COP 21: standards, powerful tools for ambitious goals

Voluntary standardization is not an end in itself: it's a means to an end. A proven way to move beyond unilateral approaches, agreeing all parties involved to collectively meet targets, such as those hoped for at COP 21 in Paris.

Reading time : 3 minutes

Voluntary standardization is not an end in itself: it’s a means to an end. A proven way to move beyond unilateral approaches, agreeing all parties involved to collectively meet targets, such as those hoped for at COP 21 in Paris.

Counting and comparing the greenhouse gas emissions of a company, a community or an institution; understanding each other when we talk about the circular economy; building transport and energy infrastructures that are more respectful of our environment… Acting collectively is always much more difficult than taking a unilateral position. Yet this is an absolute necessity if we are to respond to horizontal issues, as the COP 21 aims to do. Limiting climate change to below 2°C by 2100 will only be possible if all players, public and private, become even more committed to the flexible law approach proposed by voluntary standardization.

BUILDING COMMON DENOMINATORS

Voluntary standards are co-constructed by the professionals themselves. Companies, federations, consumer associations and public authorities agree on best practices, methodologies and terminologies based on the principle of universality and interoperability. Standards provide a common language and a guarantee of quality, safety and performance in everyone’s interests.

What are the differences with regulations? The law sets objectives, and voluntary standards are a means of meeting them. These standards evolve over time, in line with the demands of interested parties, under the aegis of a standards organization such as AFNOR in France, CEN in Europe and ISO worldwide. Everyone is responsible for the impartiality of the debates and the working method. Its role is to interest all those who have a say in the matter, to invite them to co-construct the most useful standards.

THE VOLUNTARY STANDARD: A FRAME OF REFERENCE

By defining standards, the voluntary standard provides a virtuous frame of reference. It’s a reliable, intangible reference solution. Once adopted and published, it remains optional: any player may or may not refer to it. In so doing, those who choose not to rely on them run the risk of distancing themselves from their markets and undermining the confidence of their buyers and partners.

The role of standards bodies is to listen to the needs and expectations of socio-economic players. This is why anyone in France can ask AFNOR to examine the possibility of initiating a new project, or joining an existing one, in order to participate. More than 20,000 people do so every year, proving once again that it’s also through individual initiatives that collective adventures are born.

________________

> Olivier Peyrat, Managing Director of AFNOR and ISO Vice President Finance, discusses the challenges of smart cities…

> Consult the ISO document “GHG programs to combat climate change – The contribution of ISO standards”…

AFNOR Editions publishes a special issue of Enjeux magazine dedicated to the challenges of climate change

 

Image ©Kwest / Shutterstock