SwitchMed in Palestine

United Nations 3 years ago

The Palestinian Sustainable Consumption and Production National Action Plan (SCP-NAP) was developed under the coordination of the Environment Quality Authority (EQA) under the EU-funded SwitchMed programme, with advisory services and technical support from the United Nations Environment Programme. The Plan is part of Palestine’s efforts to achieve Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. The SCP-NAP which contributes to SDG12.1, prioritizes tourism, housing and construction, agriculture and food and was developed in Palestine through nationally owned multi-stakeholder processes. It was officially launched by H.E. the Prime Minister of Palestine on October 5th, 2016 during a two-day Sustainable Consumption and Production workshop and exhibition in Ramallah. The implementation of the plan is ongoing through selected projects and initiatives. Switch to Circular Economy: Under SwitchMed II, a short document "How Palestine is switching to a Circular Economy" was prepared to present an overview on how the country is implementing activities/policies/programs on SCP and Circular Economy. In this document you will see 10 success stories inspired by the work of SwitchMed in the State of Palestine. They show how what began in workshops developed into plans that created a ripple that flowed out around the country. This short publication shows that opportunities for countries from sustainable consumption and production are rich and varied. The Switch to SCP is off and running. SwitchMed is proud to have supported Palestine in its work to build a society where people and planet thrive and prosper together. Palestine has already developed policies, strategies, and integrated plans to form a regulatory framework that has SCP at its core. For some time now, it has been building on these, expanding its waste reduction plan, promoting a resource-efficient circular economy, and further developing its work on sustainable water management and energy solutions. It is clear that SCP is no longer just something discussed in meeting rooms. Now it is happening on the ground, across business and industry, in cities and regions, reducing pollution, improving the air we breathe, and promoting better use of nature’s gifts through resource-efficient and low- carbon consumption and production practices.   SCP-NAP demonstration projects: The implementation of the SCP-NAP's priorities - tourism and agriculture&food was carried out through selected projects and initiatives.  Promoting Eco-trails: This project supported the development, testing and dissemination of Guidelines and selection criteria corresponding to the specific national context and needs in full participation of all relevant stakeholders. The testing and approval workshops on eco-trails involved over 50 relevant stakeholders’ participation. Two on-site training workshops were organize in the natural reserve of Al Uja in Jericho gevernorate and the natural reserve of Wadi El Quf in Hebron Governoarate with around 100 participants from related institutions. Subjected to the guidelines and methodology, potential trails and sites were collected and 7 eco-trails were selected for rehabilitation to become showcase examples of sustainable eco-trails /sites. The rehabilitation included the following: (prepare trail maps, blaze the trails, prepare a brochure for each trail with information on fauna and flora). Sustainable Agriculture modules: Agriculture and food are among the main sectors of the Palestinian SCP-NAP.  The Guidelines of Biological Pest Control seeks to manage pests by using methods that are effective, economically sound, and ecologically compatible, through promoting the use and integration of multiple tactics such as use of resistant varieties or behavioral modification. The Guidelines of biological Pest Control was elaborated, printed and presented to farmers and stakeholders, especially through two workshops in Nablus on April 25th, 2018 and in Hebron on April 26th, 2018, where around 100 representatives from related institutions and farmers participated. The Manual for Agricultural Best Practices identified the best practices that can result in protecting the soil quality and moisture content. A manual was developed and presented to the farmers and other stakeholders in the different governorates. Four consultation and technical meetings were held during September to October of 2017 for the review and submission of the report. Around 50 relevant specialist and staff from EQA and Ministry of Agriculture as well as 45 farmers, 53 agricultural extension staff and 18 institutes experts provided feedback in the process through questionnaires and interviews. Two training workshops were organized at Ministry of Agriculture in Nablus Governorate on 12th Feb 2018 with 30 extension staff and farmers from Northern Governorates and at Hebron Governorate on 20th Feb 2018 with 60 extension staff and farmers from middle Governorates attended. Three Sustainable Consumption and Production expos were organized in Jenin (28 Nov. 2017), Hebron (17 Dec. 2017) and Gaza (15 Jan. 2018). For each expo, more than 500 visitors from all governorates of the country, women's associations, private sector, governmental institutions, universities, and municipalities participated. The exhibitions included more than 30 initiatives ranging from recycling of used tires to organic agriculture and upcycled fashion. In the context of the expos, the Sustainable Consumption and Production projects were presented and well covered by media. For detailed project information please download the factsheets of the demo projects.
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layersDaily Sustainability Digest

Published about 7 hours ago



Policy momentum in the UK is setting the direction for a new era of sustainable construction rooted in measurable carbon performance. Planning reforms proposing the delivery of 1.5 million homes signal an urgent balance between rapid development and low carbon design. The debate now hinges on whether the next generation of housing can achieve net zero whole life carbon without compromising affordability or urban resilience. This shift underscores the necessity of whole life carbon assessment and lifecycle assessment across all stages of the built environment, from design to end-of-life reuse in construction.

The workforce transition is equally critical. Skills England’s forecast of 250,000 additional roles highlights that decarbonising the built environment demands not only policy innovation but also technical capability in sustainable building design, resource efficiency in construction and the specification of low embodied carbon materials. These skills will support the progression of carbon neutral construction and the integration of circular economy principles into procurement frameworks.

At the project level, the adoption of plug‑in battery systems and renewable building materials demonstrates how energy-efficient buildings are becoming active participants in grid stability. This evolution reflects a deeper commitment to environmental sustainability in construction through eco-design for buildings and sustainable material specification that minimises the carbon footprint of construction.

Across Europe, climate accountability is tightening. Corporate emissions scrutiny and extreme weather events reinforce the imperative for green construction that measures embodied carbon in materials and validates performance through environmental product declarations (EPDs) and BREEAM v7 certification. The convergence of sustainable design, circular construction strategies and life cycle cost analysis is making the environmental impact of construction transparent and quantifiable.

What was once an aspirational green agenda has become a framework for sustainable urban development guided by verifiable metrics of carbon footprint reduction and building lifecycle performance. The result is a global shift toward low impact, eco-friendly construction driven by evidence, regulation and innovation that embeds sustainability at the core of every design and decision.

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