Greening of the public sector
The public sector is known to be one o fthe largest consumers of products and services. With a view to integrtae sustainable consumption and production practices within this sector, the project: "The ‘Greening of the Public Sector" has been conceptualised. Through this project, Government aims at leading by example and engage into the greening of the public sector in order to reduce its carbon footprint and to transition to a more ecological pathway.
This project is in line with the Government vision of achieving the ecological transition of the island to a cleaner and greener Mauritius. The objective of the project is to encourage public organisations to green their activities through the adoption of sustainable consumption practices with respect to conservation of energy and water, waste minimisation, paperless work, zero pollution, avoidance of hazardous chemicals, adoption of sustainable technology and also adopting business practices including sustainable procurement to sustain and improve service delivery.
The project on ‘Greening of the Public Sector’ is currently being developed with teh support of a consultant recruited by the European Union under the 'SWITCH to GREEN' facility. A situational analysis has been carrie dout to identify gaps, challenges and requirements fo rthe public sector to mainstream SCP practices. Based on these findings, an Action Plan to oprationalise the identified work areas and activities is in the process of being developed. To initiate the project, the Action Plan will be implemented in 5 pilot institutions.
The Action Plan for the project will comprise recommendations for specific activities pertaining to key operations under 5 identified levers, namely:
- - Supply chain and Public Procurement: creation ofthe conducive environment to enable the procurement of green products
1 - Buildings and infrastructure: integration of green components such as installation of solar PV on Government buildings to tap renewable energy sources
- Mobility and fleets: setting up of necessary infrastructure for charging of electric vehicles and encourage 'work from home' option.
- Culture and behaviour: encourage a change in mindset and attitude through capacity building
- Digital transformation: promote digital initiatives development by Government institutions
The project will also include the formulation of a charter comprising guidelines to implement green practices in the public sector. Recommendations have also been made fo rthe setting up of a 'green cell' in each Ministry to spearhead the greening process.
The ultimate outcome ofthe project is to promote an enhanced environmental performance by the public sector leading to a subsequent reduction in public expenditure.
SDG 12 Targets
