| 1. |
- Andersson, Bengt, et al.
(author)
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Miljöledning i staten 2011 : En redovisning
- 2012
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Statliga myndigheter ska införa ett miljöledningssystem och årligen redovisa sina resultat till regeringen och Naturvårdsverket enligt förordning (2009:907) om miljöledning i statliga myndigheter.Den här rapporten är en sammanställning av myndigheternas redovisning av miljöledningsarbetet i staten 2011. För verksamhetsåret 2011 har 192 av 194 myndigheter redovisat till Naturvårdsverket. Redovisningen omfattar totalt 177 000 årsarbetskrafter och 12 miljoner kvadratmeter lokalyta.Myndigheterna har under 2011 utvecklat sina miljöledningssystem utifrån de krav som ställs i förordningen. Förordningens redovisningskrav fyller därmed en viktig funktion för att driva arbetet framåt även om det finns ytterligare förbättringar att göra t.ex. då det gäller identifiering av myndigheternas betydande miljöpåverkan, kvaliteten på de mål och handlingsplaner som upprättas samt den statistik som samlas in avseende resor, energianvändning och upphandling.Det finns fortfarande stora osäkerheter i de siffror som redovisas. Det sker en utveckling mot bättre insamlingsmetoder och mer fullständig rapportering, men myndigheterna har kommit olika långt. Jämförelser med föregående års siffror bör därför ske med försiktighet och rapporteringen bör inte användas för att avgöra om myndigheternas totala miljöpåverkan ökat eller minskat. Detta är inte heller syftet med rapporteringen.Enligt förordningen bör de myndigheter vars verksamhet medför en betydande miljöpåverkan certifiera verksamheten. En certifiering har genomförts av 22 myndigheter, vilket motsvarar 11 procent av myndigheterna. Det framgår av de redovisningar som lämnats in, att de myndigheter som är miljöcertifierade har högre kvalitet på sina redovisade uppgifter. Naturvårdsverket har inlett ett samarbete med SIS-standardisering i syfte att öka kunskapen om och förståelsen för nyttan med en miljöcertifiering.
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| 2. |
- Finnveden, Göran, et al.
(author)
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The Climate Framework for Higher Education Institutions in Sweden
- 2022
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In: World Sustainability Series. - Cham : Springer International Publishing. - 2199-7373 .- 2199-7381. ; , s. 189-204, s. 189-204
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)abstract
- In this nation-wide initiative, the Higher Education sector in Sweden has created a Climate Framework to serve as the basis for climate strategies at individual Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The Climate Framework is the product of 38 HEIs with the aim of contributing to both national and international commitments to reach the 1.5 °C target. Although several universities in different countries have made similar commitments, this unique initiative brings the whole sector in a country together under a common aim. Higher education institutions have a central role in efforts to combat climate change. An important task is to contribute through teaching and research, but HEIs also need to contribute by reducing the impact of their own operations. The HEIs that have signed the framework consider the climate to be a crucial and prioritized issue and will take action in line with national and international targets and allocate resources for it. The Climate Framework includes a commitment and a guideline document that list several key areas for climate impact from HEIs. This paper will describe the process for developing the Climate Framework as well as the framework itself.
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| 3. |
- Lingegård, Sofia, et al.
(author)
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Implementation and management of a circular public procurement contract for furniture
- 2023
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In: Frontiers in Sustainability. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2673-4524. ; 4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Circular public procurement (CPP) is one way to increase sustainability and circularity in public spending. As previous research focuses primarily on procurement, more insight is needed on the latter stages CPP. Real-life examples of CPP implementation are also required to promote the concept to practitioners, improve governance, and add depth to the literature. This study, therefore, provides in-depth knowledge of CPP implementation and management by analyzing a case of circular furniture flows and its implications for the procuring organization. The focus on furniture is motivated by the large volumes sent to landfills every year despite its remanufacturing potential, as well as the large environmental impact for production, a potentially long lifetime, and an often-high purchasing price. The results show that strategic decisions to prioritize sustainability are necessary when resource efficiency and cost reductions do not align in a short-term perspective. A more centralized governance structure facilitates decisions on reuse, remanufacturing and disposal in an organization, e.g., coordination of products for remanufacturing, pooling products for reuse, and standardization of design choices. Follow-up and inventory systems are crucial tools for integrating previously installed products with CPP, keeping track of circular flows, and providing feedback to improve subsequent procurements. Crucial elements in the follow-up include adaptation to circularity in the economy system and accounting for the prolonged life and reuse of furniture. The study's results emphasize how an organization's prerequisites play an essential part in the implementation of CPP and that contextual solutions are needed for circular challenges. The study contributes to the fields of policy implementation, CPP, and the use of circular business models in a public context, as well as to the less explored field of procurement in a circular economy context. Suggestions for future research include studies on product categories with other environmental impact profiles, and on waste management regulations that can make or break circular systems.
