Voluntary approachesand resource efficiency

in the Czech Republic

Pavel Ruzicka, MoE CZ14/10/2011, ACT CLEAN, Berlin

Source: EEA

Voluntary approaches

• Activities of enterprises that– aim at improvement of environmental

performance– go beyond legislative requirements

(on voluntary basis)– focus on preventive activities

• Environmental management systems• Cleaner production• Environmental labelling

Cleaner production

• Resource efficiency in production processes– energy and material flows, waste, emissions– focus on causes of environmental impacts

• CZ:– implemented from 1990s– International declaration (1998) and National

CP programme (2000)

Example: Ceramic industry

• Energy and material flows analysis

• Technological and organizational measures

• Results:– Energy, water, natural gas,

emissions, clay, waste– Financial benefits

Environmental management systems

• Systematic approach to management of environmental issues (incl. resource efficiency)– ISO 14001 x EMAS

• CZ:– dynamic development of ISO 14001– EMAS implemented in 1998

Example: Electrical engineering

• Environmental performanceand ecodesign of products

• Circuit breaker– Arrangement of components,

materials used

• Results:– 42 % reduction of weight (+ materials)– 70 % reduction of energy consumption– Financial benefits

Environmental labelling

• Environmental characteristics of products– resource efficiency criteria as well– three types of labelling

• CZ:– national and EU ecolabel– movement in EPD

Current activities

• Implementation of Ecodesign Directive• Green Public Procurement• Projects on „Initial review of SCP

potential“

Green Public Procurement

• EC Communication: Public procurement for better environment (2008)

• CZ: Rules for GPP (2010)– environmental requirements that must be

followed– selected product categories– ecolabelling

Initial review of SCP potential

• Complex diagnosis of enterprise– analysis of company’s processes, products,

management systems, relations with stakeholders, etc.

– identification of key areas forimprovement

– identification of relevant instruments– design of particular projects

Initial review of SCP potential

• Developed and tested in 2007 – 2008– pilot projects– training of SCP managers– regional information centres

• Projects in progress– up to 45 enterprises included– training of SCP managers– new regional information centre

Thank you for attention