Green public procurement

Green public procurement (GPP) means that public purchasers take account of environmental factors when buying products, services or works. The policy encourages the development of environmental technologies and of eco-friendly products through dedicated research, methodologies and solutions that have the least possible impact on our planet along their entire life cycle.
As a matter of fact, when government bodies buy green, the pull of public procurement may stimulate greater and faster technological innovation or breakthroughs; such imperatives will ultimately lead to the achievement of objectives that are the heart of sustainable development.
A greener sourcing therefore implies facilitating the employment of goods and services that ensure:

- a reduction in the exploitation of the earth’s resources;
- a drop in the generation of waste;
- a rise in the use of raw materials and of renewable energy sources;
- a fall in air, water and soil emissions;
- elimination of chemical and hazardous substances;
- a longer life-cycle for goods;
- enhancement of the recycling chain.

An opportunity for local administrations

GPP further allows decentralised authorities to green their decisions in a manner not to be ignored:
- a systematic adoption of environmental parameters in the sourcing process leads to spend rationalization. The procurement of low environmental-impact goods and services (at times with elevated costs compared to high environmental-impact goods and services) leads to savings on operating, maintenance and disposal costs;
- GPP is an all-encompassing tool involving multiple divisions in its implementation and may be used in reaching those goals of environmental policy set in the administration’s plans and programmes;Local bodies can devise a best practices model to be offered to citizens and businesses alike, thanks to initiatives bearing high visibility and short-term returns;
- GPP also provides an answer to environmental issues namely air pollution, community contribution to climate changes, waste generation. Introduction of GPP shuns all procedures outside of everyday practices; all it needs are measures of information and training;
- It would also be possible, thanks to GPP, to revive and propel local production, through the promotion of low environmental impact culture, technologies and solutions that companies can avail of as a benchmark for competition.

A plus for businesses

Green products and processes have been surging lately owing to political, regulatory and market factors, and above all because the consumer is now more “aware”. Public Administration suppliers have a golden opportunity to seize on: consolidate and expand their range of eco-friendly products and services or comply with higher environmental protection standards to draw on new competitiveness and consequently pride themselves as leaders in the “green” market.
In addition, businesses themselves can play the role of auditors of green procurement and make the most of new opportunities stemming from process innovation and organization; this in turn would facilitate a higher level of dynamism in both the sourcing sphere and amongst vendors. Regarding the private sector, buying green would have an inevitable impact on the entire supply chain structure. Vendors would then be re-assessed in view of their “green” credentials. In turn, such steps would open up the industry to elements of innovation and opportunities vis-à-vis both the local communities/territory and local as well as global markets. Last but not least, a “green” supply chain would represent a modern element of guarantee towards the outside world.

GPP and EU Policies

The role of GPP as a market regulator and promoter of the spread of environmental technologies has been repeatedly reiterated by the European Commission in a series of key documents:
Sixth Environment Action Programme (2001); Communication on Integrated Product Policy (IPP)-development of the environmental life cycle (2003); Thematic strategies on the sustainable use of resources (2003); Thematic strategy on the prevention and recycling of waste (2003); Thematic strategy on the urban environment (2003); Environmental Technologies Action Programme –ETAP (2004); First Progress Report on ETAP implementation (2005); Consistent Development Policy (2005); Review of EU Strategy on sustainable development (2006); Framework Document for Action Plan governing Sustainable Consumption, Production and Industrial Policy (2007).

GPP National Action Plan

Pursuant to Communication No. 302 on Integrated Product Policy (IPP)-development of the environmental life cycle dated 18th June 2003, the Commission urged its Member States to prepare dedicated action plans for integrating environmental factors in public procurement. Later, under Action Plan 2005 for the spread of environmental technologies, some Guidelines were issued for preparing Action Plans featuring a strategy for the spread of GPP, quantitative goals and the monitoring of such goals based on the specific experience had by each country on the issue.

The National Action Plan (NAP) for GPP in Italy, approved on 11th April 2008 through Ministerial Decree No. 135, has been drafted by the Environmental Protection Division of the Ministry of the Environment, Land & Sea. The measure has been adopted in unison with the Ministry of the Economy, Finance & Economic Development. The law implements the provisions of the “Action Plan for the Environmental Sustainability of Consumption in Public Administration”, envisaged in Budget 2007, law ratified on 27th December 2006, article 1, paragraph 1126.

Sphere of application

The NAP addresses all public parties at the local and national level:
Centralised State Bodies and respective Agencies; Territorial Public Bodies (Regions, Provinces, Towns, Cities, Mountain Communities); Local Health Offices and hospitals; National and Regional Parks Board; Client Taskforces (Consip and other regional bodies, if any); Universities, research boards and schools; Boards, companies and firms offering local public transport services

Environmental Goals

Environmental objectives to be met via a greener procurement are:
Efficiency and savings in the utilization of resources, in particular energy and the consequent reduction in CO2 ; Reduction in the use of hazardous or polluting substances; Lower levels of waste generation.

Commodities sectors
In the pipeline are the minimum environmental parameters to be included in procurement procedures for: decorations, construction, waste management, urban and territorial services (public greenery and decorations), energy services, electric and electronic equipment, textiles and footwear, stationery (paper and consumables), catering (canteen and food services), building management and maintenance, public transportation and services.

(a cura di Ecosistemi)