OO. 4b.2 Adopt biodiversity criteria in public procurement policies to prevent biodiversity loss

Public authorities are major consumers. In Europe, for example, they spend 16% of the EU's gross domestic product. By using their purchasing power to purchase goods and services that also respect the environment and biodiversity, they can make an important contribution towards sustainable development. Public authorities can also show citizens, enterprises and organisations how they can really change their attitudes by making the right consumer choices.

Green public procurement can have a positive direct or indirect impact on biodiversity. It covers areas such as transport and construction, office equipment, recyclable paper, organic food in canteens and activities in developing countries with support from Belgian authorities.

Initiatives have already been taken in Belgium to use green procurement policies in order to promote goods that are less harmful to the environment (for instance, promotion of the use of wood products originating from sustainable forests or inclusion of environmental - including biodiversity - criteria in the procurement procedure for Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation).

Belgium is preparing a national action plan on green public procurement for 2006. In 2006, the Belgian Parliament passed a new law on public procurement that provides some opportunities to integrate sustainable (biodiversity) criteria in public procurement procedures.