CTI took note of China’s progress report in implementing the Work Plan on APEC Cooperation Network on Green Supply Chain (GSCNET)

Background

The 22nd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting held in 2014 in Beijing positively valued the APEC High-level Roundtable on Green Development and endorsed the establishment of APEC Cooperation Network on Green Supply Chain (GSCNET). In 2015, China submitted the Work Plan for APEC Cooperation Network on Green Supply Chain, which was endorsed by SOM3 and AMM.

Progress

- Construct the Website on GSC to Share Information of GSCNET
APECGSC.ORG website will be launched in early May this year. Research reports and documents from leading multi-national corporations, research institutions and industrial associations have been uploaded on the website.
- Set up an Expert Group
The Proposal of Nomination for the Expert Group was distributed at the 1^st senior official meeting (SOM1) in February 2016, Peru. China-ASEAN Environmental Cooperation Center (CAEC) has already received feedbacks from 6 APEC member economies. 4 APEC member economies submitted their nominations. Up to date, there are 15 nominees for the Expert Group.
- Encourage Economies to Establish Pilot Centers
We are actively exploring the potential pilot centers and their cooperation within member economies, including organizations from the United State, Japan, Australia, Korea, Chile, etc. Several organizations from different economies expressed their interests in joining GSCNET and becoming new pilot centers.
- Coordinate Annual GSC Dialogue and Capacity Building
We are currently interacting with the member economies, and the tentative meeting agenda has been drafted.

Tianjin Pilot Center

In addition to actively promoting implementation of the Work Plan, Tianjin Pilot Center has made positive progress in GSC:
Last October, Tianjin Pilot Center jointly hosted the Forum on Green Supply Chain with The Sustainability Consortium (TSC). The Forum has invited over 200 representatives from departments of sustainability and procurement of Wal-Mart, Apple Inc., IBM and other multination enterprises, presenting and sharing the best practices. 1,500 square meters of commercial building in the CBD of Tianjin Binhai New area was identified as excellent case center (Green Expo).
Green Procurement Tool Research proposal submitted by Tianjin Pilot Center was endorsed by CTI in March and economies such as Russia actively echoes this research project. Tianjin Pilot Center also hosted a domestic workshop in April with furniture industry associations and green procurement tools are currently developed.
Tianjin Pilot Center also is responsible for carrying out the Research Program on Developing Green Supply Chain Index in Building Sector from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. It has developed green credit rating model for the building sector at city level.
Inspired by Tianjin Pilot Center, and through partnerships between stakeholders from both local and APEC economies, progress is also achieved respectively at Shanghai and Dongguan. In particular, Shanghai awards best practice enterprises and Dongguan GSC Index is developed by the city, EDF and Walmart.

Next Steps

1. The second round of nomination is now open to all APEC member economies.
The deadline is May 30, 2016. After that, the Expert Group will be formally set up and the members will be regarded as the founding members, who are entitled to discuss and determine the Group’s TOR.
2. China will hold the GSC Dialogue or APEC Workshop on Capacity Building for GSC before August 2016. The first GSCNET Expert Group meeting will also be held back to back with the Workshop.
3. China will endeavour to encourage member economies to nominate more institutions to join and to contribute to a well-functioning GSCNET.
4. China will develop and establish the APEC Green Supply Chain Excellent Case Center in Tianjin Free Trade Zone and welcome other economies to participate to share experience and explore customs clearance facilitation for green products.