|
Eco-labelling
Enabling developing countries to seize
eco-label opportunities
Capacity building and technical assistance for
industries and governments in developing economies
The SCP Branch work on ecolabelling focuses
on capacity building and technical assistance for industries and
governments in developing countries.
A 4-year project started in 2007, which promotes
eco-labelling in Brazil, China, India, Kenya and the South East
African Region, Mexico and South Africa. UNEP works together with
the German capacity building organization InWent and with other
partners. The project is funded by the European Commission and
the German government.
Project objectives are:
1. To increase the number of eco-labelled
products
The project helps industry and government
stakeholders in the various countries to have their key export
products awarded with the EU Eco-label. This is primarily done
through capacity building and technical assistance. Governments'
capacity to develop and implement sustainable procurement and
other policies for promoting eco-labelling schemes is improved,
and other stakeholders are assisted to develop supporting actions.
Each country focuses the activities on
one key export product:
Footwear
Mexico, Kenya, and the South East African Region |
Paper
Brazil |
Textiles
India, South Africa |
Televisions
China |
2. To develop a roadmap towards mutual
recognition
The project helps to increase knowledge
and mutual understanding between the various European and developing
countries' eco-labelling bodies. It facilitates better cooperation
and transparency (such as product criteria, appliance rules) between
the schemes. This supports efforts towards the simplification
of the 'eco-labelling universe'.
Furthermore an assessment of the opportunities
and barriers of mutual recognition will be developed, which will
include a list of practical recommendations to increase cooperation.
This 'roadmap towards mutual recognition' will build upon the
activities already carried out by the Global Ecolabelling Network
(GEN) to develop and promote a GEN International Coordinated Eco-labelling
System (GENICES).
To learn more about the project click on the
menu on the left or access the project
partners' web-site
|
IN FOCUS
Ecolabelling side-event
at UN CSD18
| Eco-labels are voluntary, participatory, market-based
and transparent economic tools that aim to decrease environmental
impacts and improve resource efficiency of products while
enabling consumers to make informed decisions based on products'
environmental credentials. They are multiple criteria-based,
third party certified programs awarding a license authorizing
the use of environmental labels on products. These indicate
the overall environmental preferability of a product within
a particular product category based on life-cycle considerations. |
The project is carried out with funding from:
European Union
Federal Ministry
for Economic Cooperation and Development (Germany)
|