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| 4. |
- von Oelreich, Kristina, et al.
(author)
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Avfallsförebyggande kriterier i offentlig upphandling : Verktyg för att nå de nationella miljökvalitetsmålen
- 2016
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Miljöanpassade inköp där krav ställs på avfallsförebyggande åtgärder är ett viktigt styrmedel för att bidra till Generationsmålet och till att de nationella miljökvalitetsmålen uppnås. För att miljöanpassade inköp med krav på avfallsförebyggande åtgärder ska få den genomslagskraft som önskas så behöver frågan följas upp och efterfrågas på den politiska nivån och myndigheter med centralt ansvar för upphandlingsfrågor behöver utarbeta vägledning och erbjuda utbildningar inom området.Naturvårdsverket har genomfört en enkätundersökning i syfte att undersöka hur statliga myndigheter, kommuner, landsting, landstingsägda bolag samt kommunala bolag arbetar med att ställa krav på avfallsförebyggande åtgärder i samband med inköp av varor, tjänster och byggentreprenader.Slutsatserna som dras från resultatet av undersökningen och en efterföljande workshop är att det varierar mellan olika upphandlingsområden i vilken utsträckning det ställs krav på avfallsförebyggande åtgärder och att arbetet med att ställa denna typ av krav behöver förbättras.- - -
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| 5. |
- von Oelreich, Kristina, et al.
(author)
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Environmental Management Systems in the United Nations : Results of a stocktaking exercise undertaken year 2015, describing the development and implementation of environmental management systems (EMS) across the UN system
- 2016
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- BackgroundSustainable United Nations (SUN) is an initiative of UNEP that coordinates operational activities and supports different UN organizations in their efforts to implement the UN climate neutral strategy and environmental management systems (EMSs). The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Swedish EPA), with its long experience of working with international standards for EMS and coordinating and guiding 190 government agencies in their environmental management systems work, is supporting the work of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) by advising the SUN team and building the capacity of UN entities to establish and maintain EMSs.The Swedish EPA - UNEP partnership (2014-2018), funded by Sida, is laying the foundations for the future mainstreaming of environmental management in UN. These efforts are focusing on the environmental impacts of internal management offacilities and operations1. A broader process hosted by the UN Environment ManagementGroup (EMG) encompasses both environmental and social impacts and expands the scope beyond facilities and operations to include programmes and projects. Collaboration with the EMG Secretariat is therefore an integral part of the partnership. An important issue for the donor is the gender perceptive, which should also be taken into consideration whenever relevant, when implementing and maintaining an EMS.One of the main purposes of the United Nations (UN) is to help nations work together to improve the lives of poor people, to conquer hunger, disease and illiteracy,and to encourage respect for each other’s rights and freedoms2. For the UN tosucceed in its purposes and to be a credible organization, it needs to account for its environmental impact, reducing risks and unintended negative impacts and maximizing benefits to people and their environment.The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were endorsed by the General Assembly in September 2015. These will function as a common basis for the work of all UN organizations. Implementing an EMS will provide UN agencies with a documented, systematic and transparent tool to motivate, track and report on progress over time, whilst working towards the internalisation of the environmental dimension of the SDGs in their management processes in a systematic manner.Purpose The purpose of the stocktaking exercise was to provide an overview of the current status of environmental management systems of different UN organizations, to make sure future activities in the Swedish EPA - UNEP partnership build on existing work, and to reach a better understanding of how to introduce EMSs to the UN system. Based on the findings made, the stocktaking exercise provides recommendations for improvements.Methodology The experts at the Swedish EPA, in collaboration with the SUN team and the sustainability focal points in the UN EMS Working Group, have conducted a stocktaking exercise on the stage of development and implementation of EMSs across the UN system. The stocktaking exercise report references EMS requirements under accepted international standards such as ISO 14001:2015, and is based on the Swedish EPA experts’ experiences and findings in the field. Knowledge of the UN status quo on EMSs was obtained through reviews of documentation from a selection of UN organizations and UN bodies, and