Latin America – Caribbean launch first regional eco-labeling programme

• The Environmental Alliance of America hosts the first regional eco-labeling programme, backed by regulatory, standardization, and accreditation bodies.
• Harmonizing and promoting eco-labeling efforts in the region to boost sustainable trade and better-informed consumer choices.
• The United Nations Environment Programme, through funding from Germany, supports the Alliance in navigating the future of eco-labeling in the region.

PANAMA CITY, Panama – Regulatory, standardization, and accreditation bodies from Latin America and the Caribbean announced the successful legal constitution of the Environmental Alliance of America, which hosts the first regional eco-labeling programme, representing a significant step toward harmonizing and promoting eco-labeling efforts.

The initiative – supported by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) through funding from Germany – aims to drive sustainable trade and enable better-informed consumer choices for more than 450 million people. Its legal constitution follows a 2023 Ministerial Decision from the forum of ministers of eEnvironment of Latin America and the Caribbean that underscored the region’s commitment to eco-labeling through the environmental alliance of America.

“This initiative is crucial for connecting with producers and consumers about the environmental impact of the products they buy through clear and reliable information. Our collective effort to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution heavily depends on changing production practices and consumer behaviours,” said Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, director of the Industry and economy division at UNEP. “The Alliance addresses a crucial gap, empowering consumers, businesses, and public procurement actors to make better-informed decisions across high-impact product categories, ranging from food to air conditioners and plastic products.”

Representatives from the governments of Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica emphasized that under the Alliance, each product must meet specific criteria to obtain the eco-label, ensuring that consumers receive trustworthy information about the way in which the product was manufactured. This empowers consumers to make informed and responsible purchasing decisions, leading to a change in production practices and the quality of productions. This also leads companies to reduce long-term operational costs and business risks, while also contributing to the strengthening of local economies and the creation of green jobs.

Juan Bello, UNEP’s regional director and representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, said:

“By providing a harmonized approach to eco-labeling, countries within the region are creating a powerful tool to align actions across borders, facilitating the trade of sustainable products and promoting the region’s economic integration.”

To support this effort, Germany has provided initial funding through the EcoAdvance project. Dr Ulf D. Jaeckel, head of division at the German Federal ministry and co-lead of the consumer information programme of the 10YFP, expressed his support:

“We congratulate the Alliance and hope that the regional eco-label will be recognized for its credibility among consumers and its ability to set ambitious standards for products and services. We are proud to have contributed and to collaborate with UNEP and partners to facilitate the establishment of the eco-label for Latin America and the Caribbean.”