#climate - Ecolabelling Green Procurement

Adopting Sustainable Procurement in the Tourism Sector | Case Studies of Cooperating with Stakeholders

by pcepsdi_orgNews & Announcements October 13, 2021October 13, 2021No Comments

For the last two weeks in our Sustainable Procurement Awareness Series, we’ll be showing some examples of businesses, both local and international, who have successfully adopted sustainable procurement in their operations. This week, we highlight two businesses in Palawan who have successfully maximized impact by working together with relevant stakeholders in the tourism value chain: Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort, and El Nido Resorts Ten Knots Development Group. Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort was able to save on costs in the long term because of procuring energy-efficient equipment. The challenge was reducing environmental impacts of the resort operations by choosing energy-efficient solutions, decreasing the dependence on fossil fuels without compromising guest comfort and satisfaction. Using the 3R Strategy – Reduce, Replace and Redesign – the resort was able to save on significant savings, such as monthly energy cost savings of PhP 1,166 (per tubular light) and annual energy savings of Php 204,078 by installing louver roof ventilation and water sprinklers. The challenge of El Nido Resorts of Ten Knots Development Corporation was to address an increasing food demand due to the increase of tourists arrivals and local population, while creating opportunities for the local communities to generate income and engage throughout the food value chain. By guaranteeing that at least one ton of vegetables per week is supplied by local farmers, who underwent training sponsored by El Nido Resorts and even in cooperation with Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), El Nido Resorts were able to reduce 20% of overall food costs in 2016, as well as transportation costs and therefore GHG emissions as well. They were also able to create local businesses by engaging the local communities. For more case studies like these, feel free to check out the full report Transforming Tourism through Sustainable Procurement at https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/resource/transforming-tourism-through-sustainable-procurement Stay tuned for more posts about this topic on our Facebook page here.

Adopting Sustainable Procurement in the Tourism Sector | Options for Air-conditioning and Cooling Equipment

by pcepsdi_orgNews & Announcements September 28, 2021September 29, 2021No Comments

For our third week in this awareness series about Sustainable Procurement, as part of our efforts to advocate sustainable tourism practices here in the Philippines, we’ll be highlighting the impacts of air-conditioning and cooling equipment, and how to procure more sustainable alternatives to these materials. Some of the impacts of cooling equipment on our environment are the following: In light of these factors, here are some recommended criteria that businesses can consider on their next purchase of sustainable options to air-conditioning and cooling equipment: However, in order to truly enhance the market for these alternatives, here are a few opportunities that the sector can maximize: Economic incentives such as competitive pricing compared to conventional options, and lower monthly utility costs Further education about sustainable options with government and consumer campaigns Green labels have more influence compared to other product groups, resulting in more educating and awareness raising You can learn more about recommended sustainability criteria for selected product groups in the report Local Market Readiness Analysis for Sustainable Procurement of Selected Products in the Philippine Hospitality Sector, written by Strategia Development Research Institute, Inc. and commissioned by PCEPSDI in 2019. Stay tuned for more posts about this topic on our Facebook page here.

