VIENNA, 13 JUNE 2022 – Within the framework of its Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme (GEIPP), which is funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) organized a study tour on eco-industrial park (EIP) approaches from 5 to 12 June 2022 in Basel, Switzerland. The study tour, which was organized for GEIPP partners including government officials and industrial park managers from Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia, Peru, South Africa, and Viet Nam, allowed for information and knowledge sharing related to EIP best practices while promoting deeper linkages among the delegations in attendance.

“The study tour is an opportunity to learn from experts on resource efficient and cleaner production, circular economy and exchange views with other participants on what has worked, but perhaps more importantly, on what has not worked”, said SECO Programme Manager Philipp Ischer.

“How can governments support their national portfolio of industrial parks to implement eco-industrial park approaches; how can industrial park managers attract investments from potential tenant companies that share the same sustainability goals -these are some of the questions that we will answer throughout the study tour”, said UNIDO GEIPP Programme Manager Christian Susan. “What is important is that countries in different development stages interact with each other and learn how to leapfrog and cross-fertilize”.

Through targeted lectures and field visits to various industrial zones, participants were presented frameworks to accelerate the adoption of EIP approaches; topics included management models for industrial zones, management of risks and opportunities in industrial parks at different stages in their life cycle, industrial park portfolio management for governments, and assessing the readiness for Industry 4.0 in industrial areas. In addition, the importance of defining a unique selling proposition for an eco-industrial park through its strengths and vision in order to attract investments from tenant companies committed to the same sustainability goals was reiterated.

The study tour confirmed that countries wishing to participate in global supply chains must embrace the opportunities offered by eco-industrial park approaches, otherwise they risk falling behind. Also, the challenges faced by the different countries are very similar, which underlines the need for deeper linkages and experience sharing. Furthermore, a long-term vision and agile planning coupled with a clear and defined park management structure are key to attracting investments while meeting the highest levels of environmental and social ambition.

UNIDO will continue to work closely with its partners by providing technical assistance and policy advice to create an enabling environment for eco-industrial park approaches, while intensifying linkages between the countries through its global knowledge management component.

For more information, please contact:

Christian Susan

UNIDO GEIPP Programme Manager

C.Susan@unido.org