Harmonization of Policies recommendations for the integration of Sustainable consumption and production in the MED area

The Project

Bridging projects

Bridging projects

The Positioning

Emerging recommendations/1 Actors/beneficiaries Emerging recommendations European Union EU must address Member States to new frontiers and trajectories in SCP; EU must favour a harmonization of standards and norms, circulating BATs and information on projects and plans, and designing benchmarking on SCP policies. Local Authorities a higher and continuous involvement of local authorities must be pursued, since SCP policies are pivotal to regional sustainable development; local authorities must act as promoters for SCP; for instance with IA, supporting examination of needs, administrative facilitations and regulation relief. SMEs and other firms Supporting SMEs with innovative financing instruments, even involving the bank system; Stimulating networks to increase SMEs possibilities to compete on international markets; IAs should provide innovative services and improved infrastructures, to help SMEs to improve their performances and become more competitive; Promoting CSR as an opportunity and (long term) competitive advantage; Developing training programs and provide technical support to fill the gap in terms of SMEs lack of knowledge on SCP policies.

Emerging recommendations/2 Actions Emerging recommendations Integration SCP policies must evolve toward a higher integration (both of European, national and regional levels, and on use of different instruments); Technical committees should compare and harmonize among competent offices and their reciprocal experiences; Implementing a widespread integrated approach for reducing impacts from agribusiness; Stimulating the settlement of unitary management of IAs; Dissemination and education Disseminating R&D outputs in the private and public sector; Improving cooperation among research centres, SMEs and local bodies to bridge the gap between theoretical research and territorial needs; Implementing social marketing initiative and campaigns on SCP; Funding pilot to apply SCP in different contexts, test the problems, show the benefits, and encourage the spreading of positive experiences; Granting and monitoring IPPC permits through the dissemination of BATs. Incentives Implementing incentives, even in not monetary forms, to award targeted organizations and reach exact objectives,; Allowing experimental operations corresponding to a long term strategy and aiming at being then disseminated; IPPC Improve the IPPC Directive implementation in the Mediterranean area, even as a reference for regions not yet implementing it; Adopting the EU IPPC scheme through the strengthening of four key measures (BAT guidance, financial incentives, capacity building, improvement of information availability and exchange), for gradual voluntary actions; Ecodesign, GPP and LCA Promoting ecodesign processes by applying this methodology into local authorities services as a reference for companies; Promoting and strengthening GPP; Support the application of LCA thinking and ecodesign methodology; Designing green products and services based on high quality environmental data; Collecting, developing, and harmonize National life cycle inventories and databases to improve the productive sectors of the Mediterranean area; Implement environmental assessments (carbon footprint) of solid waste management system; Eco-innovation Investment in the education system to enhance the long-term absorptive capacity of the Mediterranean countries to sustain eco-innovation; Encouraging eco-innovation in companies, particularly SMEs, by creating a platform which promotes the transfer of technologies and best environmental management practices

From current to potential trends

The last mile The final (lacking) Chapter “Actors, stakeholders and horizontal commitment for the implementation of SCP Policies in the Mediterranean” To be written from… now

The last mile Questions about Weakness of SCP Policies Role and involvement of stakeholders Instruments and tools to be implemented

Products and consumption World Cafè Three groups rotating in three thematic tables: Production Processes Products and consumption Industrial areas Weakness Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Stakeholders Tools 25’ per round + 5’ at the end for Reporters and facilitators At last round, before to leave, 5’ to fill a questionnaire on SCP Policies

Francesco Silvestri Luna Beggi Francesca Villani Vincenzo Barone www.eco-eco.it