Founding fathers of the CO₂ Performance Ladder reminisce
Ger van der Wal and Johan van Dalen are in the books as the founding fathers of the CO₂ Performance Ladder. From the initial idea to its elaboration and rollout... They are responsible for allowing the CO₂ Performance Ladder to rapidly grow into a successful sustainability instrument. How did the initial phase of the Ladder go? Ger and Johan (both now happily retired) reminisce.
A new report explores low-carbon concrete and construction procurement in six leading countries, one of which is the Netherlands, and identifies the CO2 Performance Ladder as a key tool in the Dutch GPP approach.
The Central College of Experts (in Dutch CCvD) has published a new harmonisation act, which is normative from now on. It concerns situations where a certificate holder advances to a higher level, within 3 months of a Ladder assessment. In that case, only the additional requirements have to be assessed.
In Germany, a trial is being launched with solar panels on the sleepers between the tracks. DB and the British company Bankset Energy, which is responsible for the project, call the potential enormous.
Registrations for companies that have obtained projects with award advantage will now be a lot easier. That is the promise of the Project Impact Dashboard, or 'PID' for short, which SKAO is introducing today. Tijmen de Groot, project manager at SKAO and Bastina van Houwelingen, member of the project group representing contractors and also CCvD member, on behalf of the sector associations Cumela and MKB Infra, explain everything we need to know about this registration tool.
For companies working with the CO2 Performance Ladder, the energy transition is in full swing. There is a strong increase in the generation of energy and the electrification of mobility and mobile equipment. Measures to switch offices off from gas are also on the rise. This and more can be found in the Report on the 2021 CO2 Performance Ladder Measure List. But whether things are moving fast enough remains to be seen.
In addition to publishing the annual figures for 2021, SKAO has also published an Impact Report for the first time. This document is intended to provide a picture of the most important projects that SKAO carried out in 2021, with the aim of making the impact of the CO2 Performance Ladder visible. Annemiek Lauwerijssen, manager: 'Figures do not provide information about who is behind all this work, what the impact of the CO2 Performance Ladder is and what developments are taking place. The story behind the figures for 2021 is at least as interesting.'
In this 1.5-hour virtual event, IISD and SKAO will introduce you to the CO2 Performance Ladder and its use in public procurement. Procurement authorities and companies from the Netherlands and Belgium will explain the practicalities of using the CO2 Performance Ladder in public procurement processes and will provide you with tips for getting started.
The Emission Trading System (ETS) has been in place since 2005 for electricity and heat generation, energy-intensive industries and aviation. But as part of the Fit for 55 package, the ETS is getting a major boost. The new EC-ETS proposal strengthens the overall target for the sectors concerned to a 43% reduction in emissions by 2030 (compared to 2005). At the same time, the phase-out of emissions allowances will be accelerated, and from 2027 there will be no free allowances for intra-EU aviation. Shipping to and from the EU will also gradually come to be covered by the system between 2023 and 2026.
The Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) has existed since 2012, but as part of the Fit for 55 programme it is being revised, and strengthened.
It's really 1 minute to 12 now. The new IPCC report 'Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change' leaves no room for doubt. The options for halving our emissions in the next eight years are clearly described. It is striking that government purchasing power is specifically mentioned as one of these options for bringing about change.
The purpose of the taxonomy is to establish rules for which economic activities can be considered green - no mean feat. The idea is that it will: make it easier to invest in green activities, shift money to the sustainable economy, minimise greenwashing and increase clarity for all parties.
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Foundation for Climate Friendly Procurement and Business (SKAO) are pleased to invite you to participate in a virtual event that will showcase a joint project on low-carbon infrastructure procurement.
The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) sets new rules for what and how companies must report on sustainability. It covers not only CO2 but also circularity, biodiversity and the rights of workers in the value chain, among other topics. The CSRD will apply to all large companies and listed SMEs - some 50,000 companies across the EU.
The Fit for 55 package is the set of measures designed to meet the EU’s 2030 climate goals. Foremost among them is the target is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% in 2030 (compared to 1990). The package addresses the EU's climate, industrial, energy, transport and taxation policies, setting specific targets for each sector.
