Ecolabelling and cleaner production: principles, problems, education and training in relation to the adoption of environmentally sound production processes

Environmental management and cleaner production are rapidly becoming critical economic, trading, and business competitiveness issues. Many developed countries have already gone through a process of implementing legislation for the protection and enhancement of the environment. The role of business and industry in maintaining environmental quality is now increasingly coming under scrutiny with a view to making them more environmentally friendly. Ecolabelling is a part of this process, which will have an impact on global trade in general and exporting small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries in particular. The European Union (EU) has currently nearly 400 environmental directives operative. These have to be implemented by all member states of the Union via provisions incorporated in the Laws of every Member State. This growing economic bloc is set to expand and the environmental standards for products traded within it will be of increasing importance to countries which import into it. Irrespective of legislative requirements, EU businesses are now beginning to take account of environmental concerns with regard to their suppliers. Many companies already specify environmental requirements for their suppliers of primary products and manufactured goods. If businesses outside the EU are to expand and compete in the international market-place then they must understand and take into account environmental factors in their markets. This requires a significant increase in the awareness of environmental considerations in as much as they affect trade and production. Environmental education and training is needed to communicate environmental standards and the associated changes in practice and processes to business and industry. This paper will review the provisions laid down under the EU Ecolabelling Scheme, the UK implementation of the provisions, and will review the effects ecolabelling is having and is likely to have on global trade. The paper will conclude by reviewing the tools needed to facilitate environmentally friendly production and ecolabelling, including environmental education and training, and life-cycle analysis.