The World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) have developed a framework for green public procurement that should help governments reach their net-zero targets faster. The framework notes that public procurement has key role to play in the path to net-zero as it is responsible for 15% of global GHG emissions. 3% of those emissions are direct, while 12% come through the emissions released by the companies from which they procure the goods and services they require to maintain their operations. 

Governments globally currently spend 11 trillion dollar on public procurement, producing 7,5 billion tonnes of GHG emissions in the process. 75% of those emissions come from six industries, defence and security, transportation, waste management services, construction, industrial products, and ultilities. As these are all major industries that are heavily dependent on public spending, governments have a lot of potential to abate GHG emissions by adopting green public procurement practices.

The transition to green public procurement wouldn’t cost much. The framework states that approximately 40% of all emissions related to public procurement can be abated for less than $15 per tonne of GHG emissions, raising procurement costs by just 3% to 6%. Moreover, the private investment and green jobs created by greening public procurement can boost global GDP by arond 6 trillion dollar through 2050.

Berge Brende, president of the WEF, notes that the framework “shows that the transition to green public procurement benefits all stakeholders. The transition to green procurement practices shouldn't be perceived as a cost burden for industries and the public sector, but rather as something that creates long-term sustainable economic growth."

The framework can be downloaded here.