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January 19, 2026
The Global Circularity Protocol for Business (GCP) Version 1.0 is a voluntary, science-based framework designed to help companies measure, manage, and communicate their circularity performance. Developed jointly by WBCSD and the One Planet Network (hosted by UNEP) with input from more than 150 experts and over 80 organizations, it provides standardized metrics and practical guidance for reducing waste, cutting emissions, and improving resource efficiency across value chains. Piloted by leading companies, the GCP enables credible, comparable reporting and supports businesses in identifying circularity hotspots, enhancing accountability, and strengthening resilience. Announced at COP30, it marks a significant step toward harmonized global practices for circularity.
More details at One Planet Network knowledge center.
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January 12, 2026
We are pleased to announce the release of the Chinese translation of Communicating Chemicals in Products: Global guidance on providing voluntary chemical-related sustainability information for products. The translation was supported by the China Environmental Certification Center (CEC) and Shenzhen Zero Waste.
Products of modern life—from clothing and cosmetics to electronics, furniture, packaging, toys, and even the materials used in our homes—contain a wide range of chemicals. With an estimated 40,000–60,000 industrial chemicals present on the global market, improving how information on these substances is communicated has become more important than ever.
This publication offers practical guidance for better sharing information on chemicals and material ingredients as part of broader product sustainability communication. Building on the 10 high-level principles of the Guidelines for Providing Product Sustainability Information, the document explains how these principles can be applied specifically to chemicals in products. It also includes best-practice examples to support businesses and organizations in delivering clear, reliable, and accessible information.
As a complementary resource to the original Guidelines, this translated edition aims to support Chinese-speaking stakeholders in enhancing transparency, strengthening consumer trust, and improving the communication of chemical-related sustainability information across all product categories.
Learn more at One Planet Network news center.
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January 5, 2026
COP30 closed with a clear message: sustainable public procurement is now central to global climate and circular-economy action. Across the negotiations, governments highlighted procurement as a practical lever to transform markets, spur innovation and deliver resilient infrastructure.
Under Axis 4 on cities, infrastructure and water, delegates advanced Objective 12 on sustainable and resilient buildings. The Buildings Breakthrough—coordinated by UNEP and the GlobalABC—reported progress on a package of global deliverables, from shared definitions and procurement guidance to finance solutions and capacity-building tools. Together, these aim to support countries in scaling near-zero emission and resilient buildings.
A major milestone within this package was the Global Framework for Action on Sustainable Public Procurement. Advanced through an endorsement campaign led by UNEP’s 10YFP, the framework gained eight new country endorsements and five formal acknowledgments, receiving strong recognition during the first Ministerial Meeting of the Intergovernmental Council for Buildings and Climate.
Momentum continued under Axis 6 on enablers and accelerators, where COP30 spotlighted the Plan to Accelerate Solutions (PAS) on Public Procurement. Led jointly by UNEP 10YFP and partners in Brazil, UNIDO IDDI and OxGAP, the PAS positions procurement as a key instrument for integrating climate considerations across government decision-making.
Axis 6 also saw the launch of the Belém Declaration on Sustainable Public Procurement, which outlines concrete steps to align major supply chains with the 2030 Agenda. With procurement accounting for 15–30% of national GDP, the declaration—already signed by Brazil and the Netherlands—is expected to draw additional supporters in the months ahead.
Discover more of the Outcomes of COP30 in the event outcomes document.
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December 18, 2025
2025 annual meeting of the International Green Purchasing Network-IGPN was held on the theme of environment friendly products/services low carbon of integrated management and green purchasing practice virtually on December 11. Participants from national Green Purchasing Networks (GPN), and IGPN Advisory Board, invited experts from UNEP, GEN, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability attended this meeting. The meeting was hosted by the IGPN Secretariat, China Environmental United Certification Center–CEC.
Mr. Chen Yanping, Chair of IGPN, presented his speech in the opening remarks, “Public procurement has been increasingly positioned as one of the most powerful levers for tackle climate change. 2025, the IGPN in collaboration with UNEP One Planet Network, launched the supply chain management innovative practice collection activity which achieved periodical progress. I hope participants exchange fully for the achievements and expectations, plan for next year development by considering the global trends”. Mr. ZHU Shu, regional director of ICLEI East Asia vice chair of IGPN, delivered his welcome remarks, strategically align IGPN’s work with major global agendas, hope actively build synergies between sustainable procurement with the critical discussions on planet biodiversity and the sustainable development.
Meanwhile, Ms. Paulina Boéchat, Representative of UNEP One Planet Network Secretariat, introduced the latest Progress on Sustainable Public Procurement Implementation: Preliminary insights of SDG12.7.1 third data collection exercise; Ms. Isabella Huang-Loh, Vice Chair, Global Ecolabelling Network, introduced the New Green Purchasing Strategy of GEN and proposal with IGPN collaboration. Additionally, IGPN secretariat, together with representatives from GPN China, Japan, Indian, Thailand, and the Philippines recapped the progress in 2025 with thinking about the 2025 expectations.
