1 Funzione Efficienza Ambientale Fifth European Conference on Sustainable Cities & Towns EMAS as a Governance Tool 21 March 2007 A02 –Enrico Cancila

2 Diffusion of EMAS in all sectors in Italy EMAS as a Governance Tool

3 EMAS and Aalborg Commitments environmental analysis and identification of territory weaknesses; good planning and written environmental target; definition of responsibilities for every action; communication towards citizen and stakeholders; review of planning objectives. EMAS tool is a best practice to introduce and to verify every environmental policy. EMAS as a Governance Tool

4 How does EMAS work as a tool for territorial policy? If we want to develop the EMAS scheme as a governance tool we need to define, not one but three key actions: initiative towards organization; initiative towards local authorities; initiative towards clusters (industrial areas or homogeneus impact area); EMAS tool reaches environmental performance and Aalborg Commitments. EMAS as a Governance Tool

5 EMAS as a Governance tool Local AuthoritiesIndustries /Industrial Associations Territorial scale Network application EMAS – LA Requests Adoption of EMAS schemeNone Analysis of territorial critical points Agreements with local stakeholders Shared action plan (according to Local Agenda 21) Advantages All the advantages of EMAS in a Local Authority: Image, transversal application system, etc. Green Public Procurement Administrative Simplification Clearly communication Sharing of targets with other stakeholders Improvement of data quality Integration of territorial policies EMAS as a Governance Tool

6 EMAS development in the Province of Bologna TargetsActivitiesResultsWhy is better with EMAS Green Products Procurement System implementation To Establish Environmental criteria in the Purchasing procedures Since 2004, The Province of Bologna has included in public tenders environmental characteristics to purchase products and services Green procurement makes part of environmental policy and could be an instrument to reduce the environmental impacts. EMAS Registration has been an incitement for the providers and personnel to obtain better and greener products and services. The GPP in Bologna Province has been an interesting system in which to reach its environmental improvement targets and to stimulate the local market. EMAS as a Governance Tool

7 EMAS development in the Province of Bologna TargetsActivitiesResultsWhy is better with EMAS Enhancement of effectiveness and security of Bologna Provinces buildings (offices, schools, stores, etc.) More investments for effectiveness and security Bologna Province has replaced all the oil stoked boilers. In the next years Bologna Province wants to replace 10 boilers with solar or photovoltaic panels. Bologna Province has ever invested in environment and security. EMAS has stimulated Bologna Province to increment and to consolidate the investments. EMAS as a Governance Tool

8 EMAS development in the Province of Bologna TargetsActivitiesResultsWhy is better with EMAS To support local companies that have adopted an Environmental Improvement system To introduce anenvironmental priority in the allocation of public funds Public Funds linked to: Regional Law 20/97 Regional Law 41/94 Objective 2 Financing of new Companies (Progettando) Regional Plan of rural development Training plan Through EMAS, Bologna Province has supported companies with environmental improvement systems. Before the EMAS registration, all the public funds had general priorities (i.e. kind of economic sector, number of employees, etc.). After the EMAS registration a main element of selection is the environmental commitment of the company. EMAS as a Governance Tool

9 EMAS development in the Province of Bologna TargetsActivitiesResultsWhy is better with EMAS To support local activities that have adopted an environmental improvement system Territorial promotion of the areas commited with a an environmental improvement process The environmental registration of a Mountain Local Body and the development of environmental improvement synergic projects. EMAS Bologna Province registration has been considered as a coordinative container of territorial promotion initiatives created in the different Departments/Councillors offices. A Bologna Provinces aim is the promotion (particularly for tourism) the committed territories with and environmental improvement process like EMAS. EMAS as a Governance Tool

10 EMAS development in the Province of Bologna TargetsActivitiesResultsWhy is better with EMAS To train the Local Bodies about Environmental Improvement process Organisation of Environmental training courses GPP courses for the Municipalities and local Bodies located in the Province territory. EMAS has been the institutional container to support environmental improvement courses (particularly GPP) for the Local Bodies. EMAS as a Governance Tool

