French policy on product environmental footprint display

Transcription

1 IEFE L impronta ambientale dei prodotti Milan, 8 October 2012 French policy on product environmental footprint display Sylvain Chevassus French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, and Energy 1 Ministère de l'écologie, du Développement durable, des Transports et du Logement The French system for product environmental information display : 5 pillars 1. Legislative basis: 2 laws Grenelle 2. Supporting the private initiatives since ADEME AFNOR technical and multi-stakeholders platform «expertise and standardisation» 4. National experiment: July Sharing methodological developments at the European level 2

2 1.1 Legislative basis: 2 articles in the Grenelle laws Law «Grenelle 1» - art. 54 : Consumers must have access to sincere, objective and comprehensive environmental information on the overall characteristics of the product / packaging pair [ ] France will support the recognition of these same requirements on the European Union level. [ ] The methodology associated with the evaluation of these impacts will be discussed in consultation with the relevant stakeholders. Law «Grenelle 2» - art.228 : From 1 July 2011, and after consultation with all stakeholders of the relevant sectors, an experiment will be conducted for a minimum period of one year. The objective of this experiment is to inform the consumer, gradually and by any suitable method, of the carbon footprint of products and their packaging, and the consumption of natural resources or impact on natural environments that are attributable to these products throughout their life cycle Legislative basis: in a nutshell Grenelle 1, art. 54: a consumer right Grenelle 2, art.228: a one year experimentation phase starting 1 July 2011 LCA approach multicriteria (carbon footprint + at least 1 other) then, after its assessment potential general implementation to display environmental characteristics of products, at the consumer level 4

3 2. Supporting the existing private initiatives since ADEME AFNOR multi-stakeholders technical platform General platform with industry and stakeholders Methodological working group Sector working groups (product categories) Communication format working group 670 organisations Database governance committee >1000 experts 6

4 3.2 Repository of «good practices» BP X General guidelines to develop methodological documents (product or sector category rules) General methodology for the quantification of environmental impacts of consumer products Life Cycle approach : ISO consistent Product and packaging Multicriteria approach: a mandatory carbon footprint indicator + other indicators A public and generic database All documents available in English: Sector working groups 1. Food and pet food 2. Electric and electronic equipment 3. Cleaning products, products for garden 4. Body care 5. Clothes, textile, shoes, bags 6. Construction products 7. Furniture 8. Paper and stationery 9. Tableware, crockery, cooking products 10. Sport equipment, outdoor, toys 11. Non electric equipment, ironmongery 8

5 3.4 Work on Product Category Rules (PCR) Finalised & validated PCR Food, beverage, pet food Shoes Backpack Shampoo Toilet paper TV Racket (foot, volley) Sport balls (tennis) Sport balls Bedding Disposable nappies Wooden furnitures Sofa Printer paper In progress Detergents Clothes Stationery Toys National experiment : «Grenelle II» implementing law (2010), article 228 Requirements : quantification + communication to the end consumer compliance with BPX and LCA approach, and with PCR (if already adopted) carbon footprint with absolute figures multicriteria (at least one more envir. criterion) To be tested: technical feasibility, communication, costs, methods, data access, etc. Flexibility was given to the companies: Communication formats and media Choice of additional environmental indicators starting date (between 1 July until 1 December 2011) 10

6 4.2 Experiment: a wide range of sector and products Food.. Beverage.. Body care. Clothing, shoes, home textiles.. Stationery, publication, edition.. Electric & electronic equipt, furniture Building materials. Supermarkets distribution Others Experiment: a wide range of company types 230 applicants from all sectors 168 selected; projects started 1 July 2011 size: 30% have less than 50 employees 25% have more than 500 employees 70 from the food sector Foreign companies: Agricom (Chile), Bogota Chamber of Commerce (Colombia), H&M (Sweden) French branches of multinationals: Nestlé, Coca-Cola, Pepsico, Colgate-Palmolive, Heineken, Levi Strauss, Procter and Gamble, Unilever, J&J, Henkel etc 12

7 4.5 Experiment: a wide range of operations 13 Experiment: examples 14

8 Nescafé et Nespresso 3 environnemental indicators : climate depletion of nonrenewable natural resources water 3. communication mobile phone : Application proxiproduit magazine («Croquons la vie») internet : aboration

9 17 Environmental Index developed by Casino, Bio Intelligence Service and partners (Alter Eco, Fruité SAS, Glon Sanders Holding, MerAlliance, Monoprix, Saint Amand, Saint Michel) On the back of the pack : definitions, weblink for more informations code 2D : access to the information details Environmental Indice is located front of the pack: a simple and immediate information for the consumer. 18

10 Picard fioul In shops On internet % de CO2 20

11 One year national experiment 21

12 One year national experiment Experiment: the evaluation items Technical feasability and data issues Communication and information medium Relations along the supply chain Costs (in experimental conditions) Other business effects (internal mobilization) Consumer reaction and understanding 24

13 4.7 Experiment: the evaluation means Self-assessment by the companies Official questionnaire to all companies Assessment by consumers organisations Control tests by the French market surveillance authorities (DGCCRF) General assessment and synthesis by the ministry Experiment: first general lessons Success of the call (230 applicants) Business mobilisation and involvment ; boosting of expertise and capacity building Business internal cooperation (eg between communication and environment services) Business creativity. Project wealth and diversity (labels, indicators, communication) Sector (eg methodological exchanges) and supply-chain cooperations (eg retailer-producer, producer-supplier) International interest (institutional and private) Technical issues (eg feedback on footprinting and data) Advantages of being pioneers 26

14 5.1 Sharing methodological developments at the international and European levels Several initiatives around the world: ISO standards ( , 14067, 14046, etc.) public and public-private initiatives (UK, Japan, South Korea, Thaïland, Sweden, New Zealand, Taiwan, Canada, EU, Switzerland, Italy, France,..) sector initiatives (Food SCP Round-Table, Sustainability Consortium, textiles Product Category Rules (PCR) and Sector Category Rules developments UNEP, UN ECLAC (Santiago de Chile, Chili), UN ESCAP (Seoul, South Korea) Harmonisation is needed: WTO and EU trade rules are taken into account in the policy development and any measure will be duly notified to EU and WTO France active in European and international harmonisation and standardisation works (ISO, EU, international dialogues etc.) 27 Specific measures already adopted CO2 information on transport services: obligatory from 2013 VOC label on construction and decoration products: obligatory for new products in 2012, all products from Sept preparation of a measure establishing an official framework for EPDs on construction and decoration products 28

15 Please visit 29 Thank you for your attention Contacts: Sylvain Chevassus tel: sylvain.chevassus@developpement-durable.gouv.fr Web page in English : Environmental-Footprint.html 30