Buying Into The Environment

Green purchasing - or eco-procurement - by local and central governments has long been recommended in documents such as Agenda 21 to be a key - although sometimes supplemental-ingredient in the achievement of more environmentally responsible economies. Certainly, sustainable consumption cannot be considered a realistic goal without the full engagement of public authorities. Many initiatives have been undertaken in OECD countries, most successfully in Japan and Denmark where green public purchasing has been proven to be workable and highly effective, while, in other countries, city municipalities have successfully pioneered the development of sophisticated public environmental purchasing policies. However, for the vast majority of countries and their major cities, the potential for green public purchasing remains woefully untapped. A key question is what would be the environmental impact if the majority of cities in Europe replicated the success stories of those leading the way? Public procurement has, after all, been an important tool in achieving other public policy goals such as defence. Why should it not be used as a tool to defend the environment? The RELIEF project, funded by the EU's "City of Tomorrow and Cultural Heritage" programme was established to answer exactly this question: to define the true potential of eco-procurement and to develop a strategy for change in Europe. Buying into the Environment is the result of the research segment of the project which has now been completed. A further stage-to design a Europe-wide action plan will follow in 2004. The book, organised under the auspices of the International Council on Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) analyses national approaches already tested, and provides in-depth surveys on the pioneer cities such as Hamburg, Malmo and Zurich. Serious attention is given to city-specific hurdles which have been faced and overcome. The most relevant product groups for eco-procurement such as construction, transport, energy, information technology, furniture and food. are also analysed. Uniquely, the book also provides calculations on the environmental benefits potentially achievable through greener purchasing. Tools were developed and tested by the RELIEF researchers on the environmental assessment of products, public buying power and on evaluations of market conditions in order to provide scenarios for the application of green purchasing at a European level. The conclusions are that there is huge potential for both local and central governments to adapt their behaviour patterns and purchase in a more environmentally responsible way. For example, 18% of the EU's Kyoto Protocol commitment could be achieved if major cities in the European Union purchased green electricity. The results are complemented by new ideas on how best to foster innovation in public contractual arrangements-to encourage the development of products such as super-energy-efficient computers and fuel cells-and how the legal system may require adaptation and reform. The results presented in this book will provide an indispensable resource for municipalities, governments, researchers and business practitioners looking for answers on how public procurement can have a fundamental and manifestly positive effect on the environment.

Green purchasing - or eco-procurement - by local and central governments has long been recommended in documents such as Agenda 21 to be a key - although sometimes supplemental-ingredient in the achievement of more environmentally responsible economies. Certainly, sustainable consumption cannot be considered a realistic goal without the full engagement of public authorities. Many initiatives have been undertaken in OECD countries, most successfully in Japan and Denmark where green public purchasing has been proven to be workable and highly effective, while, in other countries, city municipalities have successfully pioneered the development of sophisticated public environmental purchasing policies. However, for the vast majority of countries and their major cities, the potential for green public purchasing remains woefully untapped. A key question is what would be the environmental impact if the majority of cities in Europe replicated the success stories of those leading the way? Public procurement has, after all, been an important tool in achieving other public policy goals such as defence. Why should it not be used as a tool to defend the environment? The RELIEF project, funded by the EU's "City of Tomorrow and Cultural Heritage" programme was established to answer exactly this question: to define the true potential of eco-procurement and to develop a strategy for change in Europe. Buying into the Environment is the result of the research segment of the project which has now been completed. A further stage-to design a Europe-wide action plan will follow in 2004. The book, organised under the auspices of the International Council on Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) analyses national approaches already tested, and provides in-depth surveys on the pioneer cities such as Hamburg, Malmo and Zurich. Serious attention is given to city-specific hurdles which have been faced and overcome. The most relevant product groups for eco-procurement such as construction, transport, energy, information technology, furniture and food. are also analysed. Uniquely, the book also provides calculations on the environmental benefits potentially achievable through greener purchasing. Tools were developed and tested by the RELIEF researchers on the environmental assessment of products, public buying power and on evaluations of market conditions in order to provide scenarios for the application of green purchasing at a European level. The conclusions are that there is huge potential for both local and central governments to adapt their behaviour patterns and purchase in a more environmentally responsible way. For example, 18% of the EU's Kyoto Protocol commitment could be achieved if major cities in the European Union purchased green electricity. The results are complemented by new ideas on how best to foster innovation in public contractual arrangements-to encourage the development of products such as super-energy-efficient computers and fuel cells-and how the legal system may require adaptation and reform. The results presented in this book will provide an indispensable resource for municipalities, governments, researchers and business practitioners looking for answers on how public procurement can have a fundamental and manifestly positive effect on the environment.

