The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) launched the International Task Force for Sustainable Products (ITFSP) in November 2005. Thirteen counties, the International Energy Agency (IEA), the UN's Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), Development Programme (UNDP) and Environment Programme (UNEP) have agreed to participate, supporting its aims, setting priorities and developing and implementing its work plan.
ITFSP aims to help deliver, in particular, the commitments made by the governments of developed and developing nations at the UN's World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg 2002 and through G8 meetings in Gleneagles 2005 (Gleneagles Dialogue) and St Petersburg 2006. These call for more practical co-operation to achieve a shift towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production (SCP) and specific actions to deliver more energy efficient and sustainable goods and services (see.
The Johannesburg Plan of Implementation called for "a 10-year framework of programmes in support of regional and national initiatives to accelerate the shift towards sustainable consumption and production". Launched by the UN at a meeting of experts in Marrakech 2003, organised by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs' Division for Sustainable Development and UNEP , this "Marrakech Process", includes regular global and regional meetings , informal expert task forces and other activities to promote progress. The next experts meeting will be in Sweden 2007.
The International Task Force for Sustainable Products (ITFSP) is one of 7 task forces adopted under the Marrakech Process. The ITFSP's vision is, by encouraging innovation and competition, to create strong markets for environmentally sustainable and energy efficient products, while ensuring markets do not persist (and are not created) for obsolete technologies and wasteful products, particularly in developing countries with rapidly expanding economies. |
|
