Ecolabelling Side-Event at UN CSD18 hosted by the Nordic Council of Ministers and UNEP

Ecolabelling contributes to poverty reduction

Ecolabels are important tools for achieving more sustainable societies, both in developed and developing regions. By advancing sustainable consumption and production patterns ecolabelling can also contribute to poverty reduction and increase international competitiveness of developing economies.

This was one of the main conclusions of the side event organized by the Nordic Council of Ministers and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) during the United Nations 18th commission on sustainable development in New York 3-14th May.

Elisabet Falemo, the Swedish State Secretary, opened the event expressing the commitment of the Nordic countries to the global agenda on sustainable development and to pursuing more sustainable production and consumption patterns.

Falemo stressed the role of Type 1 ecolabels, such as the Nordic ecolabel and the EU Flower, which are based on multiple criteria, lifecycle thinking and third-party certification. These voluntary market-based instruments are effective tools to improve resource efficiency of products while enabling consumers to make informed purchasing choices.

-It is very important for us to act within the international community to share experiences, to learn from other countries and regions and to contribute to increased awareness. Cooperation beyond the boundaries is a key to success, Falemo said.

UNEP has recognized the importance of ecolabelling also in relation to opportunities for developing countries. UNEP is providing capacity building and technical assistance to companies and governments in developing countries to seize ecolabelling opportunities.

Arab Hoballah, Chief of the Sustainable Consumption and Production Branch of UNEP, underlined the potential of ecolabelling to promote the mutual supportiveness of trade, environment and development.

According to Hoballah increased use of ecolabels in developing countries can reduce the environmental impacts of the manufacturing industries and enhance market access of environmentally efficient products, thus leading to improved regional economic integration and increased international competitiveness.

Andrew Maiyo, Secretary General from the African organization for standardization (ARSO), presented the African ecolabelling mechanism. He supported the views of Hoballah and stressed that the use of ecolabelling provides great opportunities for Africa. Besides the better market access ecolabels advance low-emission production patterns and consequently contribute also to adaptation to climate change.

Ecolabelling is a significant interface between production and consumption patterns. Nancy Holm from Ecolabelling Sweden, representing the Global ecolabelling network, stressed the business and marketing opportunities ecolabels can offer for producers and manufacturers. These advantages were confirmed by Martin Dluzansky from Boston Power, a company producing next-generation lithium-ion batteries having both Nordic and Chinese ecolabels.

According to the latest consumer survey conducted in the Nordic countries, 91 % recognize the Nordic ecolabel, which is exceptional globally. According to Bjarne Pedersen from Consumer International consumer awareness is generally rising but consumers are still confused in the jungle of green labels and claims. Consumers need encouragement and incentives to do the right thing; they need more ecolabels with reliable, truthful and verifiable information.

Ecolabels are effective tools in advancing more sustainable societies, but the efforts for more harmonized standardization and certification processes, also addressing the challenges faced by developing countries, need to be continued in order to utilize the potential and increase awareness of ecolabels.