Government consumption of products and services in OECD Member countries is estimated to be responsible for 9 to 25% of GDP. Given the importance of public purchasing, national and local authorities have been paying increasing attention to the opportunities to improve the environment by selecting environmentally sounder products.

This publication describes the successes, the efforts and the difficulties encountered within Member countries by focusing on the role and concerns of the officials that operate purchasing. Also, it shows how greener public purchasing can support a number of other crucial policy objectives such as the reduction of government operating costs, the improvement of governance, and the reduction of greenhouse gases.