sources. Manufacturers that are planning to apply for EPA’s label and want guidance in measuring the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their materials and products can contact EPA at embodiedcarbon@epa.gov or visit the website.
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