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Substantial evidence indicates that the negative consequences of human-induced climate change are worsening for both ecological and human systems1. Political decisions have been insufficient so far to achieve net greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions reduction targets. Despite governments’ COP (Conference Of Parties) pledges, climate plans, and NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions), the commitments undertaken with the objective of cutting and/or compensating GHG emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 have been unfulfilled. This failure to establish and achieve science-driven net-zero objectives by governments and businesses is leading to continued rises in global temperatures and exacerbating the impacts of climate change, both in terms of magnitude and frequency2.
Given the aforementioned context, it is imperative to shed light on the sectors and processes that contribute the most to emissions and to subject them to rigorous investigation. Amongst them, public procurement is worthy of particular attention. Public procurement is the process by which governments and state-owned enterprises purchase goods, services, or works from the private sector. Its financial size is impressive: around 12% of national GDP and 29% of total government expenditure in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries, or 6 trillion euros per year according to a recent study3. Even more striking is the estimate that public procurement is responsible for 15% of global GHG emissions, or 7.5 billion tons per year, roughly equivalent to 8-9 times the amount emitted by the entire aviation industry4.
A tracking study by CDP (the Carbon Disclosure Project) revealed that less than 3% of public administrations and companies worldwide require their suppliers to disclose data on climate-related aspects of goods, services, and construction works they offer5.
Against this background, it can be claimed that public procurement processes implemented within research projects embedded in missions related to climate change mitigation and/or adaptation worldwide represent a particularly critical case. It is frequent that partners of such projects include public administrations, which involves that large project budgets must be allocated through public procurement procedures. It is somewhat paradoxical that even these public procurement procedures, which are specifically intended to improve cities’ climate neutrality, have not yet incorporated the application of operational climate-related criteria.
Whether public expenditures made within...