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National Cleaner Production
Centres
Since its inception in 1989, UNEP's Cleaner
Production Programme has played a catalytic role in promotion
of Cleaner Production concept. In 1994, a joint UNIDO-UNEP National
Cleaner Production Centres Programme (NCPC Programme) was launched
with an objective of increasing the competitiveness and productive
capacity of industry, specifically, SMEs, through the implementation
of Cleaner Production and the application, adaptation and diffusion
of Environmentally Sound Technologies. In 2007, the Programme
encompassed activities in 37 countries. UNIDO and UNEP view the
NCPC Programme as a cornerstone to their activities to foster
what UNIDO refers to as sustainable industrial development and
UNEP refers to as Sustainable Consumption and Production.
The network of National Cleaner Production Centres
includes representatives from governmental organisations, multilateral
organisations, industrial stakeholders, development banks, academia
and other non-governmental organisations (including professional
associations such as the World Cleaner Production Society, World
Environment Centre, World Business Council on Sustainable Development,
etc.). Network members have launched their own Cleaner Production
initiatives, and have the opportunity to meet every second year
at UNEP's International High-Level Seminar on Cleaner Production
to exchange results and experiences.
NCPC Activities
A key part of the informal international network
is the UNIDO/UNEP Programme for National Cleaner Production Centres
(NCPCs), which is designed to promote and implement preventative
environmental solutions, particularly cleaner production. National
Cleaner Production Centres promote, coordinate and facilitate
Cleaner Production activities within each country while building
local capacity. The Centres train and advise clients on how to
find the best solutions for specific problems, rather than delivering
ready made solutions.
NCPC services include:
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Raising awareness of the benefits and advantages of Cleaner
Production: In countries where there is little awareness of
Cleaner Production, awareness-raising is a primary activity
for a NCPC, particularly in its early years.
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Demonstrating that Cleaner Production works through in-plant
Cleaner Production assessments and demonstration projects:
Through in-plant demonstrations, a NCPC can show that the
concept of Cleaner Production can be applied to any industrial
sector and that waste avoidance can be turned into profit.
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Training local experts and build local capacity for Cleaner
Production: Training in the Cleaner Production methodology
is an essential NCPC activity to build local expertise and
capacity. Training may be 1) in-plant training, as a part
of in-plant demonstration projects; or 2) outside plant training,
conducted through workshops and seminars for specific target
groups.
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Helping to obtain financing for Cleaner Production investments:
Some centres also are focusing on developing a core capacity
in the promotion of Cleaner Production investment projects
to facilitate the transfer of Cleaner Production technologies
to developing countries. This activity is closely linked to
the in-plant assessments. In these counties national experts
are being trained in identifying and formulating Cleaner Production
investment projects.
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Disseminating technical information: One of the key advantages
of being part of an established international network, is
greater access to the latest Cleaner Production information.
NCPCs are thus able to obtain and share Cleaner Production
information nationally and internationally. Recognizing the
importance of sharing experience at the regional level, and
promoting more south-south interaction, UNEP and UNIDO are
committed to supporting regional networking mechanisms.
In the Latin American region, UNIDO has successfully developed
a Regional Cleaner Production Programme for Latin America
and the Caribbean. The Regional Programme was launched 2005
and 12 countries are participating Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia,
Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,
Mexico, Nicaragua, and Peru. The Programme aims at the development
of an efficient mechanism to facilitate the active cooperation
between the National CP Centres and Programmes to ensure regional
transfer of experience and know-how on Cleaner Production
and Environmentally Sound Technologies (EST). This is achieved
through the establishment of an Internet based platform (the
Knowledge Management Network).
In the African region, under the auspices of the UNEP's 10
year framework of programmes, four priority Sustainable Production
and Consumption (SCP) areas for the region have been identified
and concrete actions initiated. The priorities areas are:
energy, water and sanitation, habitat and urban development,
and renewable resource based industries. Cleaner production
approaches and the NCPCs in the region are key to technical
implementation. Another important aspect in the region is
the strong cooperation and coordination with two important
partners African Roundtable on SCP (ARSPC) and the Marrakech
Task Force on Cooperation for Africa, which are supporting
the implementation of the African
10YFP.
- Providing policy advice to national and local governments:
Governments, particularly in developing countries and economies
in transition, play an important role in providing the overall
policy and economic framework for a country's development. NCPCs
thus have an important role in helping governments to identify
and develop the policy tools and economic instruments suitable
to their country's context which would encourage industry to
favour Cleaner Production over end-of-pipe treatment.
An evolving NCPC Programme
In 2007/2008 UNIDO, in cooperation with UNEP and the Governments
of Austria and Switzerland, carried out an independent programme
evaluation of the UNIDO-UNEP Cleaner Production (CP) Programme.
The evaluation noted that the core element of the prorgamme is
the building up and strengthening of local institutions to provide
CP services. The majority of the interventions were geared towards
the establishment of new centres, although in many cases these
centres are hosted in existing organisations (such as Chambers
of Industry or Universities). The evaluation concluded that in
terms of institutional building and strengthening approach to
the programme has been appropriate for the situation in most developing
and transition countries. The study also identified a number of
areas where improvements can be made. In 2008-9 UNIDO and UNEP
are working out a joint Cleaner Production Programme Strategy
and activity programming to reinvigorate the NCPCs and capture
the synergies that exist with other similar efforts.
For more information on NCPC activities, please see the background
note on NCPCs (coming soon).
NCPC Resources
Consult the library
for further resources on cleaner production and other related
topics.
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