information from IMG focal points.Conclusions The stocktaking exercise shows that many UN organizations work actively on environmental issues both at corporate management level and in their programming. The results from a minor EMS survey conducted in April 2015 reflect that the majority of the responding organizations are in the initial stage of the EMS implementation.Given that the UN is governed by many Member States and driven by a political process, decision-making takes long time. There are a number of constraints under which the UN operates, particularly the many stakeholders with varied interests, which could make it difficult to secure a consensus around environmental measures.Implementing an EMS gives an opportunity for UN organizations to contribute to the One UN initiative for a more coherent and efficient delivery. The One UN reform is focused on more coherent programmes, strengthened accountability, monitoring and evaluation, and improved outcomes. An EMS directly supports this effort by providing a systematic and uniform approach to improved control, efficiency and reporting.EMS in UN organizations can bring many benefits. Implementing an EMS gives an opportunity for the UN organizations to demonstrate that they have relevant policiesand systems in place to satisfy the environmental requirements from stakeholders. The General Assembly has signalled expectations of the UN to walk the talk on sustainability measures, while environmental requirements are becoming a precondition for funding from donors such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF). EMS in UN organizations represents an opportunity to mainstream environmental considerations in policies, strategies, projects and programmes.Literature studies, experience from Swedish EPA’s guidance to public agencies, and discussions with members if the EMS working group as part of the stocktaking exercise, confirms that it is very important for the implementation of any EMS to ensure that senior management and staff are all involved in its development and implementation.Experience from the work in guiding 190 public authorities in Sweden has shown that when organizations include both operations and facilitates, and programmes and projects in their EMS, it will engage the senior management and the staff to a greater extent, and the understanding of an EMS in the daily work will increase.A properly functioning environmental management system results in improved management of natural resources and identified cost efficiencies such as improved management of electricity, fuel and travel3, and could free up funding for applying the mandated objectives of the various missions of the United Nation organizations.Recommendations The main recommendations for creating proper institutional conditions to implement an EMS are described below. They are described according to best practice, with the purpose to limit the environmental impact, speed up the implementation of EMS and to reduce the costs for the implementing organizations. Each recommendation must be undertaken within a context of respect for the institutional obligations arising from other policies, such as policies on gender and indigenous peoples. These together may form the approach to internalising sustainable development principles in UN corporate management.The recommendations are not given in a specific order of priority since they are connected to each other. Literature, discussions with members of the EMS working group, and the earlier experience of the Swedish EPA experts, confirms that the leadership, the involvement of staff and the integration of the EMS in the existing management structure, is crucial for a successful EMS implementation within the UN.Certain core functions should be managed on a common UN-wide basis, to streamline and coordinate efforts, and to avoid duplication of efforts and costs. This brings advantages such as economies of scale and a coherent way of working with sustainability issues in the spirit of the One UN reform. According to best practice, the UN system is recommended to adopt the following activities, through a permanent central coordination: Develop the existing central EMS support, by increasing the number of training activities, and the exchange of experience between the organizations, for achieving more powerful synergies Identify how the Sustainable Development Goals, and also standards for best practice on social responsibility, can be tools and the next steps for the UN organizations for working in a systematic manner with both environmental and social issues. Make sure that competence in environmental law is available to support UN organizations. Provide and encourage the use of coherent and common EMS guidelines and voluntary templates customized for the UN, e.g. for initial environmental review and for developing internal environmental objectives. Develop EMS indicators that the UN organizations should report on centrally and to their governing body, and accelerate the work with the four endorsed sustainability indicators (GHG gases, water use, waste management and environmental training). Coordinate internal