Sustainable Chemistry Work at OECD – Results and Perspectives Sustainable Chemistry Work at OECD – Results and Perspectives Peter Börkey Environment Directorate Green and Sustainable Chemistry 8 June 2012, Venice

Overview What is the OECD? Some recent results on Green Chemistry Innovation –Trends from Patent Data –Survey of chemists OECD work on Green Chemistry –Sustainable chemistry platform –Substitution of harmful chemicals The Green Growth Knowledge Platform

The OECD 30 member countries (5 accession countries, 5 enhance engagement countries) Economics-based, multi-sectoral Forum to share experiences and derive policy lessons, source of comparative data Council approves Programme of Work and Budget for a 2-year period Committees and Working Parties supervise policy analysis work Secretariat: staff, based in Paris OECD Chemicals Programme: e.g. Good Laboratory Practices (MAD), Test Guidelines Programme

Green chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances.

Work carried-out in 2010 Measures the output of innovation EPO World Patent Statistical (PATSTAT) database, using search algorithms based on a selection of International Patent Classification (IPC) codes propensity to patent both product and process innovations is higher in the chemical industry than in other sectors Focus was on the following technologies: Biochemical Fuel Cells Biodegradable packaging Aqueous solvents Selected White Biotech TCF Bleaching Technologies Green plastics

Survey of Chemists Collaboration with: –Department of Government, London School of Economics –Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering, Yale University Internet opinion poll: via SurveyMonkey –Yale Center Contacts –Green Chemistry International Chapters –Other Professional & Industrial Organizations

Demographics 146 Respondents: Individuals (not firms) Respondents reported their own location in 24 different areas Firms with HQ in 22 different areas –OECD: 124 (80 in US) –Outside of OECD: 21 Market (primary): –Domestic: 64% –Export: 46%

Conclusions Sustained innovation in many areas of SC White Biotech is area with most patent applications Chemists in industry view green/sustainable chemistry as a growing, profitable area in the future Regulatory requirements and product standards are most important policy factors driving SC innovation

Current Market

Perceived Regulatory Fragmentation Among Main Markets Regulatory Context

Policy Impacts Perceived Importance of Specific Policy Measures to the Development of Green/Sustainable Chemistry

Other OECD Work on Green Chemistry Sustainable Chemistry Platform mistry_platform/ mistry_platform/ Support information exchange and identification of projects that would benefit from international cooperation

Berlin Conference 6-7 October 2011 Organised by German Federal Environment Agency, with UNIDO, GIZ and OECD 100 experts from 14 countries Focus on: –Supply chain issues –Chemicals policies and management –Sustainable chemistry in SMEs and developing countries

Key recommendations for OECD Decision support tools –They have a crucial role to play in supporting substitution –A large number of tools has been developed and is available –Recommendations: Create an inventory of decision support tools Develop a toolbox Data –Issue with access and availability –Recommendations: Efforts to make existing data more accessible and produce more of it

OECD Work in Programme of Work : “Tools and approaches to support decision making for the substitution of harmful chemicals” –Set-up of an Ad Hoc Group (2012) –Inventory of tools and scoping of issues (2012) –Workshop to take stock and discuss follow-up (early 2013) –Feasibility report on toolbox (2014) –Inventory of data sources (2014)

 Mission: enhance and expand efforts to identify and address major knowledge gaps in green growth theory and practice help countries design and implement green growth policy

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Additional slides

Acknowledgements Survey OECD Environmental Directorate: –Nick Johnstone –Peter Börkey Yale Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering –Erin McBurney & Janice Mitchell Zheng Cui Suojiang Zhang RK Sharma Jorge G. Ibáñez Mihkel Koel Marc Vermeulen Mary Anne Beaudette

Demographics

Firm SizeDemographics

Demographics

Market Potential Market Potential

Market Potential

Green Growth framework Balanced tax structures R&D and innovation policy Competition Infrastructure investment Openness to trade and FDI Enabling conditions Pricing of pollution and resource use Subsidy reform Regulatory and policy predictability Support to basic research and emerging technologies Governance of natural assets Key policy tools Water scarcity Climate change Health impacts of pollution Biodiversity loss Major environmental issues Skills and labour market adjustment Distributional and competitiveness concerns Science and technology cooperation Development assistance Management of global public goods Promoting transition Productivity of resource use Physical evolution of the natural asset base Environmental quality of life Opportunities arising from environmental considerations Evolution of policy and social responses Promoting efforts consistent with international standards Measurement agenda