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Plenary Meeting FOOD SCP ROUND TABLE Brussels, 20.11.2013

Enhancing environmental sustainability in the food sector The Swiss Green Economy approach Frank Hayer Swiss Federal Office for the Environment FOEN. Plenary Meeting FOOD SCP ROUND TABLE Brussels, 20.11.2013. Agenda. The Swiss Green Economy Approach

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Plenary Meeting FOOD SCP ROUND TABLE Brussels, 20.11.2013

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  1. Enhancing environmental sustainability in the food sector The Swiss Green Economy approach Frank HayerSwiss Federal Office for the Environment FOEN Plenary Meeting FOOD SCP ROUND TABLE Brussels, 20.11.2013

  2. Agenda • The Swiss Green Economy Approach • Revision of the Environmental Protection Act • Measures within Consumption and Production

  3. The Swiss Green Economy ApproachA brief look back in time... Oct 2010 Federal Council (FC) gave the federal administration mandates for building a green economy in six areas of action Mar 2013 Reporting and action plan with 27 measures Feb 2013 FC gave the federal administration mandates for proposing the revision of the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) = indirect counterproposal to the popular initiativefor a Green Economy (long-term objective: ecological footprint of 1 earth in 2050) Jun 2013 FC submits legislative amendments of the EPA for consultation Sept 2013 End of the consultation

  4. Action plan and Initiative of Green Party • Federal Council approved Action Plan for Green Economy on march 8 2013 • Action plan is base for a change of the Environmental Law as a counterproposal to Initiative of Green Party in favour of Green Economy • Implementation in 4 core areas: • Consumption and Production • Waste and raw materials • International engagement • Measurement and Information

  5. Revision of the Env. Protection Act Objectives Consumption and Production • Reduce environmental impacts throughout the lifecycle of products • Increase the demand and supply of ecological products • Stimulate environmentally conscious behaviour

  6. Measures Consumption and production • Negotiated agreements • Environmental information of products • Environmental information of the assortment / product groups • Minimal environmental requirements for the admission of products • Reducing food waste • Effectiveness of sustainable product standards

  7. Measures Consumption and production • Voluntary approach comes first: • Negotiated agreements • Recommendations for product environmental information • 2. Mandatory policy measures for: • Environmental information of product groups/assortment • Minimal requirements for admission of products • => Only if voluntary approach isn‘t sufficiently effective!

  8. Negotiated Agreements with the Industry Focus: Products with considerable impacts on the environment • Elements of the Agreement: • Partners: Industry, Civil Society, Government • Timely fixed and ambitious Goals to reduce impact of products on the environment • Use of international established sustainable production Standards • Reporting as a tool for Monitoring and competition

  9. Environmental Information of Products • Information of environmental effects of products with significant impacts on the environment • Recommendations for analysis and assessment are provided by the government • Guidance for communication of the results • Mandatory regulations only in accordance with international regulations (EU)

  10. Environmental Information of Products Links with EU approach: Same goal:comprehensive and reliable information for consumers Same principles: transparency, reliability, comparability, etc. Similar methodological approaches: LCA-based and development of PCRs BUT still some differences in the methodology → Compatibilitybetween approaches need to be improved → Participation to the testing phase of the EU

  11. Environmental Information of Products • Planning: • Public consultation on recommendations for environmental information on products (autumn 2013) • Publication for voluntary use (early 2014) • Participation in the EF pilot phase II • accompanying measures • Development of an impact assessment for biodiversity • Development of test PCR

  12. Outlook • Change of Environmental Law (as counterproposal to initiative of the Green Party): intern consultation (administration) in Winter 2013 • Decision of the Federal Council: Spring 2014 • Debate in the parliament starting in 2014 • Action plan: Comes into force if change of environmental law is rejected=> less stringent • → Work to enhance Green Economy goes on

  13. Questions? Thank you for your attention. Frank HayerScientific OfficerFederal Office for the Environment FOENEconomics and Environmental Monitoring Divisionfrank.hayer@bafu.admin.chwww.bafu.admin.ch

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