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.
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.
Sible Schöne is critical of Glasgow’s outcomes, but does see steps in the right direction between the lines.
Smeding & Zoon recently obtained a level 3 certificate of the CO2 Performance Ladder. But the fruit and vegetable wholesaler is concerned with sustainability in many more ways. From the fight against food waste to sustainable collaborations with partners. The family business has a simple (and sober) reason for its sustainable efforts: 'It just saves euros.'
In October, the Ministries of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK) and Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) obtained the certificate for the CO₂ Performance Ladder on level 3. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW) already preceded them and is now on level five. The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) is also looking forward to level 3 certification in early 2022 and is already preparing level 4.
All Dutch ministries are getting started to use the CO2 performance ladder. It helps ministries to achieve the government-wide objective: climate-neutral business operations by 2030.
The Central College of Experts (in Dutch: CCVD) of SKAO has published 2 new harmonisation decisions that are normative from now on. The first decision concerns the rules that apply when granting emission reductions to organisations that participate in renewable fuel programs for aviation. For example, it is described which sustainability requirements apply and which calculation rules must be applied. The second harmonisation decision states that companies that carry out CPT investigations belong in the category 'services', and not in the category 'works/supplies'. See the harmonisation acts for further explanation.
Contracting authorities in the Netherlands spent no less than €85 billion on products, works and services in 2019. This purchasing power can help enormously in achieving sustainable goals. Especially given Europe has had a unique tool to drive new sustainable solutions since 2014: the Innovation Partnership. Although applicable in the Netherlands since 2016, it is not yet widely used. Why is that, what are its strengths and where are its limitations? This article investigates the method with the help of Dutch pioneers and experts.
After Procurement Guide 3.0, there is now Procurement Guide 3.1: the updated guide for the application of the CO2 Performance Ladder in tenders.
How do you properly involve employees in your sustainable ambitions? How does behavioral change work in theory and practice? Isis Weekenborg and Eva Louwerenburg of OchtendMensen discussed this with Ingelou Sybrandij, Sustainability Coordinator at the police, and Reint Jan Renes, behavioral scientist and lecturer Psychology for a Sustainable City at the Hogeschool van Amsterdam.
With the 'Netherlands Circular 2050' programme, the government aims to achieve a fully circular economy in the Netherlands by 2050 at the latest. RIVM research now shows that the government can make a significant contribution by sustainable public procurement. 23% of the raw materials needed for our standard of living are purchased through the government.
The CO2 Performance Ladder is been given a subtle new look: a new logo is introduced in the year that the instrument is 12.5 years old. Organisations that used the old logo on their website as part of their certification are requested to use the new one.
Each year, European governments spend €1.8 trillion buying goods and services. Imagine what the world would look like if all these goods and services were produced and used, at low—or zero—greenhouse gas emission levels?
The Committee on Administrative Affairs, Communication and Finance (CBCF) of the Dutch Water Authorities is calling on all water authorities and organizations affiliated to water authorities to ensure that they are certified on the CO2 Performance Ladder by 2025 at the latest.
The board of the Climate Friendly Procurement & Business Foundation (SKAO) has lowered the annual contribution for CO2 Performance Ladder certified companies.
The rates for 2021 have been reduced by at least 1% compared to 2020. The new rates will take effect on 1 March 2021. Companies that have already fulfilled their financial obligation before 2021 will receive the excess amount paid back.
In the construction and infrastructure sector more and more attention is paid to innovation and sustainability. Various companies have stated strong sustainability ambitions. Where does this come from? And more importantly: how can the sector really be made more sustainable? Various experts from the infrastructure sector share their insights.
Selecta and Pelican Rouge Coffee Roasters have received a CO2-aware certificate for achieving level 3 on the CO2-Performance ladder. By receiving the certificate the companies show that they are actively working on CO2 reduction.
The second release of the 2020-2021 EIB climate survey focuses on how people intend to fight clamate change in 2021, what they are willing to give up to tackle the climate crisis, and how the COVID-19 pandemic affects their travel habits and intentions to fight climate change.
