Expanding international information on cleaner production

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities. Agenda 21 recommends that international organizations, through the UNEP Cleaner Production Programme and the International Cleaner Production Information Clearing House (ICPIC), should extend and strengthen existing systems for collection of cleaner production information. It refers particularly to international NGOs, trade and scientific associations and to other existing databases such as UNIDO's INTIB, and the ICC/IEB, as well as to the need to forge networking between these national and international information systems. UNIDO and UNEP intend to increase their involvement in providing information on cleaner production, with UNEP establishing regional centres for the application of cleaner technologies.