SwitchMed in Palestine

United Nations 2 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 5 hours ago



Policy shifts and corporate commitments are redefining sustainable construction as global focus intensifies toward COP30 in Belém. The UK Government’s Carbon Budget Delivery Plan marks a decisive step in aligning the built environment with net zero carbon targets. For the first time, it introduces enforceable mechanisms linking planning approvals and building standards to measurable reductions in embodied carbon. This move places whole life carbon assessment and life cycle cost analysis at the centre of sustainable building design, steering project teams toward low carbon design principles and eco-design for buildings that elevate environmental sustainability in construction.

Developers are recalibrating specifications to address the carbon footprint of construction, prioritising low embodied carbon materials and renewable building materials suited to net zero whole life carbon performance. The broader integration of circular economy thinking, including end-of-life reuse in construction and circular construction strategies, is encouraging a shift from traditional linear models to approaches that improve building lifecycle performance and resource efficiency in construction. Certification frameworks such as BREEAM and the forthcoming BREEAM v7 are reinforcing measurable sustainability outcomes through more transparent lifecycle assessment metrics and robust environmental product declarations (EPDs).

Across Europe, debate over proposed amendments to sustainability disclosure laws has exposed tensions between economic growth and transparent reporting of the environmental impact of construction. Any move that weakens accountability could undermine progress on decarbonising the built environment, affecting the credibility of green building materials and products used worldwide. Companies active in the construction supply chain are increasingly aware that circular economy in construction principles and sustainable material specification are both commercial imperatives and ethical obligations.

Corporate actors are now expected not only to achieve carbon footprint reduction in their portfolios but also to advocate for resilient policy frameworks that support net zero carbon buildings and low carbon construction materials. Within this context, eco-friendly construction and sustainable building practices are evolving from compliance goals to essential market differentiators. Ethical sourcing of materials, influenced by global resource pressures, is pushing sustainable design and green construction forward as defining methods for a climate-resilient future.

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