Greening supply and demand: Advancing Eco-Labels and Sustainable Public Procurement for climate and biodiversity protection (Eco-Advance)

Latin America is a biodiversity hotspot but faces increasing GHG emissions and waste due to growing material and energy intensity, partly caused by an increase in urban consumption. The progress in the field of sustainable public procurement (SPP) and type-I ecolabelling in the region is very different. The project triggers a transformation towards more sustainable consumption and production (SCP) in the five partner countries. This will be achieved by aligning and promoting third party verified ecolabels that guarantee a reliable source of information and ensure low climate impact of products. Additionally, the project will integrate climate and biodiversity protection in SPP policies by defining or improving procurement criteria using ecolabels as a means of verification. The countries will not only contribute to climate change mitigation, sustainable use of natural resources and biodiversity conservation, but can also become trendsetters for the region.

Project data

Countries: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico
IKI funding: 10,000,000.00 €
Included preparation phase: 10,000,000.00 €
Duration: 12/2022 till 11/2026
Status: open
Implementing organisation: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Political Partner: Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services (MDIC)- Brazil

Ministry of Environment - Ecuador

Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) - Costa Rica

Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MinAmbiente) - Colombia

Ministry of Finance - Costa Rica

Ministry of Finance and Public Credit - Mexico
Implementing Partner: Öko-Institut e.V.

United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) - France
Online: https://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/127746.html

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State of implementation/results

On July 10th, 2024, the Environmental Alliance of America (AAA), the first regional eco-labeling programme that is backed by regulatory, standardisation, and accreditation bodies was legally established. In 2025, institutions from six countries reaffirmed their commitment to Sustainable Consumption and Production by signing the “Declaration of Brazil”. Governments from Ecuador and Colombia joined the AAA.
22 new or revised Type I ecolabel sustainability criteria for highly climate-, biodiversity- or resource-relevant product groups have been developed or are currently under review.
Strategic and Practical workshops on gender sensitive Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) were organised in the 5 countries with the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD).
At COP30, UNEP and UNIDO launched the “Plan to Accelerate Solutions Harnessing Public Procurement in High-Impact Sectors to Drive Climate Action and a Just Transition” supported by the project due to its relevance to consolidating SPP.
Four Asian Ecolabeling Schemes developed ecolabeling criteria for 14 products. In the project countries, 16 criteria were updated and six more are under development.
About 109 capacity development activities were conducted, engaging over 2000 participants on eco-labelling, sustainable consumption, life-cycle analysis and other related topics. Up to 3 400 participants were reached on SPP implementation, monitoring and evaluation and related themes.
Several new studies, good practices and policy briefs were prepared (such as “Economic and Environmental relevance of Data Centers”). 15 good practices on eco-labels and Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) were published, of which eight have been replicated globally.
Together with One Planet Network, a global and a regional conference on Ecolabel and Sustainable Public Procurement with government and civil society representatives was organised in Bogotá, Colombia on November 14th - 15th, 2023, and Brasília, Brazil on July 10th – 11th 2025, respectively, to facilitate knowledge exchange, capacity building and learning.
A Regional Community of Practices on SPP was established, bringing together representatives from partner countries plus Chile to exchange knowledge on national strategies and programmes.

Study to support the advancement of the new created Green Label type I (Selo Verde Brasil) and adoption of life-cycle approach in SPP.
For seven prioritised products (coffee, office furniture, construction services for buildings, recycled plastics, cleaning products, paper, and textiles) ecolabeling sustainability criteria were developed. Seven courses for auditors in those sectors were conducted.
Study and toolboxes on financial instruments and incentives for SMEs to access ecolabeling were developed.
A guide on how to define and implement sustainability criteria in Public Procurement, including the use of eco-labels was published by the Ministry of Management and Innovation (MGI).
Recommendations and technical inputs for updating the public procurement e-catalogue focusing on sustainability criteria provided.

Development of structural proposal for the monitoring and evaluating public procurement including indicators related to climate change, biodiversity and sustainable consumption and production.
Contributions to updating the Guide to Social and Environmental sustainability criteria in Public Procurement, including the use of a cost-benefit analysis tool and conducted an online course on this topic, including a module on the use of ecolabels.
Drafting a fiscal observatory to monitor the country's financial expenditures related to SPP in four cities, Bogotá, Manizales, Montería and Medellín.
Published four new ecolabeling criteria for data centres, e-commerce, cleaning services and hygiene and absorbent products. Four criteria for mattresses, catering services, construction aggregates and bricks were updated.
Developed a strategy to reduce single use plastics in public procurement.

Capacity building on regulations and ISO standards, with a focus on certification bodies, aiming for gender balance, for 15 people who will contribute to the implementation of the National Ecolabel Program.
A grant agreement was signed with the Institute of Technical Standards of Costa Rica (INTECO) to strengthen the National Ecolabel Program.
Three online-seminars on SPP and benefits of eco-labeling involving chambers of commerce on “eco-labeling in Costa Rica and Regional Commerce”, “Ecolabel as a commercial opportunity” and “Ecolabeling of products and services” were conducted.
The “Strategy for the implementation of sustainable public procurement in the infrastructure and transportation sector” in Costa Rica was presented with the participation of the Vice Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure.
Published Strategic Public Procurement Manual and National Public Procurement Plan 2025-2028.
Published guide for including sustainability and innovation criteria in SPP.
Published a study on how to overcome financial gaps for accessing ecolabels.
Published 4 ecolabeling criteria for wood, paints, steel, and tires.

Designed a Monitoring Evaluation System for Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP).
Conducted study on SPP at the subnational level.
Established a permanent working group on SP with University Símon Bolívar.
Supported the development of the National Strategy for Sustainable Consumption and Production.
Supported an inter-ministerial agreement to establish an ecolabel scheme in the country. The project also conducted capacity building on SPP and analysis of the feasibility of setting up a system of Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation of Green or Triple Impact Public Procurement.
Conducted a training course on implementation of the SPP legislation.
A comparative study and roadmap to contribute for mandatory SPP were published.
Capacity building on ISO standards to Quality Infrastructure technicians.

A review of the verification tools adopted by the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) for environmental audits was conducted, resulting in a roadmap to improve the joint actions on labels and SPP.
Roadmaps were developed to implement SPPs at the federal level and in the states of Nuevo León, Baja California and Puebla.
Advice was provided on the development of regulations related to sustainability criteria.
Support was provided for the design of monitoring and evaluation frameworks for SPP.
Online-seminars on voluntary certification schemes and SPP were delivered for SMEs, reaching more than 600 participants in total.

Latest Update:
05/2026