UNEP
Implemented in
- Asia / Pacific
- Europe and Central Asia
- Latin America / Caribbean
- Georgia
- India
- Kyrgyzstan
- Moldova, Republic of
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
Sector of activity
Public Procurement
Type of initiative
Capacity Building & Implementation, Policy Frameworks & Tools, Research, Analysis, Assessment
Start date
01/01/2019
End date
31/12/2022
Submitted on:
23/01/2020Objectives
The UNEP SPP Programme pursues several objectives:
- assist member states in the development and implementation of SPP policies
- provide technical assistance and capacity building
- develop and disseminate capacity building and information tools
- promote regional and global SPP and GPP networks to exchange know how, learn from each other and implement joint activities
- monitor the progress of SPP in member states.
Public procurement wields enormous purchasing power, accounting for an average of 12 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in OECD countries, and up to 30 percent of GDP in many developing countries. Leveraging this purchasing power by buying more sustainable goods and services can help drive markets in the direction of sustainability, reduce the negative impacts of an organization, and also produce positive benefits for the environment and society.
This was acknowledged by the international community when it included a target on sustainable public procurement in the Sustainable Development Goals. Target 12.7 focuses specifically on promoting “public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities”.
Activities
As collected through the One Planet Reporting
Output level
Knowledge resource and technical tool
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Transforming tourism through sustainable procurement
Published in 2019 by
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Type of document: Best practices, case studies
https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/resource/transforming-tourism-through-sustainable-procurement
This publication aims to introduce the strategic role that sustainable procurement can play to transform tourism by scaling up the market of sustainable products and services in the sector, enabling the reduction of GHG emissions and the shift towards a more resilient, resource efficient development. The document intends to inform dialogues on how best to incorporate circularity and sustainability in procurement practices of tourism businesses and illustrate to which extend tourism professionals have already successfully done so. It is addressed to corporate buyers and business leaders in the tourism sector as well as policy makers.
It has been developed as part of the United Nations Environment Programme work on sustainable consumption and production in the tourism value chain.
Transforming tourism through sustainable procurement Published in 2019 by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Type of document: Best practices, case studies https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/resource/transforming-tourism-through-sustainable-procurement This publication aims to introduce the strategic role that sustainable procurement can play to transform tourism by scaling up the market of sustainable products and services in the sector, enabling the reduction of GHG emissions and the shift towards a more resilient, resource efficient development. The document intends to inform dialogues on how best to incorporate circularity and sustainability in procurement practices of tourism businesses and illustrate to which extend tourism professionals have already successfully done so. It is addressed to corporate buyers and business leaders in the tourism sector as well as policy makers. It has been developed as part of the United Nations Environment Programme work on sustainable consumption and production in the tourism value chain.
Regions
Global / All regions
Lead organization
UNEP/Resources and Markets Branch/Consumption and Production unit - Lead author: Claire Thiebault
Objective
Transforming tourism through sustainable procurement aims to introduce the strategic role that sustainable procurement can play to transform tourism by scaling up the market of sustainable products and services in the sector, enabling the reduction of GHG emissions and the shift towards a more resilient, resource efficient development. The document intends to inform dialogues on how best to incorporate circularity and sustainability in procurement practices of tourism businesses and illustrate to which extend tourism professionals have already successfully done so. It is addressed to corporate buyers and business leaders in the tourism sector as well as policy makers. It has been developed as part of the United Nations Environment Programme work on sustainable consumption and production in the tourism value chain.
Achievements
- Engaging the private sector and policy makers to leverage sustainable procurement and reduce GHG emissions to accelerate the shift towards a more resilient, resource efficient development of the tourism sector. - Incorporating circular concerns in procurement practices to identify innovative and resource-efficient business models - Improving food quality, while reducing food waste and GHG emissions through sustainable procurement - Enabling energy and cost savings, as well as lower GHG emissions through the procurement of high efficiency air-conditioners - Reducing plastic pollution by procuring sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic items
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Green Public Procurement in the Republic of Korea: a Decade of Progress and Lessons Learned
https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/resource/green-public-procurement-republic-korea-decade-progress-and-lessons-learned
The study, centered on the exemplary case of the
Republic of Korea's Green Public Procurement
(GPP) policy explores the state of the art in impact
measurement, with an overview of other successful
international experiences. An important chapter of
the study is dedicated to the possible contribution
that a computable general equilibrium model could
bring to the assessment of potential GPP benefits.