Mapping Out the Challenges and Impacts to Sustainable Packaging

by pcepsdi_orgNews & Announcements August 5, 2021August 5, 2021No Comments

The Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, INC. (PCEPSDI), through its Sustainable Packaging Towards Marine Litter Reduction Project, held a Training Webinar entitled “Development of a Private Sector Roadmap for Sustainable Packaging Workshop 1: Mapping Out the Challenges and Impacts to Sustainable Packaging” on August 4, 2021. The webinar aims for different private and public sectors in the Philippines to develop their roadmap for sustainable packaging, to raise consciousness for the importance of monitoring the sustainability impact of sustainable packaging, to be aware of the socio-environmental impacts of the packaging industry, urging global efforts for circular economy against marine litter, highlight the importance of waste management system and introduce the working draft of the packaging value chain. During the webinar proper, Mr. Alvaro Zurita, the project team leader of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ Philippines), provided the Opening Remarks by asking, “where does waste come from?”. The consumer has a significant role in contributing to marine litter, and they have a big responsibility to alter their bad practice. He also said that sustainable waste management is a simple way to commence, but a person’s physical and mental aspects must arrive together to execute it. Two years ago, Mr. Zurita initiated a circular economy solution towards marine litter reduction with the Philippines, Vietnam, China, Indonesia, Singapore, and Japan as partner countries in response to this problem. As the first speaker, Ms. Paulith Ann Aguilar, the Research Assistant of Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc. (PCEPSDI), provides the introduction of PCEPSDI, the National Ecolabelling Programme – Green Choice Philippines (NELP-GCP), and the Sustainable Packaging Project. This project aims to urge people to alter their behavioral patterns in consumption and production that may consequently precede the degradation of our environment through implementing principles of sustainable development. Ms. Aguilar also highlights the Development of Voluntary Guidelines on Sustainable Packaging Towards Reduction of Marine litter and Promoting Packaging from Alternative Materials through Market-based Approach which aims to develop ecolabelling criteria and certify products for sustainable packaging, establish a private sector roadmap and promote sustainable packaging through an environmental education campaign. The Project Consultant of Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc. (PCEPSDI), Mr. Kiko E. Velhagen headed the draft Value Chain for Packaging. The draft was consisting of three major concepts, the value chain; which is the sequence of activities or parties that provide or receive value in the form of products and services, environmental hotspot; is a process or activity which accounts for a significant proportion of the environmental impact in the value chain and the systematic solution which is a strategic theme for a group of actions and interventions with the same overarching goal. The overall aim of this project is to provide guidelines on sustainable packaging towards reducing marine litter. One of the critical outputs of the Sustainable Packaging Project is to develop a Market Readiness Study that can distinguish the challenges and opportunities of sustainable packaging. As another Project Consultant of the Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc. (PCEPSDI), Dr. Maria Angela Zafra enlightened the participants concerning the Socio-environmental Impacts of the Packaging Industry. She features the Market Readiness Study, which aims to introduce the seven types of alternative packaging such as Biodegradable, Bio-based, Wood, and Paper-based on the sustainably managed forest, Compostable, Recyclable, Reusable, long-lasting, and with recycled content. Aside from that, Dr. Zafra told the participants concerning the opportunities and obstacles of the consumers in switching to sustainable packaging. The webinar training was enthusiastically ended by Ms. Andrea Janelle D. Go, Project Assistant of Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc. (PCEPSDI), by delivering the overall summary of the Roadmap Development Workshop Training. She wished the participants to have a meaningful and worthwhile discussion during this workshop. She assured that every idea, concept, and information shared by all participants would be valued and considered in future action steps. The project Sustainable Packaging Towards Marine Litter Reduction Project, implemented by PCEPSDI, is funded by the ‘Rethinking Plastics – Circular Economy Solutions to Marine Litter’ project of the European Union andthe German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). ‘Rethinking Plastics‘is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH andExpertise France. More information: https://beatplasticpollution.eu/rethinking-plastics/ This newsletter was produced with the financial support of the ‘Rethinking Plastics – Circular Economy Solutions to Marine Litter’ project. ‘Rethinking Plastics’ is funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ and Expertise France. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of PCEPSDI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, the BMZ, GIZ or Expertise France. Main Author: Ms. Andrea M. Alejandro; Co-author: Mr. Augusto Luis A. Labos

European Development Days (EDD) 2021 x PCEPSDI

by pcepsdi_orgNews & Announcements June 15, 2021December 22, 2021No Comments

European Development Days (EDD) 2021 keynote speakers with PCEPSDI Executive Director, For. June M. Alvarez discussing holistic approaches to reduce plastic waste and protect seascapes and coastal areas. EDD is Europe’s leading forum on development since 2006. Organized by the European Commission, the European Development Days (EDD) bring the development community together each year to share ideas and experiences in ways that inspire new partnerships and innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenge. For. June M. Alvarez jump-started the Breakout Session 3 about Sustainable Production: Innovation in business models, design and production and Business Models, briefing about Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), ecolabelling, and Sustainable Consumption and Procurement (SCP). PCEPSDI is currently implementing programmes that recognize and increasing awareness on sustainable packaging through the National Ecolabelling Programme-Green Choice Philippines (NELP-GCP) and, Green Public Procurement Programme and projects being implemented such as Transforming Tourism Value Chains (TVC) Philippines that aims to reduce the Greenhouse Gas emissions and increase the resource efficiency of the tourism sector by engaging the key tourism sector, and Sustainable Packaging towards Marine Litter that aims to promote the use of sustainable packaging by developing and piloting the NELP-GCP criteria for sustainable packaging. Together with him in the breakout session 3 is PCEPSDI Project Officer, Ms. Erica Nicole D. Gomez, and Design Officer, Engr. Augusto Luis A. Labos in Breakout Session 4 about Monitoring: Leveraging data for marine litter prevention. Author: Engr. Augusto Luis Labos

Climate Action 2019

by pcepsdi_orgNews & Announcements April 21, 2020January 27, 2021No Comments

CLIMATE ACTION: A newsletter on the Foreign-Assisted Projects partnered with the Climate Change Commission Compendium of Tools and Models, Frameworks and Case Studies developed through Foreign-Assisted Projects Prepared by: Foreign-Assisted Program Management System (FAPMS)