GIZ, Environment Ministry agreement to increase sustainable consumption
 
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) signed with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to provide EUR 600,000 on technical support for sustainable consumption and protection outreach in Laos under the Next Five Project
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on February 24 was signed  by the Director General of the Department of Planning and Finance of MONRE, Mr Phouvong Luangxaysana, and the National Director of GIZ Laos,  Dr Wolfgang Hannig,

Representatives of Ngoi district and the company join villagers at the commencement ceremony of the drinking water demonstration project.

The signing was witnessed by Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dr Saynakhone Inthavong, , and other delegates from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the German Embassy, the Delegation of the European Union in the Lao PDR, and the GIZ Laos. 
The project “Sustainable Consumption and Production Outreach in Asia: The Next Five” (SCP) is a regional project funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and the Nuclear Safety commission of Germany in cooperation with the Pollution Control Department of Thailand. The objective is to support the governments of Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Bhutan in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable production and services and environmentally friendly consumption. The total budget for the five countries is EUR 5 million with project duration of three years. The Lao PDR will receive technical support up to amount of EUR 600.000. 
Project expectation outputs on Legal frameworks, communication systems and appropriate incentive mechanisms are established to address climate-relevant products and services. 
Strategies for a more sustainable public procurement, evironmental labels promotion and the mutual recognition of environmental labels improvement. 
It is expected that this project will contribute to implement relevant legislation and regulations of the Lao PDR, in particular the Law on Public Procurement (No. 030 / NA),  issued on 2 November  2, 2017), which states in Article 4, paragraph 3, that the government promotes environmentally friendly public procurement.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update February 25, 2021)