Since CEC holds the IGPN Secretariat in 2018, it consistently works on the IGPN operational and members’ collaboration activities. Stated by Mr. LIU Zunwen, CEC general manager, in the summary speech, “Next, IGPN Secretariat will mobilize member’s needs, enrich its activities, optimize the platform of information and knowledge; meanwhile, incorporate global trend of sustainable public procurement, carry our in-depth collaborations with the GEN, and One Planet Network, ac to achieve IGPN mission which is prevail of green purchasing and environmentally friendly products or services”
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December 8, 2025
This technical paper has been developed as part of the Digitalization 4 Circular Economy (D4CE) Impact Initiative. D4CE is hosted by the One Planet Network and Coalition for Digital Environmental Sustainability (CODES). It is a collaborative endeavor involving a diverse community of experts and organizations with a primary objective to accelerate the transition to a circular economy by leveraging digital technologies as powerful scalers. To drive implementation, D4CE has established two Intervention Labs — one focused on Global Digital Standards and Interoperability and another on Digitally Enabled Business Models — to turn knowledge into action. Through these efforts, D4CE is working toward a more harmonized, transparent, and inclusive digital ecosystem for circularity.
This "Blueprint for a Global Digital Product Information System (DPIS) Framework" is the result of a dedicated and insightful collaboration between the 10YFP One Planet Network and the Wuppertal Institute, with inputs from the Life Cycle Initiative, enriching the integration of life cycle perspectives.
DPIS is the digital infrastructure that enables the exchange of Digital Product Information (DPI) — standardized sustainability-related data about products. DPI includes for example material composition, environmental impact, and social responsibility data. DPIS includes the digital infrastructure designed for the exchange of the data and even when covering only part of the life cycle, or certain sectors, the system is designed to be modular and scalable, making it possible to expand to the full lifecycle over time.
A common framework is needed to harmonize and scale DPIS initiatives, ensuring these resources provide the necessary information to support more sustainable consumption and production, as well as accelerating the transition to a Circular Economy (CE). The global Framework for Digital Product Information System (DPIS) aims to address this issue. The Framework will place CE and the sustainability agenda at the heart of DPIS, while providing guidance on the development of an interoperable global system. It will support political decision makers and DPIS developers in different regions, providing political and technical support. Ultimately, it will help to create interconnected solutions that promote global traceability, transparency, and sustainable business practices.
This document provides a Blueprint for the development of a global Framework. It was created during a pre-study phase aimed at analysing the market landscape, identifying existing initiatives, and assessing stakeholder needs. The insights gathered here will inform the design of an effective, inclusive, and practical Framework.
More details at One Planet Network Knowledge Center.
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November 25, 2025
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) participated in the 2025 Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN) Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from 14-17 October. The event brought together representatives from governments, ecolabelling organizations, and international partners to strengthen cooperation and promote credible ecolabelling as a key instrument for advancing sustainable consumption and production (SCP).
The meeting was officially opened by H.E. Abdukhakimov Aziz Abdukaxarovich, Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan. In his opening remarks, the Minister emphasized Uzbekistan’s commitment to being at the forefront of the green economy and invited Uzbek businesses to actively engage in environmental certification efforts. Notably, one local company was formally awarded its ecolabel certification during the event. Uzbekistan has shown strong leadership in Central Asia by explicitly integrating ecolabelling and green public procurement into national legislation. In 2025, Uzbekistan launched the voluntary ecolabel “Yashil Belgi” (Green Mark), developed in accordance with the ISO 14024 standard. Building on this momentum, the Government adopted a resolution in June that encourages certified enterprises by awarding additional points in procurement evaluations, thereby integrating ecolabelling into national procurement systems.
The event brought together ecolabel organizations and government representatives from across Asia and the Pacific, Europe, North America and Latin America and the Caribbean. The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of GEN members to advancing sustainable consumption and production through strong partnerships and the exchange of good practices. With a focus on emerging markets, participants discussed how ecolabelling can catalyze change by reaching new consumer communities and supporting regional efforts to scale up credible, harmonized, and impactful sustainability initiatives.
UNEP’s 10-Year Framework of Programmes (10YFP) Secretariat, has a strong partnership with GEN supporting ecolabelling initiatives. During the event, UNEP emphasized the unique contribution of ecolabels in addressing the triple planetary crisis—biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution. Ecolabels guide consumers and businesses toward products and services with lower environmental impacts across their life cycles while supporting national and global policy frameworks, including the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Global Framework for Chemicals, and national efforts to advance circular economy and sustainable public procurement (SPP). UNEP also highlighted the importance of engaging consumers and businesses through effective communication strategies that reflect values such as health, quality, and social responsibility. A strong call was made for greater efforts toward regional and global harmonization of ecolabelling schemes to enhance credibility, efficiency, and policy alignment.