environmental audits between the UN organizations, by supporting the auditors with regards to training and sharing experience. The internal auditors could audit each other's organizations. Consider how the EMS support may be extended from environmental aspects in operation and facilities to environmental aspects in policymaking, programming and projects.Develop how the gender perspective could be integrated in a logical structurefor an EMS based on the PDCA-cycle (Plan, Do, Check and Act).Through the work of SUN and the IMG on Environmental Sustainability, many of the above mentioned steps are already well underway. At the end of the stocktaking exercise report, a mapping of existing networks and teams working with environmental sustainability within the UN can be found. Also actions taken concerning internal environmental sustainability, such as strategic plans and major projects, are described, together with a timeline over internal commitments on environmental sustainability within the UN system.According to best practice, each UN organization is recommended to adopt the following activities: Conduct a SWOT4 - or PESTLE5 - analysis, to reach a better understanding of the factors that impact the EMS and the environmental context in which the organization operates. Show how the demands from relevant stakeholders have been internalized into the organization’s own policy, strategic documents and at the operational level. Include
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| 6. |
- von Oelreich, Kristina, et al.
(author)
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Environmental Management Systems in the United Nations [Summary] : Executive summary of stocktaking exercise undertaken year 2015
- 2016
-
Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- For the United Nations to succeed in its purposes and to be a credible organization, it needs to account for its environmental impact, reducing risks and unintended negative impacts and maximizing benefits to people and their environment. Implementing environmental management systems (EMS) will provide UN agencies with a systematic and transparent tool to track and report on progress on environmental performance over time, whilst working towards the internalization of the environmental dimension of the Sustainable Development Goals in their management processes.The purpose of the stocktaking exercise was to provide an overview of the current status of environmental management systems of different UN organizations, to make sure future activities in the Swedish EPA - UNEP partnership build on existing work, and to reach a better understanding of how to introduce EMSs to the UN system. Based on the findings made, the stocktaking exercise provides recommendations for improvements. It is for example recommended that certain core functions are managed on a common UN-wide basis – just as some are already today - to streamline and coordinate activities, and to avoid duplication of efforts and costs. This also brings the advantage of a coherent way of working in the spirit of the One UN reform.
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| 7. |
- von Oelreich, Kristina, et al.
(author)
-
Vägledning för miljöledning i staten
- 2017
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Målgrupp för vägledningen är de myndigheter som omfattas av kraven i förordning (2009:907) om miljöledning i statliga myndigheter. Dessa myndigheter ska införa och utveckla ett miljöledningssystem. Vägledningen beskriver vilka krav som ställs på ett miljöledningssystem enligt förordningen och hur de kan införas i praktiken. Vägledningen utgår från vad som anses vara best practice på miljöledningsområdetutifrån kraven i den internationella standarden ISO 14001:2015 och EMAS. Fokus ligger på att ge stöd vid förvaltning och utveckling av ett befintligt miljöledningssystem men kan även användas vid inrättandet av ett miljöledningssystem för första gången.Vägledningen beskriver syftet med miljöledningssystem och ger en samlad bild av miljöledningssystemets ingående delar och hur det kan integreras i myndighetens verksamhet samt tillämpas för att hantera indirekt miljöpåverkan, tjänsteresor och transporter, energianvändning samt miljökrav i upphandling.Miljöledningssystemet ska säkerställa att ett systematiskt miljöarbete integreras i myndighetens verksamhet så att miljöfrågorna beaktas vid genomförandet av myndighetens uppdrag. Syftet är att minska verksamhetens negativa och öka dess positiva miljöpåverkan. Myndighetens miljöledningssystem ska vara en del av ledningssystemet som beskriver hur man planerar, genomför och följer upp sin verksamhet och därmed leda till ständig förbättring. Ledningens betydelse i miljöledningsarbetet lyfts fram. Miljöledningssystemet är ett av ledningens verktyg för att styra verksamhetens miljöpåverkan. I vägledningen ges xempel på bl.a. styrande dokument och åtgärder för att minska den negativa och öka den positiva miljöpåverkan. Miljöarbetet ska bidra till att generationsmålet, de nationella miljökvalitetsmålen och FN:s globala mål för hållbar utveckling nås.Myndigheter ska inom ramen för miljöledningssystemet