At a recent virtual forum – Daring Cities – participants from over 45 countries explored the topic of sustainable procurement. Sustainable procurement – using public spending to achieve social and environmental objectives – aims to reduce the adverse impacts of purchased products and services throughout their life. The forum was led by ICLEI’s Global Lead City Network (GLCN) on Sustainable Procurement.
“We need to mainstream procurement practices that connect (the) administrative function with the impact the function has for citizens, for their well-being,” stated Paulo Magina, head Public Procurement, Infrastructure and Public Procurement Division, OECD.
A number of GLCN member cities are incorporating the policy into their administration systems:
The City of Cape Town, South Africa recently finalised a Green Procurement Action Plan which seeks to consolidate and mainstream the implementation of green procurement in the City;
In 2017, Oslo, Norway adopted a new procurement strategy which states that all purchasing decisions have to contribute to the goal of becoming an emission free city. “In Oslo we believe that emission reductions are not to be implemented somewhere else, another time or by someone else. We want to take responsibility now and our goal is to reduce emissions by 95% by 2030,” said Espen Nicolaysen, Head of Section Public Procurement, City of Oslo; and,
The City of Pittsburgh is using procurement to reach its goals for 2030, such as their goal of operating the entire city with 100% renewable energy. ICLEI USA plans to support Pittsburgh in the quantification of greenhouse gas emissions impacts associated with the city’s procurement and supply-chains.
“Pittsburgh is proud to join the cities in the GLCN as we recognize that climate justice and sustainability must be addressed locally and globally. Procurement is an investment of public money and so it’s critical that it be spent in an equitable and responsible way that promotes clean energy and sustainable solutions so that our money, our investments, and our jobs are creating a better Pittsburgh and world for all,” said mayor William Peduto.