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The Future of Ecolabelling: Towards a Greener Planet

Ecolabelling is a voluntary method of environmental performance certification and labelling that is practised around the world.

Ecolabels must meet certain standard criteria. They have to:

  • be developed in a transparent process open to the public
  • address multiple key environmental and health impacts over the product life cycle
  • be attainable, verifiable and measurable
  • consider the performance of the product
  • be published and available for inspection by anyone
  • be updated regularly to represent environmental leadership

(https://globalecolabelling.net/)

Ecolabels support consumers in making sustainable consumption and purchasing choices. Through ecolabels, consumers can better understand, quantify, and compare the sustainability of products they purchase.

Ecolabels are also useful for companies and brands to improve their communication and marketing practices. As such, ecolabels have the power to impact towards sustainable consumption.

The EU ecolabel

Launched more than 30 years ago as the ‘Community Eco-label’, it has become the biggest and best-known scheme in many EU countries. Consumers increasingly recognise the ‘EU flower’ which guides them towards more sustainable consumption decisions.

The EU Ecolabel is an ISO 14024 Type 1 ecolabel, which means it is reliable, multi-criteria and third-party verified. Criteria are set with a lifecycle approach through an open, transparent, multi-stakeholder process. Awarded products comply with strict criteria for reducing their environmental impact, from the extraction of raw materials to distribution and end-of-life. They must comply with quality requirements and often also respect relevant social criteria. An independent third party ensures that products fully comply with the relevant EU Ecolabel criteria.

(https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/circular-economy/eu-ecolabel/about-eu-ecolabel_en)

The EU ecolabel

“Ecolabel for sustainable development” – a video prepared by the Ecological Union with the support of the Global Ecolabelling Network:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=kVbYtxut4x4