hantera verksamhetens indirekta och direkta miljöpåverkan, inklusive upphandling. Det innebär att den ska analyseras och värderas i miljöutredningen. För verksamhetens betydande miljöpåverkan ska miljömål och åtgärder fastställas, följas upp och redovisas. Miljöledningssystemet skapar förutsättningar för ett arbete med ständiga förbättringar. Vägledningen har stort fokus på integreringen av miljö i den löpande verksamheten eftersom myndigheter via sin verksamhetsutövning ofta har stora möjligheter att påverka miljön positivt. Myndigheter har även möjlighet att ställa miljökrav i samband med upphandlingar och avrop och därmed styra produktionen av varor och tjänster mot hållbara alternativ. Ett viktigt styrmedel för staten.En del i uppföljningen av miljöledningsarbetet innebär att myndigheterna årligen ska redovisa en miljöledningsrapport, i samband med att årsredovisningen lämnas in till det departement i Regeringskansliet myndigheten tillhör. Uppföljningen av miljöledningsarbetet för föregående verksamhetsår ska även redovisas till Naturvårdsverket.Efter en kort bakgrund handlar de inledande kapitlen, 3 – 5, om miljöledningssystem inom staten, miljöledningssystemets syfte och ingående delar samt integrering av miljöledningsarbetet i myndighetens verksamhet. I kapitel 6 – 9 beskrivs huvudstegen i miljöledningssystemet för områdena indirekt miljöpåverkan, tjänsteresor och transporter, energianvändning, miljökrav i upphandling. Rapporten avslutas med ett kapitel om uppföljning och redovisning. Vägledningens sista kapitel tar kort upp redovisningen enligt 20 § i miljöledningsförordningen och bilagan till förordningen. Naturvårdsverket sammanställer myndigheternas rapporter i en redovisning som lämnas till regeringen i april varje år.Denna vägledning kompletteras med stödjande information på Naturvårdsverkets hemsida.
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| 8. |
- von Oelreich, Kristina, et al.
(author)
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Waste prevention in criteria in public procurement : Tools for achieving the national environmental quality objectives
- 2016
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The Environmental Protection Agency has carried out regular questionnairebased surveys in order to monitor the extent to which environmental requirements are imposed in connection with public procurement in Sweden. Questionnairebased surveys have been carried out in 2004, 2007, 2009 and 2013. The target group for the surveys has been procurement officers within municipal authorities, county councils, government agencies, state-owned companies and embassies belonging to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.The Environmental Protection Agency carried out another questionnairebased survey during 2015 which focused on the extent to which and the way in which purchasing government agencies impose requirements concerning waste prevention measures in procurement.The conclusions that are drawn from the results of the survey and a subsequent workshop are that the extent to which requirements are imposed concerning waste prevention measures varies between different procurement areas, and that the work to impose this type of requirement needs to be improved.Among other things, the survey shows that many of the organizations that responded to the questionnaire have governing documents such as procurement policies which impose requirements to ensure that procurements are environmentally compatible. Despite these government documents, the survey shows that no significant requirements concerning waste prevention measures are imposed in procurements and that there is a lack of knowledge of how these requirements are imposed. One conclusion is that the management at various levels within the organization need to become better at monitoring and requiring the imposition of waste prevention measures in connection with procurement and the way in which they should be handled during the agreement period.The survey also shows that the majority of the organizations have both a centralized and decentralized procurement organization, which may also be of significance as regards the way in which the requirements are imposed in connection with procurement. There is a tendency for many people to believe that it costs more and takes longer to carry out procurements if requirements concerning waste prevention measures are imposed. In spite of this, the majority of the organizations will impose such requirements and there is demand for more and simpler tools, i.e. concrete assistance in individual cases for formulating requirements for different types of procurement.In order to achieve this, better training of procurement officers/buyers is needed, and those who provide the courses must have the right background and competence. Better internal collaboration is also needed within the organization between staff with a knowledge of environmental matters and buyers. In order to contribute to a reduction in the environmental impact, organizations should impose requirements concerning waste prevention measures in the first instance on the basis of a number of prioritized