Latin America and the Caribbean launch first regional eco-labeling programme
Panama City, 24 July 2024 – Regulatory, standardization, and accreditation bodies from Latin America and the Caribbean today announced the successful legal constitution of the Environmental Alliance of America, which hosts the first regional eco-labeling programme, representing a significant step toward harmonizing and promoting eco-labeling efforts.
The initiative – supported by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) through funding from Germany - aims to drive sustainable trade and enable better-informed consumer choices for more than 450 million people. Its legal constitution follows a 2023 Ministerial Decision from the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean that underscored the region’s commitment to eco-labeling through the Environmental Alliance of America.
“This initiative is crucial for connecting with producers and consumers about the environmental impact of the products they buy through clear and reliable information. Our collective effort to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution heavily depends on changing production practices and consumer behaviors,” said Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, Director of the Industry and Economy Division at UNEP. “The Alliance addresses a crucial gap, empowering consumers, businesses, and public procurement actors to make better-informed decisions across high-impact product categories, ranging from food to air conditioners and plastic products.”
Representatives from the governments of Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica emphasized that under the Alliance, each product must meet specific criteria to obtain the eco-label, ensuring that consumers receive trustworthy information about the way in which the product was manufactured. This empowers consumers to make informed and responsible purchasing decisions, leading to a change in production practices and the quality of productions. This also leads companies to reduce long-term operational costs and business risks, while also contributing to the strengthening of local economies and the creation of green jobs.
Juan Bello, UNEP’s Regional Director and Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean said: “By providing a harmonized approach to eco-labeling, countries within the region are creating a powerful tool to align actions across borders, facilitating the trade of sustainable products and promoting the region’s economic integration.”
To support this effort, Germany has provided initial funding through the EcoAdvance project. Dr. Ulf D. Jaeckel, Head of Division at the German Federal Ministry and co-lead of the Consumer Information Programme of the 10YFP, expressed his support: “We congratulate the Alliance and hope that the regional eco-label will be recognized for its credibility among consumers and its ability to set ambitious standards for products and services. We are proud to have contributed and to collaborate with UNEP and partners to facilitate the establishment of the eco-label for Latin America and the Caribbean.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
About the Environmental Alliance of America
The Environmental Alliance of America hosts the first regional eco-labeling programme in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Alliance brings together current founding members from Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Mexico, along with interested institutions from Colombia, Brazil, Paraguay, Panama, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, and Honduras, representing a consumer market of 450 million people.
About the Project Eco-Advance
The Environmental Alliance of America is supported by the Eco-Advance project - a collaborative effort between GIZ, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the Öko-Institute, receiving financial support from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI).
About the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.
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