Research project CP/13 (Research action CP)
Context
In Kyoto (1997) and later in Marrakech (2001), the nations have asserted their will to fight climate change. This fight, as well as the problems of resources and waste, are part of the fields of action having priority in the 6th European Action Program for the Environment.
The sector-based environmental policies are insufficient to reach the objectives of sustainable development and an increased attention towards the environmental impacts of products and ways of consumption is necessary. The Integrated Product Policy discussed at the European level and the preparation of a Federal Plan of "Product Policy and Environnement" aim at taking them better into account, while targeting an integrated approach of the different stages in products life cycle and environmental problems.
This project aims at offering useful elements regarding these developments.
Project description
Objectives
The project "Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and material flow", carried out by IW, Vito and IDD in the scope of the Scientific Support Plan for a Sustainable Development Policy (SPSD I) from the OSTC, was a first research effort aiming at providing an evaluation of the impacts of ways of consumption through an evaluation of the life-cycle emissions of GHG, while taking into account the potential of technical improvement at the level of production modes and at the level of waste management systems after the use of products. It focused on three product categories (single family housing, beverage packaging and livestock products).
The project "Integrating climate, resources and waste policies through a Product Policy" aims at providing more general information on the possibilities of reinforcing and integrating existing climate, resources and waste policies through product-oriented policies. To do so, it will identify the products having priority which must be targeted by Product Policies and it will evaluate the impact of product-oriented measures which could contribute to simultaneously reduce GHG emissions, resource use and waste generation by taking into account the improvement potential of eco-efficiency along the products’ life-cycle. The Integrated Product Policy (IPP) being now discussed at the European level, as well as the Federal Guiding Plan on "Product Policy and Environment" also being prepared, will be the general framework for the proposed project.
Methodology
The project is composed of three complementary parts:
A general analysis of the ways of consumption of households and their impacts:
The results of this task will enable us to determine the products having priority for a product policy in the view of integrating climate, resources and waste policies. This work of identification will be based on the assessment of products consumption by households, as well as on an evaluation of material consumption and life-cycle GHG emissions and waste associated to this consumption. These evaluations imply a work of data collection and treatment. They will lead at the same time to identifying the statistics improvement which would allow to better evaluate these ways of consumption and the products policies.
A close analysis of four product systems:
The analysis of the two product categories studied beforehand will be widened first to larger consumption categories (all domestic packaging and all housing), and second to material use and waste generation. A similar analysis of two other product categories will also be carried out (information technologies in connection with paper, and cars).
These analysis aim at estimating life-cycle GHG emissions, resource use and waste generated by the Belgian demand on affected products as well as identifying reduction options (resulting either from technological changes, material / product substitution, or behavioural changes) for these impacts. Costs and benefits of these options will be estimated and their technical, statutory and sociological limits evaluated. This will provide the theoretical reduction potential for the three studied impacts.
Institut Wallon will study housing and information technologies, whereas Vito will study domestic packaging and cars.
An evaluation of some instruments and measures:
This evaluation aims at identifying the most appropriate sets of product-oriented measures which could be efficiently combined in order to reach the theoretical reduction potential of impacts improvement for the product categories studied in detail. The results expected from these sets of measures (reduction of GHG emissions, of waste generation and of resource use) will be quantified.
Partners
Vito and Institut Wallon are the two partners for this project, the latter being also co-ordinator.
Coordinates/Details
Françoise Nemry
Institut Wallon
Bd Frère Orban 4
5000 Namur
Tel : 081/250495
Fax : 081/250490
email : f.nemry@iwallon.be
web : www.iwallon.be
Jan Theunis
Vito
Boeretang, 200
2400 Mol
Tel : 014/335930
Fax : 014/321185
email : jan.theunis@vito.be
web : www.vito.be
Users Committee
- Bob Nieuwejaers - Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap - AMINAL - Sectie Lucht - Brussel
- Marianne Petitjean - Ministère de la Région Wallonne - Direction générale des Ressources Naturelles et de l'Environnement (DGRNE) - Services Technologies Propres - Jambes
- Catherine Rousseau - Centre de Recherche et d'Information des Organisations de Consommateurs (CRIOC-OIVO) - Bruxelles
- Els Van Den Broeck - Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap - AMINAL - Algemeen Milieu en Natuurbeleid - Sectie Lucht - Brussel
- Patrick Wilmots - Openbare Afvalstoffenmaatschappij voor het Vlaamse Gewest (OVAM) - Mechelen
- Anne-France Woestyn - SPF Santé publique, Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire et Environnement - Services fédéraux pour les Affaires environnementales - Service politique des produits - Bruxelles
Integrating climate, resource and waste policies through a product policy : final report
Thollier, Karine - Bounkhay, Mina - Nemry, Françoise ... et al Brussels : Belgian Science Policy, 2005 (SP1514)
[To download]
[To order]
Integratie van klimaat-, grondstoffen- en afvalbeleid door productgerichte maatregelen : samenvatting
Brussel : Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid, 2007 (SP1774)
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Intégrer politiques climatiques, des ressources et des déchets par une politique des produits : résumé
Bruxelles : Politique scientifique fédérale, 2007 (SP1775)
[To download]
Integrating climate, resource and waste policies through a product policy : summary
Brussels : Federal Science Policy, 2007 (SP1776)
[To download]