The study makes useful recommendations for
the improvement of the Republic of Korea's
Green Public Procurement policy and it impacts'
measurement. It suggests, for example, the
possibility of extending the measurement of
environmental impacts beyond CO2 and of making
an increase use of footprint calculators, which could
be harmonized at world level. It also proposes an
alternative way of measuring the creation of green
jobs and extending impact measurement to energy
efficient labelled products.
Green Public Procurement in the Republic of Korea: a Decade of Progress and Lessons Learned https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/resource/green-public-procurement-republic-korea-decade-progress-and-lessons-learned The study, centered on the exemplary case of the Republic of Korea's Green Public Procurement (GPP) policy explores the state of the art in impact measurement, with an overview of other successful international experiences. An important chapter of the study is dedicated to the possible contribution that a computable general equilibrium model could bring to the assessment of potential GPP benefits. The study makes useful recommendations for the improvement of the Republic of Korea's Green Public Procurement policy and it impacts' measurement. It suggests, for example, the possibility of extending the measurement of environmental impacts beyond CO2 and of making an increase use of footprint calculators, which could be harmonized at world level. It also proposes an alternative way of measuring the creation of green jobs and extending impact measurement to energy efficient labelled products.
Regions
Asia / Pacific
Europe and Central Asia
North America
Lead organization
UNEP/Resources and Markets Branch/Economic Trade and Fiscal Policy unit
Objective
- review Korea's Green Public procurement system - review Korea's impact measurement methdology - analyse the possibility of using a Computable General Equilibrium model (CGE) to measure Korea's GPP impacts - benchmark other methodologies - suggest improvements to the methodology currently used in Korea and more generallt to its GPP policy
Achievements
The topic of SPP or GPP impact measurement is quite new. We've theerfore received very positive feedback for this pionneering work. We hope that this work will inspire and encourage others.
Outcome level
SCP monitoring and reporting
-
Development of the SDG Indicator 12.7.1 measurement methodology
Development of the SDG Indicator 12.7.1 measurement methodology
Regions
Global / All regions
Lead organization
UNEP is the custodian agency for Goal 12. The UNEP SPP team has been entrusted with the development of the SDG 12.7.1 methodology.
Objective
Develop and build consensus around a methodology for the measurement of the SDG 12.7.1 indicator. The 12.7.1 methodology is aimed at national governments, guiding policy makers and practitioners. In addition to reporting against the SDG 12.7.1 the methodology will offer insights and will identify gaps useful for the implementation of sound sustainable public procurement policies.
Achievements
UN Environment has leveraged the expertise and network of the One Planet Sustainable Public Procurement Programme, as well as its own experience in building the capacities of countries, to develop the methodology for the indicator. In 2017 a Global Review of Sustainable Public Procurement was carried out by UNEP under the One Planet Sustainable Public Procurement Programme. National Focal Points in charge of SPP policies were identified in 55 countries and a survey circulated to assess the progress of SPP policies among Member States. The results of the Survey provided elements to better understand how indicator 12.7.1 could be measured, and a draft methodology was developed taking these into account. The draft methodology outlines the various components of a solid Sustainable Public Procurement policy. In 2018, a composite index was developed to measure the level of implementation of Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) in a single country. The idea of the composite index is to assess the means dedicated to SPP policies, the level of implementation of the usual components of SPP policies and the outcomes of these policies at national, subnational or both levels. The index combines the following factors in a single measure: A Existence of SPP action plan, policy and/or SPP regulatory requirements at national or sub-national levels. B Quality of the SPP regulatory framework C Number of staff dedicated to supporting the implementation of SPP policy or SPP practitioners. D Training/Capacity-building of public procurement practitioners on SPP. E Practical support delivered to public procurement practitioners for the implementation of SPP. F SPP purchasing criteria/ buying standards / requirements identified. G Existence of an SPP monitoring system. H Percentage of sustainable purchase of priority products/services. In August-September 2019, the methodology was tested with 18 UNEP partner countries and was subsequently refined taking into account feedback received. In November 2019, a request was submitted to the SDG Inter-Agency Expert Group for the reclassification of the methodology in the Tier 2 category. We're still awaiting the decision of the IAEG on the reclassification request. Since 2018, 52 experts from 40 different organizations and 31 different countries took part in the development of the methodology. 6 of them are based in Africa, 11 in Asia, 26 in Europe, 5 in North America and 4 in South America.
