EU4Environment Action
Context
The UNIDO Resources Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) Demonstration Project is part of the European Union-funded EU4Environment Action, spanning between 2019-2022.
EU4Environment was launched in the context of an important political momentum of the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership, which showed good progress towards the “2020 Deliverables for 2020” and reinforced the EU support towards environmental goals following the European elections. Its launch was also related to the politically dynamic environment in the EaP countries.
By bringing together environmental and economic actors, EU4Environment helps deliver policy and legislative changes, making planning and investment greener, stimulating the uptake of innovative technologies, adopting new business models, and creating green jobs. It promotes better environmental governance, improved management of protected areas and forests, and sustainable trade. The scope of the Action was defined in cooperation with all partner countries.
The Action builds on important achievements of past cooperation programmes, such as Greening Economies in the Eastern Neighbourhood (EaP GREEN), the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG), and the Emerald Network, which were completed in 2017-18. It also ensures synergies with other EU-funded initiatives (EU4Climate, EU4Business, EU4Energy, SIGMA), coordination with European Union Delegations, and the engagement of the civil society.
The UNIDO Demonstration Project supports in each of the six EaP countries
- the creation of human and institutional capacities for RECP
- the demonstration, dissemination, and replication of the RECP methodology in priority sectors (chemicals, food, and construction materials)
- transfer of and investment in RECP technologies
Purpose and structure
The EU4Environment Action is structured around five thematic areas/clusters of work, called “Results”:
- Greener decision-making
- Circular economy and New Growth Opportunities
- An environmental level playing field
- Ecosystem services and livelihoods
- Regional knowledge sharing and coordination
Each Result contains a number of outputs with country-specific and regional activities, as specified in the work plans and the Description of the Action.
Implementing partners
EU4Environment (part of the EU Neighbours Initiative) has a budget of approximately EUR 20 million, with and it is directed by the European Commission. The EU works in close cooperation with the Action’s five Implementing Partners, namely
- three UN agencies (UNECE, UNEP and UNIDO) that are the implementing organisations for Results 1 and 2
- the OECD, the implementing organisation for Results 3 and 5 (OECD also facilitates interaction among partners and coordinates communication and visibility activities)
- the World Bank, the implementing organisation for Result 4
Stakeholders
EU4Environment works at both the regional and national levels. It is primarily targeted at government authorities in the EaP countries, but also works closely with civil society, academia, and the private sector.
The key national partners and beneficiaries of the Action are Ministries of Environment and of Economy of six EaP countries. Various branches of the government are also involved, including Ministries of Finance and Energy, procurement agencies, national statistics offices and other line Ministries.
For more details about the Action, please visit the EU4Environment official website.