Progress under the EcoAdvance project was showcased, a collaborative effort between UNEP, GIZ, and Öko-Institut, receiving financial support from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI). Key achievements include the Environmental Alliance of the Americas, the first regional initiative to establish a joint programme for ecolabelling and environmental declarations in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as efforts to develop strong ecolabel criteria for products in the building and construction sector in Asia and to leverage them for SPP. A key highlight for the EcoAdvance project was the in-person signing of six Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between the national ecolabel of Uzbekistan and Japan, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Russia, Thailand and Ukraine, as well as the signing of a tri-party Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between the national ecolabels of Thailand, Sri Lanka and Singapore on common criteria for cement. Regional harmonization of ecolabels helps streamline procedures for businesses seeking to market products across borders, reduce costs and complexity, and catalyze international trade in environmentally friendly products.
Through continued collaboration with GEN and its members, UNEP remains committed to promoting credible ecolabelling systems that empower consumers, enhance transparency, and accelerate the transition toward sustainable consumption and production globally.
Learn more at UNEP One Planet Network news center.
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November 17, 2025
Copenhagen, 2025 – The Circular & Fair ICT (CFIT) Pact convened participants and partners in Copenhagen for its 2025 meeting, hosted by UNOPS. The gathering underscored how public procurement can shape ICT markets by setting shared expectations and standards.
The CFIT Pact, an action under UNEP's One Planet network’s Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) Programme, shows that government spending decisions carry influence beyond individual contracts. By aligning procurement approaches across countries, CFIT creates consistent signals that help direct investment, innovation, and competition in ICT.
A moment of commitment
A key moment was the formal handover of Ireland’s signed CFIT Pact by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). This reinforced Ireland’s commitment to putting sustainable ICT procurement into practice. Anne-Claire Howard, Director of Procurement at UNOPS, opened the meeting with a clear call to action: “Let’s focus on tangible, workable solutions that we can all stand behind and implement. This meeting is our moment to harness the power of this partnership, to forge a common path, and to drive a new standard for the entire sector.”
Advancing and broadening action
Participants advanced work on CFIT’s framework, which covers circularity and critical raw materials, due diligence and transparency, carbon and climate, and chemicals of concern. CFIT resources, including mini-guides and manuals, provide practical tools that help public procurers apply consistent approaches. The meeting also broadened CFIT’s scope. Beyond workplace ICT, the Pact will now address the environmental footprint of data centers and cloud storage.
Responding to new requirements
The meeting addressed changes in the global landscape, including new sustainability and due diligence regulations that affect procurement. CFIT supports members by offering harmonized approaches and shared expertise to meet these requirements more effectively. Participants also heard from Daniel Reid, Head of the Secretariat of the Circular Electronics Partnership (CEP), who shared perspectives on circularity, sourcing, and design challenges across the electronics sector.
Why participation matters
CFIT shows how coordinated procurement can strengthen sustainability in the ICT sector. By joining, participants gain access to shared resources and a network that supports implementation and creates wider market impact.
For more information at One Planet Network news center.
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November 10, 2025
At COP30, UNEP and the 10YFP are elevating sustainable public procurement to the forefront of climate action through two complementary sets of engagements: a cross-cutting programme highlighting public procurement’s role in driving resilient, inclusive transitions, and a dedicated built-environment area showcasing cooperation and solutions for low-carbon and circular construction in the road to a near-zero emission and climate-resilient built environment.
Discover the main events and engagements across COP30 at the One Planet Network website.
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November 3, 2025
Paris, 3 October 2025 - The 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (10YFP) joined the International Resource Panel’s (IRP) capacity-building meeting for new Panel members. The session brought together scientists, policy practitioners and the 10YFP Secretariat to strengthen the links between research and international action on sustainable consumption and production.
Representing the 10YFP, Jorge Laguna Celis, Head of the 10YFP, presented the programme’s work and priorities, highlighting how the partnership with the IRP has been essential in ensuring that science informs policy and implementation. He underlined how IRP assessments such as the Global Resources Outlook have helped ground 10YFP work and outputs - and how joint initiatives—such as the value-chain approach developed with the IRP—translate scientific methods into practical tools for governments and stakeholders.
“By combining the IRP’s evidence base with the 10YFP’s intergovernmental reach, we can accelerate progress towards SDG 12 and support countries in building more sustainable patterns of consumption and production”, said Laguna Celis.
The event provided an important opportunity to connect with prospective IRP panel members and reaffirm the close cooperation between the two organizations. Moving forward, there remains a consensus between the organizations for advancing the global science–policy interface, ensuring that the authoritative and science-based knowledge of the IRP and international convening power of the 10YFP, work hand in hand to deliver tangible impact on SDG12.
More details at One Planet Network News Center.
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