IPP Network Meeting London, 7-8 November 2005 A report of the discussions Bob Ryder Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (UK)

Overview of the Network meeting four key themes Presentations, workshops and break-out discussions on four key themes: assessment 1.An assessment of the current position of IPP visions 2.Future visions of what IPP might deliver priorities 3.Future governmental priorities for the actions and instruments to deliver change connections 4.Making the connections between IPP and other policies

1. Assessment of the current position Positive points: IPP is bringing policy-makers together, across the EU, around the growing challenge of reducing product impacts IPP is also starting to engage business and stakeholders on this challenge A useful evidence base is being built

Assessment of current position However … IPP is still at the evidence-gathering stage, conducting research and developing generic tools … …rather than generating action in specific product areas …so it is hard to demonstrate the value and effectiveness of an IPP approach …so the profile of IPP is still weak No strong political leadership … …so IPP is not ‘steering’ other relevant activities And the links with other EU strategies and activities are not clearly set out and understood … …so integration and influence is hard to achieve in practice Not enough capacity is devoted to IPP approaches at government level (national and EU)

‘Making IPP more real’ to policy leaders and stakeholders Moving into more ‘direct’ activities - identifying priority products, proposing specific targets, proposing specific plans for action More direct focus on ‘priority sectors’ (research findings now pointing towards … e.g. food products, building and energy products, personal transportation) Demonstrating relevance of ‘product policy’ to delivery of other EU strategies NB. Emerging policy agenda on ‘sustainable consumption’ - there’s a close connection with policy on products

2. Future visions of what IPP could deliver IPP needs a clear, strategic vision of the future Looking 15 years ahead (to 2020) the ambitions for the vision should be set high …

“2020: Products for a one-planet lifestyle” Vision of 2020, when … … Government action on consumption is widely accepted as ‘normal’ Consumers simply expect all products to be sustainable (just as, today, they expect all products to be safe) Eco-design is a routine part of business practice Business supply chains and public procurement apply constant pressure on sustainability of products Developing countries use ‘leapfrog’ product technologies Policy leaders and stakeholders see that IPP makes a strong and measurable contribution to the reduction of environmental, social and health impacts

3. Future priorities for driving change IPP should be ‘positioned’ with forward-looking agendas for innovation, competition, better regulation and better policy-making Essential ‘ingredients’ … A strong knowledge base of product impacts and markets Standards regimes for measuring products’ environmental performance Clear ‘product’ objectives for communication to businesses and consumers Selecting and targeting the interventions that will make the market work to deliver change

Tools with most potential to drive change? Evidence base Framework tools Information, education Procurement Economic signals Mandatory approaches Necessary to success of IPP? Potential to make dynamic change? Yes No Maybe!

Tools with most potential Procurement - giving strong environmental leadership, for today’s best practice and future technology Economic measures - fiscal and economic measures to give clear cost signals about sustainable choices ‘Smart’ mandatory approaches - frameworks like EuP which allow negotiation of a package of action for a product sector

Organisation, resources, capacity … Need to get the ‘product focus’ embedded in the organisation of governments and the Commission Otherwise - there can be no strong engagement about products with business and stakeholders Part of a general shift of resources … away from ‘end-of-pipe’ regulatory approaches, towards more horizontal ‘thematic’ strategies and programmes

Common needs of all IPP tools … Product regimes, eg. minimum standards, EuP Types of labelling Standardisation Public procurement ETAP - future performance targets 1.Knowledge base 2.Ability to define standards of performance 3. Mandate to engage with business and stakeholders

Current ‘loose’ model - ad hoc cooperation Product regimes (minimum standards, EuP, etc) Types of labelling Standardisation Public procurement Future performance targets Each area of activity tries to ‘borrow’ knowledge and coordinate action with others … etc !! e.g.

Future ‘tight’ model? - led and driven Product regimes (minimum standards, EuP, etc) Types of labelling Standardisation Public procurement Future performance targets 1.Coordination of knowledge base 2.Setting priorities 3.Giving each of the activity areas the information and ‘authority’ to take effective action

4. Connecting IPP and other policies IPP connects strongly with the wider agenda for sustainable consumption and production (SCP) A shared vision of the whole policy structure is needed - just how IPP fits into the SCP picture Possibility of doing this as part of an ‘SCP action plan’ under the Commission’s new EU Sustainable Development Strategy This would give a clearer ‘mandate’ for the practical areas of work where IPP must contribute

Thematic Strategies A possible IPP / SCP map … A possible IPP / SCP map … The SCP agenda Lisbon economic strategy 6th Environmental Action Programme EU Sustainable Development Strategy SCP FEATURES … SCP ACTIVITY AREAS … Cleaner production Resource efficiency Environmental management CSR Eco-design Product stewardship Social norms Cultural values Infrastructure to allow sustainable choice Performance standards and targets for products Raising product performance - through the supply chain More sustainable production patterns - material use, production processes, innovation and design More sustainable consumption patterns - through influence on human choices about spending and behaviour

Key areas for IPP to support SCP at EU level Strongest areas to contribute ? Identifying the priority products and performance targets for products - for use in key activity areas (eg, procurement, EuP) Using contribution on product impacts and product performance to help drive the ‘sustainable production’ agenda (life-cycle techniques, eco-design, resource efficiency) ‘Sustainable consumption’ - this agenda is not clearly formed yet. But IPP can support it strongly - enabling consumers to choose ‘greener’ products, opening up thinking about the overall impacts of consumption

Key areas for IPP to support SCP at international level Strongest areas to contribute ? EU Thematic Strategies - waste and resources Delivery programmes - climate change / energy efficiency Cooperation on raising product standards (‘Marrakech’ Task Force on Sustainable Products) and supporting standards through ISO and WTO Cooperation on the ‘sustainable consumption’ agenda (‘Marrakech’ Task Force on Sustainable Lifestyles, OECD analysis, UNEP workstreams on youth and marketing) Development policy - the ‘product’ dimension of technology transfer and new markets for developing economies

IPP Network Meeting London, 7-8 November 2005 A report of the discussions Bob Ryder Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (UK)