United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has published a new report, “Tackling Climate Change: Fostering trust in climate action through quality and standards”, which addresses the challenges of climate change and identifies quality infrastructure (QI) as a key player in climate action by facilitating the development of the global market that supports global initiatives such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Quality infrastructure is necessary for the efficient functioning of internal markets, and its international recognition is important to enable access to new external markets,” the document explains.

The document also stressed that “an effective and efficient national infrastructure is one of the most positive and practical steps a country can take to develop an economy of growth and economic development that promotes environmental protection and social well-being”. It also examines each of the key components of the quality infrastructure (standardisation, metrology, accreditation, conformity assessment and stakeholders such as competent authorities), and how these can contribute to climate action initiatives.

Regarding accreditation, it stresses its value “in delivering confidence in the competence, impartiality and rigor of conformity assessors, including different areas related to climate action such as control of carbon emissions measurement, vehicle inspection, certification of environmental or energy management systems and verification and validation of climate change data reports…”. It also points out that international trade and commitments to social and environmental goals and objectives at a global level are reinforced by mutual recognition agreements of international accreditation organizations (ILAC and IAF)”. It also adds that they are “a tool to facilitate the acceptance of products and services across national borders, thus creating a framework for international trade by eliminating technical barriers”.

The document prepared by UNIDO has been produced in collaboration with the other members of the International Network on Quality Infrastructure (INetQI), in particular the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

Check the document "Tackling Climate Change: Fostering trust in climate action through quality and standards".