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June 21, 2024
2024 knowledge sharing webinar of the International Green Purchasing Network-IGPN was held visually on June 13th. Participants from national Green Purchasing Networks (GPN), IGPN Council and IGPN Advisory Board, invited guests from UNEP, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, World Bank, TCO Development, GIZ Thailand office attended this meeting. The meeting was hosted by the IGPN Secretariat, China Environmental United Certification Center–CEC.
Mr. Chen Yanping, Chair of IGPN, presented his speech in the opening remarks, “IGPN has been continuously supported global sustainable procurement development in terms of capacity building, awareness raising, tools and approach development, Since the development of GPN measurement methodology initiated and pilot test conducted, pilot questionnaires were received from GPN Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong SAR to develop a scientific measurement methodology to evaluate the effectiveness which will help to achieve the long-term goal of promoting sustainable purchasing practice for all organizations”. Mr. ZHU Shu, regional director of ICLEI East Asia, newly appointed vice chair of IGPN, pointed the recommendations on IGPN development including advocating and mainstreaming GPP awareness, seeking synergies with core international conventions, building sustainable funding scheme steadily, incorporating middle Asian countries and cities for green development and transition under the BRI of China, and exploring possibilities of developing best practices on cities, industrial zones, and specific industries like building and textile.
During the meeting, Ms. Fabienne Pierre, Programmes & Flagship Initiatives Lead of UNEP One Planet Network Secretariat, presented the flagship initiative on mainstreaming circularity in the construction sector through sustainable public procurement; Mr. Howard Bariira Centenary, Lead Procurement Specialist of East Asia and Pacific Region Governance Global Practice from World Bank shared the landscape of Sustainable Public Procurement in East Asia Pacific; Mr, SHAN Mingwei, representatives from CEC introduced ·Feasibility study on promoting carbon reduction in the steel and cement industry through public procurement,
Meanwhile, Mr. Gakuji FUKATSU, secretariat general of Japan GPN, recapped the history and latest activities of GPN Japan and provide valuable insight for the on-going pilot test of GPN Measurement Methodology conducted by the IGPN Secretariat. Mr. Pranav Bhardwaj, assistant vice president of GPN India, provided the GPP practice in the Indian Road Sector; Dr. Chaiyod Bunyagidj together with Mr. Augustine Koh, Director of GPN BERHAD brought the latest progress on exploring the certification and verification of GPNB standards in tracking system within a blockchain and its key features and benefits.
Since CEC holds the IGPN Secretariat in 2018, it consistently works on the IGPN operational and members’ collaboration activities. Stated by Mr. LIU Zunwen, CEC general manager, in the summary speech, “Next, IGPN Secretariat will revise the methodology, release the methodology and report as scheduled; Furthermore, the Secretariat will work closely with ICLEI, enrich projects and activities, bridge the IGPN and One Planet Network for a platform for SPP practical practices in the Asia Pacific region,”
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June 18, 2024
This specific case study explores the benefits of grouping 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. MyHIJAU Mark has recognized over 15,000 products and services, promoting green procurement through robust certification and communication strategies. Similarly, the EPA’s Framework recommends over 40 standards across various categories, aiding federal purchasers in making environmentally sound choices. This system not only boosts the availability of certified green products but also simplifies the procurement process, supporting broader environmental and economic goals. This case study highlight that effective national policies and communication strategies are crucial for successful adoption and market expansion of sustainable products.
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).
Learn more at One Planet Network website.
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June 12, 2024
Within the Big Buyers Working Together (BBWT) project, a Community of Practice (CoP) focused on the New European Bauhaus (NEB) is the first European initiative to explore meaningful links between the NEB and sustainable public procurement. This CoP, led by ICLEI Europe, kicked off recently with a webinar that explored cases of how sustainable public procurement can help advance the NEB principles.
Eytan Levi of Roofscapes explained how a tender of the City of Paris (France) enabled his organisation to transform pitched and slanted roofs in the city into green and accessible spaces. In the context of climate change, green roofs are especially important as they can help cool the city. At the same time they provide green spaces for the inhabitants of the building and have a positive impact on biodiversity.
In the second case study, the Mayor of Beclean (Romania) Nicolae Moldovan highlighted the prize-winning Legacy Recreation Center in his city. The project is aimed at the inclusion of people with social needs, allowing them to find a diversity of recreational, social and leisure activities in one place. The centre includes a library, a yoga centre, fitness, bowling, a sports hall, two swimming pools.
The BBWT project supports collaboration between public buyers with strong purchasing power and promotes the wider use of strategic public procurement for innovative and sustainable solutions. It is comprised of 10 CoPs coordinated by ICLEI Europe alongside Eurocities and BME on behalf of the European Commission. Each CoP is devoted to the purchase of a specific product, work or service where European collaboration is needed with the aim of developing more strategic and innovative procurement approaches.
In addition to the NEB, ICLEI leads three additional CoP’s in BBWT, namely Social Procurement, Heavy Duty Electric Vehicles and Sustainable Solar. More information about these communities can be found on the Public Buyers Community Platform. In addition, The European Commission recently produced a deep dive on the work of the Sustainable Solar CoP including a news article on the key challenges of the group in the context of the current EU-wide shift towards renewable energy, a factsheet that provides more info on the mission, key strategies and objectives of the group, and an introductory video.
Learn more at ICLEI Europe website.
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June 4, 2024
The Circular Built Environment working group advocates for the uptake of circularity standards and practices through the buildings and construction sector at a national level, alongside key partners such as the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) at a buildings level, who had recently announced the development of the Circular Transition Indicators (CTI) for Buildings Framework. While the working group is leading the development of a Circularity Assessment Framework tailored for the national level. These efforts are key to continue developing a strong narrative on circularity in the construction sector as well as advancing on tools to measure and monitor circularity in public construction projects.
In 2024, Habitat for Humanity International will spearhead the Circular Built Environment working group's exploration of the social aspects of circularity. This initiative aims to gather and disseminate insights concerning circular practices within the affordable housing sector, including gender inequalities and jobs. Moreover, the working group invites other organizations to contribute to and shape this endeavor, with opportunities to explore additional sub-themes.
To become a part of the working group, please contact the GlobalABC. If you are interested in participating in the piloting phase of the Circularity Assessment Framework and the Circular Transition Indicators (CTI) for Buildings Framework please click here.
Circularity Assessment Framework The Circularity Assessment Framework - funded by Finland, led by UNEP and developed by UNOPS - assesses the state of circularity of the built environment and enabling environments at the national level and was launched at the Buildings and Climate Global Forum. Launched with a call to action for countries to join in the piloting of the assessment framework, the Circularity Assessment Framework is under development with the support of 50 international advisors and the piloting country teams. Circular Transition Indicators (CTI) for buildings launched WBCSD announced the development of the Circular Transition Indicators (CTI) for buildings framework in the Buildings and Climate Global Forum in March and launched the tool in the WCEF 2024 in April. The Circular Transition Indicators (CTI) for buildings framework assesses circularity at the building level. WBCSD is currently looking for stakeholders to engage in workshops and the pilot phase to answer as much as possible to the needs of the built environment value chain when it comes to measurement for material, energy & water flow, and design.
Learn more at One Planet Network News Center.
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