Number: 1998-11
WHEREAS, eco-labeling and/or environmental certification programs are an emerging conservation tool, enabling consumers to choose products and services that cause less damage to the environment, and that make a positive statement that identifies such products and services as less harmful to the environment; and
WHEREAS, eco-labeling and/or environmental certification programs are recognized by a variety of domestic and international organizations, governments, and business associations; and
WHEREAS, eco-labeling programs can provide important information to consumers about the environmental impacts associated with the purchase of a particular product or service and can provide potential market incentives or benefits to the suppliers of such products and services; and
WHEREAS, eco-labeling programs are not a substitute for the setting of minimum product standards or requirements, but in many instances can provide a more economically efficient opportunity for securing positive environmental results by rewarding environmental leadership; and
WHEREAS, a variety of domestic and international products and services are being marketed under emerging eco-labeling programs including coffee, bananas, forest and agriculture products, computers, and “green” energy; and
WHEREAS, eco-labeling systems should be truthful in their claims and should be based on measurable performance standards that are scientifically valid and verifiable in the field or in the production process and truthful in their claims; and
WHEREAS, eco-labeling systems and standards should be developed with relevant, non-conflicted business, scientific, environmental and community stakeholders through a transparent process of testing, evaluation, and verification; and
WHEREAS, natural resource-based products certified under eco-labeling systems need to be developed with a bio-regional emphasis that recognizes the different ecological, geographical and cultural characteristics of the area where the product, such as bananas or trees, are grown and harvested; and
WHEREAS, many eco-labeling and certification systems are not government determined nor mandated, however, governments can have an important and useful role in providing scientific and technical advisory support, developing pilot projects, and funding initial development of certification systems, consumer protection, and procurement policies which recognize environmentally certified products; and
WHEREAS, performance-based eco-labeling or environmental certification programs are under attack by business associations that fear their effectiveness, seek to diminish their market success through the promotion of “self-audit” programs or false market claims about the environmental performance of certain products and services (i.e.,”greenwashing”), claim that such eco-labeling or certification systems can act as unfair trade barriers, and are thereby advocating for international trade bodies such as the World Trade Organization to prevent or limit their use; and
WHEREAS, the lack of rigorous, independent verifiable, performance-based eco-labeling or certification systems will increase the likelihood of false market claims, “greenwashing”, and misinformation about the environmental impacts of various products (for both product characteristics and production processes); and
WHEREAS, the Office of the President of the United States issued Executive Order #12873 in October of 1993 which stated …this Administration is determined to strengthen the role of the federal government as an enlightened and environmentally conscious and concerned consumer … through the procurement of environmentally preferable products … that have a lesser or reduced effect when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose …; and
WHEREAS, the provisions of this Executive Order have not been adequately implemented, nor is there currently a clear or binding strategy for implementing it; and
WHEREAS, the National Wildlife Federation, affiliate organizations, and like minded groups are participating in the development and implementation of various eco-labeling and environmental certification systems;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Wildlife Federation in its Annual Meeting assembled March 19-22, 1998, in Alexandria, Virginia, calls upon the Administration and Congress to implement Executive Order #12873 in a timely manner, drawing upon the information and experience of various eco-labeling and environmental certification programs, including those created by appropriate government agencies (such as the USDA National Organic Standards Board for food products) and non-governmental agencies (such as the internationally recognized Forest Stewardship Council); and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the National Wildlife Federation calls upon the Administration and Congress to support and safeguard the use of credible eco-labeling and/or environmental certification systems before the World Trade Organization and other international trade bodies and in future trade agreements; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the National Wildlife Federation and affiliate groups further call upon the North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation (created under the North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA) to continue funding and assisting in the development of credible, independent eco-labeling and certification systems that do not explicitly or unnecessarily restrict free trade or commerce; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the National Wildlife Federation will strive to feature products and businesses in its educational programs and merchandising efforts which promote the use of products and services which have been certified under credible, independent, and verifiable environmental certification and/or eco-labeling programs; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the National Wildlife Federation and affiliate groups call upon the business and corporate community of the United States to constructively and positively participate in the development of credible, independent and verifiable performance-based eco-labeling and environmental certification programs that will provide consumers with better information about the environmental impacts of the products and services they purchase and consume.