Policy instrument for SCP
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Support to Kirgizstan in the development of an SPP policy
Support to Kirgizstan in the development of an SPP policy
Regions
Europe and Central Asia
Lead organization
ministry of Finance
Objective
Public procurement made up around 17.2% of Kyrgyzstan's GDP in 2015. Initial reforms to the Law on Public Procurement were made in 2015 introducing more transparency and efficiency in public expenditure processes. An online bidding system was launched in 2015 with more than 2000 registered businesses. Sustainable public procurement (SPP) policies and tools are lacking. A revision of the public procurement system is being recommended under the (draft) PAGE Green Economy Stocktaking Report for the Kyrgyz Republic (2017). There is a need for a full roll-out of the SPP approach, including policy development, capacity building and SPP implementation, in Kyrgyzstan for the uptake of SPP by the government. To ensure the uptake of sustainable goods and services by the market, there is a need for the business sector to enhance the greening and environmental performance of industrial enterprises through technical assistance, capacity building and awareness raising, in particular in selected priority sectors. The project "Enhancing sustainable public procurement for the regional transition to inclusive green economy in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA)", which is led by the UN Environment Europe Office and implemented jointly with UNECE and GGKP, aims to strengthen the capacity of selected countries in the EECCA region (including in the Kyrgyz Republic) on sustainable public procurement and strengthen the capacity of businesses to respond to public tenders with sustainability criteria. The project is implemented between 2019 and 2021.
Achievements
A funding agreement was signed with the Bishkek based NGO "Promotion and Development Centre". With the assistance of UNEP, the Centre produced a national assessment of the policy, legal, regulatory and institutional gaps for inserting sustainability criteria in the procurement process and provide recommendations on how to address them. The Centre also conducted a prioritization exercise, in order to identify key product and service areas on which the activities will be focused. They collected data on procurement and government expenditure with the support of the project's national Steering Committee and other relevant institutions.
Impact and Results
In 2019 UNEP assisted 7 countries in the development of SPP plans or in the implementation of SPP. In the framework of a United Nations Development Account project managed by our Europe Office:
- Kirgizstan embarked on SPP and developed a Status assessment, a prioritization and a market readiness reports
- Uzbekistan expressed strong interest to join the project and benefit from UNEP's assistance
In the framework of the EU4 Environment funded by the European Union:
Four countries will be supported by UNEP on SPP : Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus.
UNEP support is provided through local organizations. In 2019, funding agreements were signed with the Tbilisi-based Environmental Information and Education Centre, with the Ulrainian NGO Living Planet and with the Moldovan Public Procurement Agency.
In the framework of the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) , two countries are being supported on SPP. India benefitted from a grant which financed the drafting of a prioritization study, focusing on paper, air conditioning and cleaning products. Preliminary sustainable purchaisng criteria were developed as part of the study. The state of Mato Grosso in Brazil is also supported through the PAGE programme. The following activities are foreseen: Develop a regulatory framework for Sustainable Public Procurement
• Produce policies and procedures for sustainable public procurement.
• Organise capacity building workshops on the regulatory framework on sustainable public procurement to train stakeholders
At the regional level, an agreement was signed in 2019 between UNEP and the Republic of Korea to reactivate the Asia Pacific Green Public Procurement Network. The objectives of the network are to:
- Serve as the information platform for Green Public Procurement among the relevant governments and public organizations in the Asia Pacific region;
- Promote awareness and build capacity of policy makers;
- Identify concrete needs of the countries for introduction and implementation of Green Public Procurement.
At the global level, UNEP led the development of the SDG Indicator 12.7.1 measurement methodology. A global index was developed and a request was submitted to the SDG Inter-Agency Expert Group for the reclassification of the methodology in the Tier 2 category.
UNEP also oversaw the drafting of a study on the Green Public Procurement experience of the Republic of Korea.
https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/resource/green-public-procurement-republic-korea
Next steps and how to get involved
Interested stakeholders can receive information or become involved in UNEP's projects by contacting the SPP programme officer.
Farid Yaker, farid.yaker@unep.org