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Last changed: 11/05/12
One of the objectives of the research project was to conduct research on the Länder regulations concerning green public procurement. Results were published in August 2011. The project, run by the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) and Öko-Institut e.V., will conclude in October 2012.
Green procurement has gained importance in the public sector, yet there is still widespread uncertainty as to its practical implementation. A research project sponsored by the Federal Environment Agency addresses the issue, and as a result of the project Analysis of public procurement in Germany: The example of the federal level and measures to further its environmental orientation, training material was developed by the Öko-Institut e.V. and the Technische Universität Dresden. A training brochure addresses the following six topics:
The report also focuses on how a self-evaluation tool implemented at a large federal procurement office revealed both hindrances and coping strategies in green procurement.
The study was commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Environment (BMU) to the McKinsey & Company Inc. consulting group.
The federal, Laender and municipal authorities dispose of enormous market potential with an annual procurement budget of some 260 billion euros. Of that sum, more than 50 billion euros are of immediate relevance for “green” future markets. The study documents for the first time how green procurement can lower costs and open up new markets for environmentally sound products.
Based on the McKinsey study a dialog between these three levels of authority is to take place on how the proposed measures can be implemented in concert. The BMU objective is to create an alliance for sustainable procurement that bundles the collective force of the three levels of authority. Such an alliance could bring new environmentally friendly technologies to the fore.
A download of the study (in German) is available from the BMU website.
Öko-Institut e.V was commissioned by the Federal Environment Agency to conduct the National implementation of the new EU public procurement directives research project.
One aim of the project was to estimate the volume of public procurement in Germany. Furthermore, the environmental relief potential of the product groups
was investigated.
Examples for tender documents resulted from these investigations which will facilitate the tendering process in public offices and in municipalities. An LCC (life cycle costing) tool was developed with which to compare the life cycle costs of different procurement alternatives.
In the course of the project Öko-Institut e.V. and Prof. Versteyl (Attorneys) also drafted a legal opinion on the national implementation of the new EU procurement directives, which details ways to integrate environmental aspects in the tendering process.
The Federal Environment Agency has compiled the key results of the National implementation of the new EU public procurement directives research project in a brochure aimed at procurement officers. The German-language brochure title is Umweltfreundliche Beschaffung – ökologische und wirtschaftliche Potenziale rechtlich zulässig nutzen.
The EU Commission issued a toolkit in 2008 that aims to promote green public procurement more strongly throughout Europe. The toolkit consists of an introductory PowerPoint presentation and three additional modules: an "Action plan for green public procurement", a "Legal module" and a "Practical module". The practical module has recommendations for criteria pertinent to environmentally friendly procurement of the following product groups:
Two levels of criteria are distinguished for each product: core and comprehensive. These may be selected according to the experience gained by the authority and the current situation on the market.
The EU toolkit can be downloaded from the European Commission Directorate General for Environment website. The PowerPoint presentation and practical module are also available in German.
Meanwhile the European Commission issued requirements for 19 product groups. They can be downloaded at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/gpp/eu_gpp_criteria_en.htm.
The "Guidelines for the Environmentally Sound Organisation of Events" have now been updated under the new title "Guidelines for the Sustainable Organisation of Events" and agreed on in the interministerial steering group. Since 6 December 2010, the Guidelines have also formed part of the Federal Government's programme of measures on sustainability which was adopted in 6 December 2010. They contain recommendations and practical tips on the main areas of action when organizing events in a variety of areas (e.g. politics, culture, sport). The Guidelines are intended to serve as a working aid for the staff entrusted with the organisation of events of this kind, helping them to prepare and implement the necessary arrangements in an environmentally sound, socially compatible fashion.
In addition, two guidelines have been published which specifically address eco-management systems for festivals/events and environmental considerations at large sporting events. The Federal Ministry for Environment is co-publisher of both.
The Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) has also published a manual on the organisation of environmentally friendly festivals (in German).