_ The Zero Emissions Strategy Conference
_ The Zero Emissions Strategy Conference
Introductory Note to program submitted by Ralph Lukan of UNIDOCleaner Production & the National Cleaner Production Centres
Page Contents:
Industry has been and continues to be a major source of environmental problems, both globally and locally. Experience shows that the application of cleaner production can significantly improve the environmental performance of existing production processes, with no or little investments. It does not make treatment and replacement of old equipment unnecessary, but reduces the requirements for these.
Cleaner Production is the continuous application of an integrated preventive environmental strategy to processes, products and services to increase eco-efficiency and reduce risks to humans and the environment.
•Production process: conserving raw materials and energy, eliminating toxic raw materials, and reducing the quantity of toxicity of all emissions and wastes at the source.
•Products: reducing negative impacts along the entire life cycle of a product, from design to ultimate disposal.
•Services: incorporating environmental concerns into designing and delivering services
Cleaner Production requires changing attitudes, exercising responsible environmental management and evaluating technology options
Developing countries expressed strong interest in establishing NCPCs. Currently (Phase I) , the programme manages ten NCPCs in developing countries and economies in transition: Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, Hungary, India, Mexico, the Slovak Republic, Tanzania, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe. Of these centres, Hungary and Tunisia, are already part of the second phase, which foresees the establishment of another 10 - 12 Centres.
The present programme is funded by the governments of the Netherlands (the centres in China, India, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Mexico) and Austria (the centres in the Czech and the Slovak Republics and Hungary). Other donors (such as Switzerland and Norway) are about to provide additional funding. The centre in Brazil is funded through a self-financed trust fund, and the centre in Tunisia by UNIDO.
How can NCPCs help?
NCPCs are mainly addressing small and medium scale industries. Each NCPC is directed by an experienced national director, hosted within a local organization, and receives guidance from a national advisory board. Local host organizations provide infrastructure and support mechanisms to the centre’s operation, such as secondment of personnel, office facilities and equipment. UNIDO and UNEP offer management support. NCPCs draw on expertise from eight renowned technical institutes in Europe and the United States that specialize in Cleaner Production.
NCPCs conduct in-plant assessments to help companies identify wasteful processes and assist them in implementing measures to reduce waste. Enterprises implement the tailor-made CP measures with the support from the NCPCs.
NCPCs train managers, technicians and national consultants in tools and methods for continuous improvement of the production process.
NCPCs disseminate information on cleaner technologies and raise awareness, inter alia through seminars.
NCPCs advise on policies and strategies to include provisions for Cleaner Production measures in national legislation.
NCPCs act as clearinghouses to exchange sectoral experience, technical information and share CP expertise. They jointly develop information strategies and evaluate their worldwide experience on policy advice. They are inter-linked through NCPC programme net-server and electronic mail. Their staff regularly meet with technical institutes to exchange ideas and information on new CP developments, to provide training and to upgrade their skills.
- 110 in-plant assessments have demonstrated that CP practices are cheaper than wasteful practices which create pollution. About the same number of in-plant demonstrations are under way.- Some 350 trained national consultants now assist companies to implement CP techniques
- About 13,000 professionals and managers participated in NCPC organized awareness seminars and workshops
- 23 technical publications and newsletters have been distributed
UNIDO NCPC Programme Office
Environment and Energy Branch
Industrial Sectors and Environment Division
Vienna International Centre, PO Box 300
A-1400 Vienna, Austria
Fax:+ 43 1 211 31 6803
Tel:+ 43 1 211 31 4696
(+43 1 26026 4696 (as of autumn 1997)
e-mail: ncpc_env@unido.org
Homepage: http://www.unido.org
UNEP NCPC Programme Office
UNEP IE PAC
Tour Mirabeau
39-43 quai André Citroën
F-75739 Paris Cédex 15, France
Fax:+ 33 1 44371474
Tel:+ 33 1 44371450
e-mail: unepie@unep.fr
__ Commentary & Discussion of This Paper (Once you have registered)
About the site: Comments to Webmaster [webmaster@the-commons.org ]
Page last updated on 10 September 1997.
Copyright © 1994-1997, EcoPlan International, Paris,France. ® All rights reserved.
