Scientific studies provide valuable insight into green procurement
Source: Tobias Kaltenbach/ fotolia.com
Overview of German Environment Agency (UBA) and Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) research on green procurement
The research project (FKZ 3719 37 3080) was carried out by Berliner Energieagentur GmbH together with the law firm Becker Büttner Held on behalf of the German Environment Agency from August 2019 to October 2022.
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This study is carried out jointly by Berliner Energieagentur GmbH and law firm Becker Büttner Held on behalf of the German Environment Agency; it started in June 2017 and is slated for completion by February 2021.
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The IÖW (Institute for Ecological Economy Research) and the Öko-Institut e.V. carried out this study (project code 3715 37 3260) on behalf of the German Environment Agency from September 2015 to February 2019.
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This research project was carried out from 2013 to 2016 by the IÖW (Institute for Ecological Economy Research) and Öko-Institut e.V. on behalf of the German Environment Agency (project code 3713 95 321).
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The Umweltbundesamt (German Environment Agency) has commissioned Berliner Energieagentur GmbH to carry out a study titled “Stärkung der umweltfreundlichen öffentlichen Beschaffung” (Strengthening green public procurement) that is slated for completion by march of 2015.
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The green procurement optimization research project titled Weiterentwicklung der Umweltfreundlichen Beschaffung unter Bezugnahme auf den EU-Aktionsplan für Nachhaltigkeit in Konsum- und Produktion und eine nachhaltige Industriepolitik (SCP/SIP-Aktionsplan) und die EU-Mitteilung zum umweltorientieten öffentlichen Beschaffungswesen was carried out by Institut für ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung (IÖW) and Öko-Institut e.V. on behalf of the UBA. The project came to an end in October 2012.
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During the research project, the following training documents on green procurement (six in all) were updated:
This research project was carried out by Adelphi Research and by Freie Universität Berlin’s Forschungsstelle für Umweltpolitik (Environmental policy research center) on behalf of the UBA.
Although green procurement is taking on ever growing importance in the public sector, a great deal of uncertainty remains as to exactly how such procurement is to be implemented. The UBA funds research in this area.
Öko-Institut e.V. and Dresden Technical University jointly elaborated training materials as part of a research project titled Analyse des öffentlichen Beschaffungswesens in Deutschland am Beispiel der Bundesebene und Maßnahmen zu seiner noch umweltfreundlicheren Ausrichtung (Analysis of public procurement in Germany using federal procurement as an example; measures aimed at making such procurement more eco-friendly). These materials were divided into the following six topic areas and documents:
In addition, a major federal office of procurement used a self evaluation tool to identify common impediments to green procurement and strategies to overcome them.
This study was commissioned by the Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMU) and carried out by McKinsey & Company.
The €260 billion expended annually f or federal, regional-state and municipal procurement represents a huge market, more than €50 billion of which is directly relevant for the green markets of the future. The McKinsey study was the first to show that green procurement can reduce costs and open up new markets for eco-friendly products.
In light of this study, it’s now up to federal agencies to engage in a dialogue with regional state and municipal governments as to how the recommended measures can be implemented. The Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMU) is striving to forge sustainable-procurement alliance with municipalities, regional states and federal agencies. Such an alliance would help promote the commercialization and use of eco-friendly technologies.
Öko-Institut e.V. was commissioned by UBA to carry out a research project titled Nationale Umsetzung der neuen EU-Beschaffungs-Richtlinien (National implementation of the new EU procurement directives) that involved the following:
• Estimating the monetary value of the public procurement sector in Germany
• Determining the environmental-relief potential and cost effectiveness of, and drafting specimen calls for tenders for, the following types of products: workstation computers; multi-function devices; agricultural irrigation systems; building and glass cleaning agents.
• Development of life cycle costing tools that allow for side by side comparisons of the life cycle costs entailed by various procurement modalities.
• Drafting of a legal opinion concerning the whole range of options available in terms of incorporating environmental aspects into procurement processes.
The main findings of the study are summarized in a pamphlet titled Umweltfreundliche Beschaffung – ökologische und wirtschaftliche Potenziale rechtlich zulässig nutzen.
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• Advisory pamphlet titled Umweltfreundliche Beschaffung – ökologische und wirtschaftliche Potenziale rechtlich zulässig nutzen (December 2008)
• Research report titled Nationale Umsetzung der neuen EU-Beschaffungs-Richtlinien (October 2008)
• Document on life cycle costing titled LCC-Tool – Berechnung der Lebenszykluskosten (May 2008)
The UBA’s motto, For our environment (“Für Mensch und Umwelt”), sums up our mission pretty well, we feel. In this video we give an insight into our work.
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