Newsletter on public policy, standardization and regulation
April 2022
This newsletter from Deytec, Inc. is published to inform subscribers of developments in the field of public policy, regulation and standardization.
Monideep Dey, PhD, principal consultant, serves as an US expert in International technical and trade committees.
Paper on Considerations of Conformity Assessment for the Circular Economy
The post-COVID recovery offers an opportunity to reverse unsustainable economic trends and build back better, to promote sustainable consumption and production as laid out in SDG 12 and transition to a circular, more resilient and low-carbon economy. Nations are developing a circular economy in the context of the Paris Agreement, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the United Nations Call for Action on Adaption and Resilience. ISO, UNECE and other international standards organizations are developing a number of standards that are essential in supporting the climate agenda; they help adapt to climate change, quantify greenhouse gas emissions and promote the dissemination of good practices in environmental management.
A critical element to ensure the achievement of sustainable develop goals is the assessment of conformity and accountability that such goals are being achieved and in a manner consistent with all the SDGs. Although this document reports specifically on conformity assessment for the Circular Economy that is aimed to serve UN SDG12 – Responsible consumption and production, and also UN SDG-13, Climate action, many concepts and methods discussed here will be applicable more broadly in the implementation of all SDGs.
International Standards also play a crucial role in underpinning the global economy, and creating trust on all aspects of international trade. In the past, advanced economies have been the main participants in the development of international standards with participants from the transition and developing economies only playing a minor role. This paper emphasizes that issues important to developing and transition economies such as those for social and environmental concerns should be addressed in international standards for them to have broad benefit across all nations and to achieve the SDGs worldwide.