areas,such as energy, the construction sector, transport, food products, chemicals, IT and textiles.Environmentally compatible procurement where requirements are imposed concerning waste prevention measures is an important instrument for contributing to achievement of the generational goal and the national environmental quality objectives. In order to environmentally compatible procurements with requirements concerning waste prevention measures to achieve a breakthrough as desired, the issue needs to be monitored and brought up at political level and government agencies with central responsibility for procurement issues need to prepare guidance and offer courses within the area.The most important results from the present survey are as follows:Procurement methodA majority (59 percent) of the organizations carry out their own procurements and have their own framework agreements.The way in which procurements are organizedA large majority (61 percent) of the organizations have decentralized procurements in the organization.The quality/environment models by which the organization is governedJust over two out of every five (45 percent) replied that the organization is governed by a process-oriented working method.Environmental reviewOne in four (27 percent) have carried out an environmental review which covers the work relating to environmentally compatible procurement.Procurement policyOne third (32 percent) replied that their organization has a procurement policy or central guidelines which include environmental considerations in connection with procurement.Requirements concerning waste prevention measuresTwo in five (42) of the organizations impose environmental requirements concerning waste prevention measures within construction and demolition.Types of requirements concerning waste prevention measuresJust over half (56 percent) usually impose general requirements. Almost as many (54) usually require an environmental management system to be in place.Requirement for a reduction in volumes of wasteJust over two in five organizations (43 percent) have imposed a requirement for waste volumes to be reduced as regards construction and demolition contracts.Requirement for reduction in volumes of hazardous waste Almost half (49 percent) have imposed a requirement to reduce the volumes of hazardous waste generated as regards construction and demolition contracts.How requirements are imposedMost organizations (83 percent) which impose requirements in connection with procurement impose them as obligatory requirements/shall requirements.Decisive in connection with contract awardsA few of the organizations (three percent) replied that the use of waste prevention criteria was decisive in connection with the awarding of contracts during 2014.Criteria linked to Sweden’s 16 environmental quality objectivesDuring 2014, one third of the organizations (33 percent) used one or more criteria linked to Sweden’s environmental quality objectives.More guidance on how criteria can be linked to the 16 environmental quality objectivesA large majority (69 percent) believe that their organization needs more guidance on how criteria that have been imposed can be linked to the 16 environmental quality objectives.Use of tools and guidelinesA majority (54 percent) of the organizations use the criteria prepared by the Environmental Management Council.Use of total cost/life-cycle cost calculationsTwo in five organizations (43 percent) usually use total cost/life-cycle cost calculations where relevant.Waste prevention measures in a life-cycle perspectiveMost organizations (89 percent) believe that waste prevention measures must be viewed in a life-cycle perspective.Innovation procurementsAlmost two out of every five (38 percent) think that innovation procurements are preferable to ordinary procurements in order to stimulate new concepts for waste prevention measures.Follow-up of requirements concerning waste prevention measuresOne in five (21 percent) extensively follow up the requirements concerning waste prevention measures that are imposed in connection with procurement during the agreement period.Measurements to determine whether the criteria have reduced the environmental impact Very few organizations (two percent) have been able to any significant degree to measure whether the use of waste prevention criteria have reduced the environmental impact in the procurements that the organizations have carried out.The need for waste prevention measuresThree in ten organizations (30 percent) think that there is a strong need for waste prevention measures.The biggest obstacles to the imposition of waste prevention requirementsA very large majority (76 percent) replied that the biggest obstacle to imposing requirements concerning waste prevention measures is a lack of awareness concerning how to impose requirements.How can more requirements concerning waste prevention measures be imposed?A quarter of the organizations (24 percent) replied that they would impose environmental requirements concerning waste prevention measures if they received help to formulate the requirements.
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