The survey finds that if given the choice to give up flying, meat1, new clothes2, video streaming services, or a car to fight climate change, 40% of Europeans would find it easiest to give up flying.
Since 2013, the dredging activities of Jan De Nul Group in the Benelux have been certified according to the CO2 Performance Ladder. Since 2020 the civil works in the Benelux, as well as all environmental works of Jan De Nul Group, have achieved the highest level 5. Jan De Nul Group continuously strives to reduce its environmental footprint, through an intensive energy management system focussing on lowering energy consumption and lower emissions.
The starting point of the Climate Agreement is that CO2 emissions must be reduced by 49% by 2030 compared to 1990, and by 95% by 2050. Many of the agreements must be fulfilled in the region. In 30 regions spread across the Netherlands, provinces, municipalities, water boards, companies, network operators, social organizations and citizens are therefore working together on a Regional Energy Strategy (RES). In the Zeeland region, the CO2 Performance Ladder is part of the RES. SKAO speaks with Evert Swart, policy advisor for the Scheldestromen Water Board and associated with the Zeeland RES.
Public procurement is more crucial than ever, as most of the COVID-19 recovery spending will be channelled through this process—so how can we ensure it drives innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability? And can we take this opportunity to rebrand it as a strategic (not just administrative) government function?
Delft, 10 November 2020. The Delfland water authority has today received a CO2 awareness certificate for achieving level 3 on the CO2 Performance Ladder. With this, the water authority receives the 1,000th certificate of the Ladder.
In the Climate Agreement, a CO2 reduction of 49% by 2030 has been agreed. That also means work to be done for municipalities. A tool that helps to make this reduction measurable is the CO2 Performance Ladder. The VNG developed a special program: CO2 reduction by municipalities. The municipality of Soest is certified under this program for level 3 on the CO2 Performance Ladder. Marloes Borsboom-Turabaz of the VNG and Soest alderman Nermina Kundić explain which steps municipalities can take in reducing CO2 emissions.
The Ministries of Ministry of Economic Affairs (EZK) and Climate Policy and Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) are today publishing their first joint report on the sustainability of their own business operations. In 2019, the national government has included the objective of climate-neutral operations by 2030 in the Climate Agreement. The sustainability report provides insight into the progress. The ministries of EZK and LNV share, among other things, the building, vehicle fleet and operational management and therefore opt for one sustainability report. The report published today covers calendar year 2019.
SKAO today published version 1.1 of the normative audit days table. The changes are the result of the publication of Handbook 3.1 and an evaluation among CIs of version 1.0.
The province of Gelderland is the first government organization to be certified for level 5 on the CO2 Performance Ladder. Deputy Jan Markink received the certificate on Monday 28 September 2020. The province aims to be a climate neutral organization by 2030.
Schiphol Trade Park, a special project in North Holland by area developer SADC :. The project is full of sustainable and circular practical examples, initiated by contractor KWS in collaboration with SADC. The company is level 5 certified on the CO2 Performance Ladder. What measures have been taken on the project and how does KWS work on sustainability and circularity?
CO2 emissions from Dutch economic activities were 21.1 percent lower in the second quarter than in the same quarter of 2019. According to the first calculation, gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 9.3 percent in the same period. The decrease in CO2 emissions is partly due to the fact that the energy companies used less coal in their production.
This conclusion is drawn in a study conducted by Arcadis on behalf of the Climate Friendly Procurement & Business Foundation (SKAO) and the Union of Water Boards.
The COVID-19 pandemic has a substantial impact on socio-economic activities and energy use, and therefore on CO2 emissions. For the short term, in the case of prolonged lockdowns worldwide until the end of 2020, a global CO2 emission reduction of 8%, compared to 2019, is estimated, based on data and projections of the IEA and Global Carbon Project.
The current situation with the Corona virus means that, in some cases, planned audits, including for the CO2 Performance Ladder, cannot be carried out on location. As an accredited scheme, SKAO refers to the latest version (April 7, 2020) of the explanatory document ( T051 ) that the Accreditation Council has published on its website for such situations.