11 Local AuthoritiesIndustries /Industrial Associations Territorial scale Network application EMAS – IA Requests Participation in the programme agreement commitment Review, Programme, Communication and Operative Control/Revision development commitment Participation in the programme agreement commitment Supporting commitment of: Review, Programme, Communication and Operative Control/Revision Analysis of area critical points Agreements with influent stakeholders in the area Area improvement programme based on the whole pollutant flow instead of productive site. Advantages Shared targets and actions planning within a particularly complex area Implementation of simplifications and synergies about: Expenses saved by organisations : Advisory, Training, External and internal audit Simplification of orgnaisations management systems Common environmental targets and possibility to start scale economies. Shared communication and image enhancement. Clearly communication Sharing of targets with other stakeholders Improvement of data quality Reach environmental targets in a simple way Sharing of human resources for services and collective procedures ( i.e. emergencies management) EMAS as a Governance tool EMAS as a Governance Tool

12 EMAS development in the Chemical District of Ravenna TargetsActivitiesResultsWhy is better with EMAS Environmental certification of the Organisations located within the Industrial Area To prepare an Agreement between Public Authorities and organisations of the Industrial Area To elaborate an Environmental review of the area. This environmental review should be useful also for the companies to obtain data and objectives. 16 companies have obtained ISO certification 3 companies have obtained EMAS registration. Another 2 will obtain the registration not later than The Province of Ravenna has started the EMAS adoption process. EMAS and environmental certification are a pretext to establish a continuous improvement of the Industrial Area. The certifications of all area companies could guarantee a better legal compliance and the possibility to obtain better territorial environmental performances. EMAS as a Governance Tool

13 EMAS –IA SCHEME EMAS as a Governance Tool

14 EMAS development in the Chemical District of Ravenna TargetsActivitiesResultsWhy is better with EMAS To enhance the Environmental impacts of the Chemical District To find a common Planning objectives with companies. These objectives should regard the critical points of the Industrial Area. Companies have modified their structure in order to reduce emissions, to improve the quality of sewage and to reclaim land and water-bearing stratum. EMAS actions help interested parties to share targets and to integrate resources with the guarantee of a serious process (that will be verified by a third party). The guarantee is over both public and private activities. EMAS as a Governance Tool

15 EMAS development in the Chemical District of Ravenna TargetsActivitiesResultsWhy is better with EMAS Internal and external communication of Industrial Area To develop tools for communication of results of improvement actions Promotion committee should set up a Communication Forum, a web site and an environmental report for the Industrial Area (as a information source for the companies). Communication procedures can help communication effectiveness. EMAS is synonymous of transparency and credibility; principal elements for communication. EMAS as a Governance Tool

16 EMAS development in the Chemical District of Ravenna TargetsActivitiesResultsWhy is better with EMAS EMAS Registration of the Chemical District of Ravenna To set up a Promotion Committee for the programme EMAS certification regards conformity with opinion of Clusters National Committee EMAS registration programme shall be a container of promotion initiatives about environmental certification and communication toward stakeholders.. EMAS is an important element of cohesion. Development of an Industrial Area EMAS can promote the integration of Public Bodys resources with the common and shared environmental targets of companies. EMAS as a Governance Tool

17 How does EMAS work as a tool for territorial policy? Interested parties involvement; Research of a better environmental performance of territory; Research of a higher data quality; Definition of shared environmental programmes. EMAS as a Governance Tool

18 Considerations EMAS, is a policy tool if: System maintains credibility and authority; New regulation permits network initiatives to be recognised; New regulation examines and underlines EMAS application in Public Authorities; Further advantages for registered organisations will be found. EMAS as a Governance Tool

19 Thank you for your attention! Authors: Alessandro Di Stefano, Enrico Cancila For further information please contact: Enrico Cancila – Emilia Romagna development agency / – – ( EMAS as a Governance Tool