Editorial

The government has just announced a draft Green Public Procurement Action Plan which is open for consultation until mid-November. The thrust of the plan is that in future the government will give added weight to environmental considerations when it purchases goods and services.

Since the government's Department of Contracts wields considerable financial clout in its procurement of public goods and services - it undertook some Lm39 million worth of contracts annually over the past three years - the influence on the environment and health of a properly-directed "green" procurement policy could be not inconsiderable.

As the largest buyer in the country, the government will be reviewing its procurement procedures so that sustainability becomes integral to the whole process of tender assessment. A unit responsible for "green" procurement is being set up within the Contracts Department.

The government's initiative in line with EU requirements is to be welcomed. Anything that promotes the needs of the environment, and not simply the economic and cost factors, when buying products or services, must be a step in the right direction. Environmentally-friendly or "green" public procurement could have significant benefits for us all.

So much money is spent by public authorities in public procurement that it makes sense to use that money to help achieve environmental goals.

The introduction of "green" purchasing could also bring the wider benefit of setting an example in reducing the use of natural resources and reducing pollution. It influences the market place in those areas where public purchases are particularly significant, such as computers, energy-efficient buildings, public transport, packaging, transportation of products, electricity consumption and how a product is disposed of at the end of its use.

It is for this reason that the new "green" procurement policy will include criteria as part of the tender bidding process affecting not only the quality of a product or service but also minimum environmental requirements. For example, purchasing a "green" piece of IT equipment might specify such criteria as lower electricity use, longer shelf-life, ease of recycling or re-use at the end of its life.

Moreover, in establishing a "green" procurement policy and demonstrating the results of that action, the government will be showing clearly that something can indeed be done to save the environment and that it leads to concrete results. By promoting "green" procurement, the government is providing the impetus to industry to adopt "green" technologies.

There can, therefore, be no disagreement with the government's Green Public Procurement Action Plan in principle. On the contrary, it is a desirable step forward which goes some way to enhancing the government's battered environmental credentials. The proof of the pudding will, as always, be in the eating. Successful implementation will be the greatest challenge.

Local industry will, understandably, be concerned about the costs of the new "green" policies. SMEs and industries must be helped to understand fully the eco-friendly requirements and the alternatives, as well as any possible new and related business opportunities.

They must be assisted in learning how to become more "green" while remaining competitive. At least initially, it would seem essential for an information campaign to be launched, directed at informing the market and rallying their support. Establishing a government website to help companies to use their resources more efficiently might provide a useful first step in this direction.