The NCPC Programme

The UNIDO cleaner production (CP) programme and network aims at building national CP capacities, fostering dialogue between industry and government and enhancing investments for transfer and development of environmentally sound technologies. Through this programme, UNIDO is bridging the gap between competitive industrial production and environmental concerns. CP is more than just a technical solution. It has a widespread application at all decision-making levels in industry, with the chief focus on adoption of cleaner technologies and techniques within the industrial sector. Costly end-of-pipe pollution control systems are gradually replaced with a strategy that reduces and avoids pollution and waste throughout the entire production cycle, from efficient use of raw materials, energy and water to the final product.

UNIDO's CP programme represents an innovative approach, which increases competitiveness, facilitates market access and strengthens the productive capacity of developing economies taking into consideration the two other dimensions of sustainable development, environmental compliance and social development.

CP can only be sustained if capacity is in place to adopt and adjust it to local conditions. To make the programme a reality and promote the application of CP by enterprises in developing and transition countries, UNIDO started, in 1994, to set up National Cleaner Production Centres (NCPCs). Since then, nearly 43 National Cleaner Production Centres and Programmes have been established.

A national network (as opposed to a centre) has been established in Cuba. In a new development, a sector-specific cleaner production centre has been established in Russia, focusing on the oil and gas industry . Cleaner production projects have been and are being undertaken in Macedonia and Ukraine, with the possibility of Centres being established at a later date.

Austria and Switzerland are the main donors, providing more than half (61%) of the total funds of the UNIDO CP programme, which amounts to more than 18 MIO.

Additional donors are Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, European Union, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Slovenia, Sweden, UK.