Written to allay children's fears about the environment, this book shows how smart technologies, innovative ideas, and a growing commitment to alternative lifestyles are exploding around the world, creating a future that will be brighter than we sometimes might think. Includes profiles of unexpected personalities.

Buying and Selling the Environment: How to Design and Implement a PES Scheme provides a guide to the design and implementation of PES schemes that ‘mimic’ market processes, including three key elements: the estimation of the demand for environmental services, an understanding of the costs of supply, and how to predict the productivity of actions taken. This book will act as an instructional manual for practitioners, policymakers and their advisors in government and non-government organizations. Users will find a step-by-step demonstration based on firsthand experiences gained through a PES application at two case study sites. Finally, the book presents research in applied economics and bio-physical modeling. Presents original and novel research in PES scheme design and implementation Provides an instructional manual for practitioners, policymakers and their advisors Includes case study that is based on the practical application of rigorous concepts

Small enough to fit in your pocket, this practical little book will help you change the world as you shop! While we strive to make our vote count every four years, few of us realize that our most immediate power to shape the world is squandered on a daily basis. Every dollar we spend has the potential to create social and environmental change. In fact, it already has. The world that exists today is in large part a result of our purchasing decisions. The Better World Shopping Guide rates hundreds of products and services from A to F, so you can quickly tell the "good guys" from the "bad guys" and ensure your money is not supporting corporations that make decisions based solely on the bottom line. Drawing on decades of meticulous research, this completely revised and updated sixth edition will help you find out who actually "walks the talk" when it comes to: Environmental sustainability Human rights Community involvement Animal protection Social justice Small enough to fit in a back pocket or handbag and organized in a user-friendly format, The Better World Shopping Guide helps you reward companies who are doing good, penalize those involved in destructive activities, and change the world as you shop! Ellis Jones, PhD is the award-winning, bestselling author of five previous editions of The Better World Shopping Guide , and co-author of The Better World Handbook . A scholar of social responsibility, global citizenship, and everyday activism, he has dedicated himself to uncovering practical ways for people to make a difference in the world. He currently teaches at Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA.

"The book has two aims. First, it demonstrates the common ground between the fast-growing fields of environmental history and mobility studies in terms of subject matter, theoretical approaches, and methodology. Second, it shows how mobility--the movements of people, things, and ideas, as well as their associated cultural meanings--has been a key factor in shaping Canadians' perceptions of and interactions with their country. Approaching the burgeoning field of environmental history in Canada through the lens of mobility reveals some of the distinctive ways in which Canadians have come to terms with the country's climate and landscape. The collection seeks to accomplish these aims with a broad scope: a series of case studies that span Canada's diverse regions, from the closing of the age of sail in the late nineteenth century to post-World War II automobile culture. Chapters examine a wide range of topics, from the impact of seasonal climactic conditions on different transportation modes, to the environmental consequences of building mobility corridors and pathways, and the relationship between changing forms of mobility with tourism and other recreational activities. The contributors employ a number of methodologies, including the use of traditional archival sources (correspondence, government reports, business ledgers, publicity materials) as well as historical geographic information systems (HGIS), qualitative and quantitative analysis, and critical theory."--

Key messagesWhen it comes to mangroves in Vietnam, the payment mechanism for forest environmental services (PFES) can be applied to 8 types of environmental services: (1) carbon absorption and storage; (2) sedimentation and sludge reduction; (3) coastal erosion protection; (4) wave shielding; (5) supplying clean water, filtering heavy metals and pollutants; (6) spawning grounds provision; (7) landscape – tourism; and (8) food and ingredient provision.There are 20 potential buyer groups that could pay for mangrove environment services in Hai Phong. These include: companies focused on dredging, sand mining, clean water, energy, banking, petroleum, entertainment, tourism, shipbuilding, air transport, and producers of agricultural, forestry and aquatic products; fishing and sea ports; those involved in the coastal economic zone; industries focused on mining and metallurgy, transportation and thermal power; dike management groups; and residential communities. While some buyer groups have expressed strong commitment to make payments (e.g. banks, energy companies, those producing agricultural, forestry and aquatic products), more research is needed to understand how willing other parties are to participate in paying for environmental services.In Hai Phong, two of these environmental services – (1) carbon absorption and storage and (5) clean water provision and heavy metal filtration – have the largest number of potential buyers.To develop a mechanism for payment for environmental services, four key questions must be answered: (1) Which services are being paid for? (2) Who is paying? (3) How much is the payment? and (4) What is the revenue and expenditure mechanism? Answering these will need long-term, thorough research, particularly demonstrating stakeholders use of environmental services. Based on the pre-feasibility study in 2018–2019, this policy summary answers the first two questions. The last two will be answered in another policy brief, once the study is complete in 2020.