| Project Detail |
Greening supply and demand: promoting environmental labels and sustainable public procurement for climate and biodiversity protection (EcoAdvance) Insufficiently sustainable global consumption and production patterns contribute to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) – one of the world’s largest biodiversity hotspots – rising incomes and urbanization have contributed to increased demand for goods and services. This scenario is linked to increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, resource depletion and waste generation. The adoption of more sustainable consumption and production patterns is urgent. LAC has a vital role to play in achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda, especially SDG 12 on sustainable consumption and production. Public procurement represents a purchasing power equivalent to between 15 and 20 percent of national budgets. When combined with robust labeling schemes for products and services that meet rigorous sustainability criteria, they can significantly encourage a shift towards solid sustainable consumption and production patterns. Objective LAC is moving towards more sustainable consumption and production patterns that contribute to mitigating climate change, protecting biodiversity and conserving resources. Approach The project promotes Type 1 labelling and sustainable public procurement to encourage sustainable consumption and production in high-impact sectors such as food systems, construction, mobility, electronics, textiles, infrastructure and mining. The project helps to reduce the complexity of informing the public about the sustainability impacts of products and services, which constitutes a significant barrier to changing societal behavior. EcoAdvance is a regional project and focuses on activities in LAC. The implementing partners are the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) which plays a leading role in labelling activities and the Öko-Institut which provides strategic, technical and methodological advice to the project partners and relevant stakeholders. |
