The municipality of Zeist seeks to gain insight into the environmental impact of its procurement activities, which will enable more focused sustainability efforts. CE Delft has carried out an analysis that maps the impact of Zeist’s yearly procurement on climate change and resource depletion. The results provide concrete guidance to improve procurement policy and focus on reducing emissions and resource use.
The total annual impact on climate change of municipal procurement amounts to approximately 37 kilotonnes of CO₂-equivalent. More than 95% of this consists of indirect emissions (Scope 3) generated outside the municipal boundaries, for example during the production and processing of materials and services. Waste processing, civil engineering works, and the social domain (such as youth care and social support under the WMO) account for the largest share of these emissions. Civil engineering works also cause the most resource depletion, due to the intensive use of materials for roads, sewer systems, street furniture, and other public infrastructure.
Support for the Responsible Procurement and Commissioning Action Plan These insights support the municipality in making strategic procurement decisions within the framewok of the Responsible Procurement and Commissioning Action Plan, in which Zeist translates its ambitions for sustainable and circular procurement into concrete objectives and measures. This enables the municipality to actively steer the reduction of its environmental impact and contribute to the transition towards a circular economy by 2050.