Manual on the Development of Cleaner Production Policies ... - Unido

DEVELOPMENT OF CP POLICY
MODULE 4: POLICY TOOLS AND INSTRUMENTS
or the possible approaches to their solution. Information-based strategies are instruments used to fill in
the knowledge gap. Instead of—or in addition to—prohibiting or restricting polluting activities, policy
makers may choose to provide the public with information about environmental risks posed by certain
pollutants, provide [the industry] with technical information on preventing pollution and/or to educate
the consumer on environmental hazards or the characteristics of specific products.
The underlying assumption behind information-based policies is that actors may not take the optimum
or even correct decisions, because they simply do not have sufficient information about available
options. Two general directions can be distinguished as regards promoting CP information:
1. Technical assistance provided or financed by the Government or by CP centres can assist
companies through training, pilot projects for technology transfer, studies of life-cycle impacts,
information dissemination, environmental audits, assistance in obtaining environmental
certification, etc.;
2. Information policy is proving to be an increasingly important instrument, aimed at the general
public. The mandatory release of plant-level pollution data can generate market-driven changes
in the behaviour of polluting firms. Similarly, the dissemination of information on CP options
can build up market pressure on polluting companies.
Some specific examples of information-based strategies that may be introduced by government
include:
(a) Promoting the adoption of targeted, high-profile demonstration projects, to illustrate the
techniques and cost-saving opportunities associated with Cleaner Production;
(b) Requiring public disclosure of information on environmental performance by, for example,
establishing a pollutant release and transfer register, stimulating greater voluntary corporate
reporting, and requiring the provision of information on specific materials;
(c) Initiating and/or supporting measures that address consumption, such as eco-labelling schemes
and environmental product declarations;
(d) Promoting the adoption of effective training initiatives;
(e) Encouraging educational institutions to incorporate preventive environmental management in
their curricula, particularly within engineering and business courses;
(f)
Issuing high-profile awards for enterprises that have effectively implemented Cleaner Production.
Establishing a national CPC programme
National and local governments may establish formal Cleaner Production strategies or programmes in
order to act as a framework for the coordinated implementation of subsequent, more specific, policy
instruments. While the UNIDO/UNEP National Cleaner Production Centre Programme is one of the
best known, the national CP programme of Chile is an interesting example of a nationwide effort to
promote CP.
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