In the coming weeks, we will publice a series of articles to explain how the CO2 Performance Ladder can contribute to European climate policy. Today we start with the European Green Deal: we've all heard about it, but what exactly is it?
Green public procurement (GPP) is developing rapidly across Europe, and the CO2 Performance Ladder can play a large role in boostin those efforts. These are the results of recent research conducted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). Each year, European governments spend €1.8 trillion (14% of EU GDP) buying goods and services from the private sector but there is no requirement to consider the climate in these decisions. Shifting to green public procurement can result in a green revolution among companies and their supply chains, and the CO2 Performance Ladder can help.
Public procurement provides a key entry point for governments to change the trajectory of their greenhouse gas emissions, and to meet climate goals in line with their international commitments to the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals, and - in Europe - to the European Green Deal. In the coming years, it is therefore essential that public procurement, which accounts for 15% of carbon emissions globally, becomes a driver of innovation and commercialization of low-carbon infrastructure, goods, and services. By Laura Turley, Liesbeth Casier and Ronja Bechauf from IISD. Read the original article here.
The board of The Foundation for Climate Friendly Procurement and Business (SKAO) has reduced the annual contribution for CO2 Performance Ladder certified organisations. The rates for 2022 have been reduced by about 5% compared to 2021. The new rates will come into effect on 1 March 2022. Organisations that have already met their financial obligations for the year 2022 will receive a refund of the excess amount paid.
In Antwerp, the ring road around the city is being made circular, complete with underground (and stacked) tunnels. The CO2 performance ladder was used for this gigantic project, but not in the way it is usually done. It was quite a challenge. Nevertheless, the management company Lantis hopes that the Ladder will contribute to making the multi-billion project as sustainable as possible.
During the event of the Ministry of Economic Affairs on January 27, urban planners PosadMaxwan were awarded the 1200th certificate for the CO2 Performance Ladder. "We are of course very proud of that," says Shirley Voermans, CO2 Project Leader and office manager and associate at the company. She and Froukje van de Klundert, designer and associate, talk about the role of the CO2 Performance Ladder in PosadMaxwan's sustainability goals and activities.
Public sector procurement activities are directly or indirectly responsible for 15% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, seven times the amount emitted by the entire aviation industry, according to a new report from the World Economic Forum and Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Around the world, the study finds, governments currently spend $11 trillion—or 15% of global GDP—on procurement every year, making the transition to green public procurement crucial for reaching net zero.
For Charlotte Pars of ProRail, it is clear: as a contracting authority, you must use the influence you have to contribute to a more sustainable world. She shows that this can be done with little effort. For procuring entities which have perfected the basics, like ProRail, there are chances that require courage to take, but which also have the potential to achieve more results. In concrete terms, ProRail allows contractors to contribute to the design of projects and even to the standards that must be met. ‘By using the contractor's expertise, we can make more sustainable choices.’
Several pilot projects are currently taking place in Belgium in which a CO2 Performance Ladder certificate yields an award advantage in the procurement. One of those projects is the renovation of the Scheldelaan in Antwerp. What role did the CO2 Performance Ladder play in that project? And what sustainability actions were taken?
The Foundation for Climate Friendly Procurement and Business (SKAO) aims to accelerate CO2 reduction in Europe by stimulating sustainable procurement through the CO2 Performance Ladder. How are they going to do that? Maud Vastbinder (project manager) and George Thurley (project officer) tell us all about the ambitions of the CO2 Performance Ladder in Europe.
Van Oord is working hard to make its often heavy equipment, such as excavators and large dredgers more sustainable. However, to accelerate the pace international cooperation and shared sustainability goals are crucial.
It has been a procurement requirement at the Delfland Water Board (Hoogheemraadschap van Delfland, HHvD) to use the CO2 Performance Ladder as an award criterion since 2018, in tenders where this is applicable and proportionate. This also applies to the RAW framework agreement for extraordinary maintenance of polder and dyke embankments, an agreement that runs until 2024. Chris Borst, contract manager at the Water Board, explains how he used the Ladder differently in his tender and shares his ideas on sustainable procurement.
