Focus area

Public Procurement

Public procurement can play a critical role in accelerating the transition towards a low-carbon economy.

By promoting the procurement of low-carbon and renewable products and services, public authorities can create lead markets for innovative and sustainable solutions.

However, this approach is currently underutilised in the European Union (EU) and needs to be incentivised through different levels of public policy.

In short:

  • Public procurement has a significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions, as it makes up on average 14% of the EU’s GDP (source). 

  • Green public procurement can create lead markets for innovative low-carbon products, but needs to be strengthened through sectoral-specific legislation and better coordination between authorities on different levels. 

  • The EU and its Member States have a significant role to play in promoting green public procurement practices that include environmental considerations in public tenders, which can accelerate decarbonisation significantly. 

Public procurement has a significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions and the construction sector in particular is responsible for a large share of these emissions. By promoting the procurement of low-carbon and renewable products and services, public authorities can create lead markets for innovative and sustainable solutions. This approach has the potential to accelerate the transition towards a low-carbon economy significantly while sending strong signals to the industry. 

However, green public procurement is still underutilised in the EU, and a series of adjustments need to be made to ensure its effectiveness. This includes the development of comprehensive approaches to ensure climatic and environmental considerations, better information management on progress and impact, and stronger signalling from the EU and its members.

Strengthening green public procurement in sectoral-specific legislation will help realise the significant potential for decarbonisation that lies in the hands of public authorities. 

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Making a Difference in European Carbon: fitting in a CBAM to support heavy industry transformation

This report models four scenarios for how a CBAM could be made part of the Fit for 2030 package to be launched in July 2021 as part of the EU Green Deal agenda and concludes that at least 75% coverage for the selected sectors should be pursued. This option has the benefit of generating more income for innovation and deployment earlier on in Phase IV (already in 2026) therefore having the possibility of turning the next decade into one of action and success for the transformation of heavy industry in the EU.

Undefined ‘decarbonised’ gas has no role on path to net-zero by 2050

As efforts to decarbonise our economy and energy systems pick up, we are seeing an increased reliance on decarbonized fuels, gas in particular - often times referred to as “renewable” and “low-carbon” gases. While low carbon intensity gases and fuels can contribute on the path to net-zero by 2050 – the terminology is confusing, with no common definition to determine when in fact a gas or fuel is renewable or low-carbon. 

Feedback Response – Competition Policy supporting the Green Deal

The goal of EU competition rules is to promote and protect effective competition in markets, delivering efficient outcomes to the benefit of consumers. Bellona Europa has responded to the call for contributions to gather ideas on how EU competition policy can best support the Green Deal. As Executive Vice President Vestager has underlined: “To succeed, everyone in Europe will have to play their part – every individual, every public authority. And that includes competition enforcers.”. Our overarching point is that it is necessary to amend the state aid rulebook and the interpretation of legislation to safeguard the climate impact credibility of the funds under state aid.

Consultation Response – Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) as part of the EU Green Deal policy portfolio. This new mechanism is aiming at counteract this risk of limited ambitions by international partners by putting a carbon price on imports of certain goods from outside the EU. As an environmental policy tool, with a trade and competitiveness dimension, the CBAM will enable the EU to take fuller responsibility for the carbon footprint of its imports.

BellonaBrief: Brexit Implications on Climate, Energy and Environment

On 24 June 2016 the United Kingdom voted 52% to 48% in a referendum to leave the European Union. Many resources are now likely to be diverted from running the EU and progressing important policies toward instead managing and negotiating the referendum implications. While many uncertainties and questions remain to be addressed, one thing remains certain: Bellona has championed environmental and climate protection in Europe from outside EU membership for over 20 years and will continue to do so. While domestic implications for the UK remain unclear, NGOs’ voices in Europe will continue to be heard.

Bellona Response to the Consultation on Revision of the EU Emission Trading System Directive

In October 2014 the European Council reached an agreement on a 2030 Climate and Energy Framework, featuring a binding domestic target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions of at least 40% in 2030 as compared to 1990. To meet this target, the European Council agreed that the emissions in the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) should be reduced, compared to 2005, by 43%. The purpose of this EC-conducted consultation was to gather stakeholders' views on key elements, including free allocation to industry, the establishment of a modernisation and an innovation fund, and optional free allocation of allowances to modernise electricity generation in some Member States. Here are Bellona's recommendations, with a particular focus on the modalities governing the envisaged innovation fund.

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The people involved

Lina Strandvåg Nagell (on leave)

Senior Manager Projects & EU Policy

lina@bellona.org +32 (0) 489 638 843

Hanna Biro

Policy Advisor

hanna@bellona.org +32 (0) 467 754 344

Francesco Lombardi Stocchetti

Policy Advisor, Sustainable Finance & Economy

francesco@bellona.org +32 (0) 473 903 973

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