Sustainable Consumption and Production in Lao PDR (SCP Lao)

The Project

The overall objective of the SCP Lao project is that local civil society organisations, Lao youth and women's associations and local authorities contribute to green and inclusive economic growth in the Lao PDR.

The specific objectives are grouped into three outcomes:

1. The role of youth and women CSOs in environmental policy processes is enhanced, with a particular focus on sustainable consumption and production, through the development of more and better evidence-based research and regular policy dialogue.
2. Improved environmental behaviour of the wider population, with a focus on youth and women, through increased membership of environmental CSOs and active participation of youth and women in awareness-raising campaigns.
3. Improved recycling systems, employment and income generation from green and upcycled products, resulting in the creation of green jobs and an increase in the amount of better managed waste through innovative and localised solutions.

The SCP Lao project will be implemented using a systemic approach to build the capacity of environmental CSOs and other target groups within the system to take on new or improved roles to contribute to sustainable consumption and production practices, particularly in the waste sector and among youth and women.

Project Goals

• Policy dialogue and research
  - Local CSOs are strengthened in environmental advocacy and environmental policies, regulations, strategies and action plans are discussed in biannual policy dialogues with the project's public and private partners;
  - Local CSOs have improved their research skills by producing publications, research papers or studies.
• Awareness raising and networking
  - The capacity of CSOs and other target groups to design and implement environmental awareness-raising campaigns was strengthened;
  - A CSO working group has been established to improve access to support services, ensuring regular coordination with mass youth and women's organisations and local authorities.
• Income generation and waste management
  - Local CSOs have increased technical capacity in upcycling and other green product development;
  - Local CSOs improve access to green marketplaces for green and upcycled products, fostering regular and ongoing cooperation between CSOs and informal waste pickers to provide recyclables and improved business opportunities for young women entrepreneurs;
  - Local CSOs and other target groups gain increased skills in developing waste management solutions related to waste segregation, collection, storage, recycling and disposal, and these solutions are piloted in coordination with local authorities, youth and women's mass organisations.

Project Partners

• The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

Implementing Partners:

• STELLA Social Enterprise
• Sisterhood for Development Association