Netherlands
Netherlands speaking points on industrial development IPM CSD15
We align ourselves with the position expressed by Germany on behalf of the
European Union
Sustainable industrial policies form an important contribution to global sustainable
development. The sustainable use of natural resources must be an essential
component of such policies. A necessity which is underlined by the Millennium
Ecosystem Assessment.
But we also see strong synergy between competitiveness, resource efficiency,
environmental protection and social cohesion. In the Netherlands we have a slogan:
Clean, Clever, Competitive. Governments have an important role in fostering this
synergy. One way to do this is to stimulate Green Public Procurement. Governments
can serve as launching customers for sustainable industrial products. The
Netherlands therefore has the ambition to make sustainability an important criteria in
100% of public procurement decisions by 2010. We invite other governments to
adopt similar ambitions.
Another way to create this synergy, is by stimulating education and innovation.
Innovation can lead to new employment in new and sustainable sectors. If we
educate young people with the focus on these sustainable sectors we can
simultaneously address the worrying problem of youth unemployment. This way
youth has a double dividend: environmental preservation and new jobs.
We align ourselves with the position expressed by Germany on behalf of the
European Union
Sustainable industrial policies form an important contribution to global sustainable
development. The sustainable use of natural resources must be an essential
component of such policies. A necessity which is underlined by the Millennium
Ecosystem Assessment.
But we also see strong synergy between competitiveness, resource efficiency,
environmental protection and social cohesion. In the Netherlands we have a slogan:
Clean, Clever, Competitive. Governments have an important role in fostering this
synergy. One way to do this is to stimulate Green Public Procurement. Governments
can serve as launching customers for sustainable industrial products. The
Netherlands therefore has the ambition to make sustainability an important criteria in
100% of public procurement decisions by 2010. We invite other governments to
adopt similar ambitions.
Another way to create this synergy, is by stimulating education and innovation.
Innovation can lead to new employment in new and sustainable sectors. If we
educate young people with the focus on these sustainable sectors we can
simultaneously address the worrying problem of youth unemployment. This way
youth has a double dividend: environmental preservation and new jobs.
Stakeholders