Eight countries unite to reduce fashion’s impact
Eight governments have launched a six-year, $45-million initiative aimed at reshaping the supply chains of their fashion and construction sectors as part of the Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded Integrated Programme on Eliminating Hazardous Chemicals from Supply Chains.
Cambodia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, India, Mongolia, Pakistan, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago will work together to promote regenerative design, the replacement of non-renewable materials, resource-efficient production, responsible purchasing behaviour and improved post-use collection.
The initiative also leverages an additional $295 million from other sources.
A launch event in Cambodia introduced the programme, led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), working with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
It will empower women, youth, and local communities by integrating indigenous knowledge, revitalizing local economies and identifying sustainable materials and practices, they said.
Specific initiatives include redesigning carnival fashion in Trinidad and Tobago, establishing artisanal brick kilns in Ecuador, piloting of green building certification and fashion eco-labelling schemes in Cambodia and transforming banana stem waste into economically viable fibre in Pakistan.
GEF predicted these efforts could prevent the release of 6 million tonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and 18,750 tonnes of hazardous chemicals into ecosystems. Releases of persistent organic pollutants into the air will be minimized, protecting air quality, while 825,000 hectares of land and ecosystems will be restored. By 2031, these efforts are expected to benefit 2 million people
