The Global Knowledge Network for
Cleaner Production, Pollution Prevention
and Sustainable Business

International Organizations: The United Nations, the World Bank and other regional development banks, the OECD, and other regional development groups all support active Cleaner Production programs around the world.  They offer technical assistance, financing, research, conferences and training.

Business Associations:  The World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the Global Environmental Management Initiative, and Business for Social Responsibility are just a few of the associations of top business executives who realize that applying business improvement tools using environmental priorities results in better business with less negative impact.  They are openly sharing the best practices of the most successful companies and providing examples for all companies to follow.

Leading Companies:  Hundreds of firms now publish their annual environmental performance reports (and here) on the Internet.   Find out what the competition is doing!

Foreign Aid Agencies:  Countries whose international development assistance programs have significant Cleaner Production activities include Canada, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the USA, and the UK.  

National Governments:  Many countries have embraced cleaner production concepts and made them an important part of national policy and environmental protection regimes.  In the USA alone there are hundreds of cleaner production/pollution prevention programs helping companies, communities and agencies.

Local Governments:  Hundreds of city leaders have realized that cleaner production is a critical strategy for delivering municipal services (water, energy, garbage collection etc.) affordably and sustainably and are including CP in their service designs. They are supported by international associations for cities such as ICMA and ICLEI.   Some leading cities are implementing Environmental Management Systems to improve their own operational concerns as well.  See the Communities page for more.

Non-Governmental Organizations:  NGOs that used to oppose industry are learning how to work with business to achieve win-win solutions using cleaner production methods.  They are promoting Cleaner Production to their millions of committed members. 

Companies:  Tens of thousands of companies around the world have implemented Cleaner Production and saved money, increased profits and customer satisfaction, and reduced their environmental impacts as well.  What's more, many of them have been happy to share their methods and results through case studies.  Now in every industry and in almost every country there are examples of Cleaner Production getting bottom-line results.

Consumers:  People are improving their household quality of life by purchasing less toxic, more efficient, more affordable products designed using Cleaner Production methods.  Many people are designing and building homes that embody Cleaner Production thinking and getting big improvements in water, energy, indoor air quality, disposal costs and health.

For a current overview of CP around the world, read the Global Status Report 2002 from the UN.

Cleaner Production is getting bigger.  There are billions of dollars in financing available for it - CP projects are eligible for many programs with very favorable financing terms.  Thousands of experts are ready to help companies and consumers, and most assistance is free.  In every industry, leading firms are driving ahead of competition using Cleaner Production methods and most are happy to tell their customers and the public what they are doing.  Examples are collected and promoted by CP assistance programs.  Thus Cleaner Production is rapidly becoming the world's biggest network for free research and development on profitable solutions to waste, pollution and hazardous products. 

So What IS Cleaner Production?  In short, it's doing more with less, using environmental priorities to determine where to improve operations and products with practical business tools. 

United Nations

Top CP and P2 Websites

• United Nations Cleaner Production Program
  This site has links to UN-sponsored CP programs around the world, and the important reports on Global Status of CP, including a detailed directory of CP programs and activities around the world.  The UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) manages an international network of national CP centers whose websites have a lot of information.  UNIDO offers a Training Kit on CP.
  
  
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development
  This organization has chapters around the world and conducts projects for numerous sectors and topics.  It also offers online tutorials about sustainable development and sustainable business, and many excellent publications
  
  
• Sustainable Business
  Part of the Sustainable Communities Network site, this section has extensive resources including case studies, links, articles, and much more.  North America focus.
  
  
• Business and Sustainable Development:   A Global Guide is a major site with strategies and tools, case studies, country guides, news and more.
  
  
• Envirosense
  This is the US Environmental Protection Agency´s technical Pollution Prevention information site.  It has a vast library of technical information and directories of CP programs in North America and around the world.  The EPA´s Pollution Prevention home page has information about P2 policy, organizations, sector resources and various tools.
  
  
• The Small Business Environmental HomePage has many resources and links.  Major sections include Industry Sectors, Pollution Prevention, Environmental Management Systems, and Compliance.
  
  
• Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange
  This site is the core of a network of six regional P2 organizations, each of which produces detailed guides to various subjects in CP and P2, including tools, industry and service sectors, and general sites on CP and P2.
  
  
• Eco-Efficiency and Cleaner Production
  This Australian portal provides good short explanations of the main technical concepts used in Cleaner production, plus links to key sites and case studies.
  
  
• P2Pays
  This site has perhaps the best collection of P2 documents available for direct download.  Also has good collections of resources organized by industry sector and CP or P2 topic.
  
  
• Greenbiz.Com
  This is a commercial site with a very large collection of resources.
  
  
• SustainableBusiness.Com
  This is another commercial site, with more focus on business opportunities and news.
  
  
• Tomorrow Magazine
  The leading international magazine and website on sustainable business.  Has a strong European orientation.
  
  
• Sustainable Development Online
  This is a large database, updated often, of many networks, tools and other resources related to sustainable development, including CP and P2. 
  

Roundtables and Conference Networks

The community of CP and P2 organizations - primarily programs dedicated to CP and P2 - is organized into Roundtables, which are networks that hold annual conferences.   There are several main Roundtables.  The World P2 Information Network has links to all the roundtables, plus additional information.

• The US National Pollution Prevention Roundtable represents most of the national, state and local P2 organizations in the USA.  It holds two annual conferences a year, plus smaller meetings of working groups.  The website has an extensive directory of North American P2 organizations and some interesting discussion papers.
  
  
• The European Cleaner Production Roundtable does not have an official secretariat, like the USA one, but it holds an annual conference with a different host every year.
  
  
• The Asia-Pacific Cleaner Production Roundtable is based in Philippines and represents national roundtables and CP networks in various Asian countries.  It holds an annual conference in different countries.  Their website has some excellent training materials.
  
  
• The Cleaner Production Roundtable of the Americas includes the Latin American countries.  The organization is not very active but the website has information resources.
  
  
• Every two years, UNEP organises an International High-Level Seminar on Cleaner Production to review and evaluate the progress of Cleaner Production initiatives worldwide, assess obstacles as well as opportunities for further development, and recommend future directions for UNEP's Cleaner Production activities.
  
  
• The Greening of Industry Network represents mostly academics interested in CP and P2 and sustainable industry.  It holds an annual conference that moves between international regions.
  
  
• Two excellent directories of sustainable business conferences are found here and here.  A large database of conferences, many relating to CP and P2, can be found at Sustainable Development Online.

Listservs - Email Discussion Groups

There are several email discussion groups or listservs that provide valuable information about CP, P2 and sustainable business.  They are useful for asking questions when web searches do not provide answers, and for keeping up to date with various topics.  This page has an excellent directory of listservs.