The document provides guidance principles for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) databases; this includes how to collect raw data, how to develop datasets and how to manage databases. The publication also addresses questions concerning data documentation and review, coordination among databases, capacity building and future scenarios. LCA databases provide fundamental energy, materials, land, water consumption data and emissions data into water, air and soil for a wide range of processes, products and materials. In this way, the publication provides the bridge between the data users and the data providers, making basic information easily accessible for computing the environmental footprints of materials and products that are key to make and judge green claims and to allow institutional and individual consumers to make informed consumption choices.
The document is the output of the UNEP/SETAC "Global Guidance for LCA Databases" workshop, (30 January - 4 February 2011, Shonan, Japan), also known as the ‘Shonan Guidance Principles’ workshop.
Fostering sustainable industries and industrial development requires the use of effective indicators. Though a multitude of indicators exist, their applicability to sustainable industries remains largely unaddressed to date. In the RISI project, Ecologic Institute reviewed the available scientific knowledge in order to evaluate existing indicators and propose recommendations concerning their usability and the potential need for further indicator development. Ecologic Institute has now published a shorter version of the project results as a Ecologic Brief with forewords by Heinz Leuenberger, Director of UNIDO’s Environmental Management Branch (EMB), and R. Andreas Kraemer, Director of Ecologic Institute.
The Ecologic Brief is tailored specifically to the information needs of political decision-makers and experts in industrial resource efficiency.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Government of Japan and UNIDO organized the Tokyo Green Industry Conference (TGIC) 2011 on 16-18th November 2011 at the Tokyo Big Sight Conference Centre in Tokyo, Japan. The TGIC aimed to highlight the availability of environmental and resource conservation techniques and practices that are good for business, environment and climate, employees, communities and consumers. The TGIC provided a platform to discuss policy and business solutions for achieving the widespread uptake of today’s proven techniques and technologies and for enabling innovation to deliver longer term solutions that would enable even greater reductions in resource use and pollution intensity. Through related activities organized in collaboration with the INCHEM 2011 environmental technology exhibition, TGIC also provided opportunities to match environmental technology needs of participating developing countries with the international supply of Best Available Techniques (BAT) and Best Environmental Practices (BEP).
This paper explores in more detail the sustainability and economic challenges and opportunities of industrial development. In keeping with UNIDO’s mandate, the focus is on industry in the developing countries. How can enterprises in these countries become greener and lessen their environmental footprint while at the same time continuing to grow and deliver goods, services and jobs to their populations? What role should the governments of developing countries play in this process? Answers to these questions must take into account one overriding imperative: that industry in developing countries needs to grow. Industrial development is the only mechanism that will enable developing countries to reduce the level of poverty and hardship they face. The conclusion offers a strategy for the development aid community, designed to help developing countries bridge the gap between the present and the future.
Chemical leasing is a service-oriented business model that shifts the focus from increasing sales volume of chemicals toward a value-added approach. Chemical leasing forms part of UNIDO’s strategy to assist enterprises globally in a variety of aspects related to green industry. Over the past few years, this innovative approach has been implemented in a number of different sectors, processes and countries. Experience has shown that it is best applied to processes that are not the core know-how of the chemical user, such as cleaning, degreasing and painting, etc. In 2005, UNIDO launched the Global Chemical Leasing Programme, which is presently supported by the Governments of Austria and Germany. At the national level, it is implemented in close cooperation with respective National Cleaner Production Centres (NCPCs).