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The Sustainable Products Initiative, foreseen for December, could change our consumption patterns forever, eliminating short-lived, single use products and making reuse and repair the norm.
This afternoon, at the ‘Making Sustainable Products the Norm’ online conference, which marked ECOS 20th anniversary [2], high-level speakers gave the first hints as to what the initiative could look like.
‘As up to 80% of our products’ environmental impact is determined by design, that’s where we want to concentrate much of our attention’, explained Commissioner Sinkevičius in his opening speech.
The Commission’s goal is that of ‘an ambitious tool that makes a difference’, he said, explaining that the Commission wants to spur a dramatic increase in the potential for reuse, repair and recycling and a step change in the availability of product information.
‘Standards will play a key role’, he warned. ‘Some of the existing standards will need to be adapted but a new generation of standards fit for the market of the future will also be required. Timely delivery will be very important’.
The conference continued with a panel debate with high-level representatives from UNCTAD, the Global Electronics Council, the ISEAL Alliance, the Commission’s DG Environment, and ECOS.
Speakers debated the potential of the SPI to transform the way we design our products, the role of standards in this process, and the opportunity for Europe to inspire the rest of the world with ambitious environmental policies.
Justin Wilkes, ECOS executive director, said:
‘The EU already has policies which proved to be a great success – such as ecodesign, which helps avoid thousands of tonnes of CO2 emissions. But in order to achieve Europe’s climate and environmental sustainability ambitions, we need more, and we need better. Underpinned by forward-looking standards, the Sustainable Product Initiative has the potential to start a global race to the top and can transform the way we consume and make reuse and repair part of our everyday lives’.
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