Ecolabeling: opportunities for progress toward sustainability

This report assesses the value in ecolabelling. It offers definitions and classifications of ecolabelling, a World Bank perspective and a Green Procurement Action Plan. It discusses the labelling of GM foods, issues surrounding tropical timbers and sustainability and issues of Environmental Assessment and Life Cycle Analysis.

Conclusions include:

• ecolabelling works
• ecolabelling is a useful environmental policy tool to encourage sustainability at both domestic and international levels
• greening institutional procurement can make a considerable difference in terms of environmental effectiveness and market impact of ecolabelled products
• development institutions and UN organisations have lagged behind the private sector and some governments in greening their procurement practices

The report recommends that there is a strong need to develop procurement policies and procedures with clear reference to social and environmental standards. Clear procurement guidelines are the appropriate means to encourage contractors and governments to implement social and environmental standards in the execution of programs and contracts.

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