FACILITATING THE SWITCH TO LARGE SCALE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION (SCP) IN ASIA

The SWITCH-Asia Network Facility tackles the most pressing environmental challenges in Asia. It plays a key role for the switch toward more sustainable consumption and production (SCP) patterns in Asia’s rapidly transforming economies and is at the core of an innovative programme.

30 EU-funded projects across the region are being extended beyond the scope of demonstration projects to serve as points of transformation in Asia. This is made possible by institutionalising synergies and the potential of networks that are being established within the SWITCH-Asia Network Facility.

Scaling-up as a basic principle

The SWITCH-Asia Programme places its primary emphasis on maximising opportunities for broad replication and scaling-up of benefits. Accordingly, the SWITCH-Asia Network Facility requires that case-related knowledge be shared and available among participants for all projects. The Facility links project related knowledge within a strong SCP network that spans borders to promote integration of this SCP knowledge among business, political leaders and other stakeholders.

Transforming stakeholders into agents for replication

In its role as a mediator the SWITCH-Asia Network Facility enables stakeholders and intermediaries to fully realise their potential and become agents for replication of successful projects. Only through engaging business associations, financial institutions, suppliers and partners within value chains can markets for SCP friendly business be created to enable innovative Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to succeed.

Bridging the implementation gap between available tools and the most pressing SCP issues

Many tools, technologies and knowledge for implementing SCP practices are currently available in both Europe and Asia. However, projects that have been implemented on a demonstration scale need to be implemented more broadly in the Asia region and uptake by Asia’s innovative SME sector needs to be supported.

The Network Facility is funded through a direct award service contract under the SWITCH ASIA programme and is being led by the UNEP/Wuppertal Institute Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP) and Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy.