Strategy Exchanges on Environmental Product Declarations Support Sustainable Development in China

With its long history of and being the inventor of the Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Product Category Rules (PCRs) they are based on, the International EPD® System, with its credibility and authority, plays a vital role in promoting global sustainable development. Recognizing the important role of the international EPD system in the Chinese market, the China Regional Center was established a few years ago to facilitate the sustainable transition and support the development of EPDs in the local context.

Seeing the promising potential in the Chinese market, Sebastiaan Stiller, CEO of EPD International AB, visited China from 15th until 20th of April. During this business trip, Sebastiaan took part in meetings with various stakeholders and decision makers in Shanghai and Beijing to advocate and promote the application of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).

In Shanghai, Sebastiaan met with various stakeholders from government, industry associations, and companies. At these scheduled meetings, he had lively exchanges with the government and industry leaders, including Liu Wenqing, Deputy Director of the China Industrial Internet Research Institute, Zhang Haoxiang, Director of the Overall Planning Department, Ma Liang Dong, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Green Manufacturing Alliance, and Lu Qiongyu, Deputy Director of the Baoshan District Development and Reform Commission in Shanghai, and the leadership of E-C Digital.

The Chinese Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) practitioners could fully leverage existing international experience, stressed Sebastiaan, emphasising the importance of strengthening collaboration and communication within the industry. The LCA theory may seem simple, but it takes 5 to 10 years of experience to become a true expert. One needs to deeply understand the industry and accurately map and translate the complex production processes into simplified models. As the demand for EPDs grows exponentially, EPD tools will become a crucial enabler in the future, says Sebastiaan Stiller.

On the 19th of April, Sebastiaan met with the heads of the China Iron and Steel Association and the Nonferrous Metals Society of China in Beijing to explain the International EPD System in more detail, and to discuss harmonization opportunities between international and Chinese EPDs.

On his last day, Sebastiaan joined IVL China to meet the China Electricity Council in Beijing for an in-depth exchange. During the meeting, Sebastiaan introduced in detail the operation mechanism of the international EPD system and the future direction in cooperation with the Chinese power industry.

The trip to China not only deepened the understanding between EPD International and all stakeholders, but also laid a solid foundation for future collaboration in the Chinese market. EPD International looks forward to working together with more partners to collectively contribute to environmental protection and sustainability.