The Delhi Government has decided to use energy-efficient cooling devices in all its offices and buildings. The move comes as a step to save energy and curb the rising demand of electricity. Once approved, all departments of the Delhi Government will use only 5-star rated air conditioners and other cooling devices. The starrating of electrical devices is an ecolabel that makes green initiatives like these possible. The star-rating of electrical devices was introduced under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, through the setting up of a Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).

The BEE assesses electrical products and rates them on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, with higher ratings indicating greater energy efficiency and lower running costs. The Delhi Government expects to save up to 3,042 units of electricity and Rs. 29,000 per AC each year by using 5-star rated cooling devices. Eco-labelling of products helps consumers know how environmentally friendly one product is compared to others in the same category. The overall environmental impact of products is assessed by a third party; this allows eco-conscious consumers to make unbiased purchase decisions. Moreover, eco-labelling encourages manufactures to transition towards environment-friendly production since the entire life cycle of a product – from its manufacturing to its disposal – is assessed during eco-labelling.

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The concept of eco-labelling has been around for more than two decades. The World Summit on Sustainable Development 2002, held in Rio de Janeiro, identified the need for such “effective, transparent, verifiable, non-misleading and non-discriminatory consumer information tools.” Growing consumer awareness about environmental impacts of manufacturing and production has created demand for eco-friendly products, and for eco-labels. The BEE star-rating is one such eco-label and is specific to the electrical appliances segment. Many eco-labels exist today but there is a need for streamlining and optimizing them across all segments.

More and more people are now recognizing the benefits of buying green products for both the environment and their own well-being. Green consumerism is rising, with customers actively seeking eco-friendly options beginning with biodegradable packaging, reusable bags and recyclable plastic. Green consumers are interested in buying products that are ethically produced, do not waste water and energy during manufacturing, do not cause pollution and are focused on sustainability and the circular economy. Consumer awareness about green products is increasing. There is thus an increasing need for comprehensive, reliable and unambiguous eco-labelling of all available consumer products. In India, the overarching, government-regulated eco-label is called Ecomark.

The Ecomark Scheme was first introduced in 1991 as a voluntary eco-certification programme. Ecomark is different from BEE’s starrating in that it has wider scope and covers a wide range of product categories including food, textiles, household goods and personal care products. Another key difference is that Ecomark assesses the entire lifecycle (holistic environmental impact) of the products while BEE’s star-rating focuses on energy use and consumption. A quick analysis of the Ecomark Scheme shows it to be highly unpopular. Its logo, the earthen pot, is rare to find on any product in the marketplace. In its absence, green consumers are relying on other eco-labels with narrow scope such as BEE’s star-rating, chasing arrows, organic certification and informal notation on packaging such as “Recyclable”.

The latter are often not reliable which discourages motivated green consumers. Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has notified Ecomark Rules 2024, replacing the Ecomark Scheme of 1991. The fresh impetus is due to the ongoing Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) of the MoEFCC which uses green nudging as a tool for promoting green choices. Reviving the Ecomark eco-label is thus a much needed pre-requisite for the success of Mission LiFE. Implementation of Ecomark Rules 2024 must begin by analyzing the factors behind the unpopularity of the earlier Ecomark Scheme. The Ecomark Rules 2024 continue to make it a voluntary initiative; it is up to manufacturers to decide if they want to take part in eco-labelling.

Making participation mandatory, at least in some product categories, will certainly strengthen Ecomark eco-labelling and will also have long-term environmental benefits. It also needs to be assessed if the Ecomark eco-label should continue to be implemented in a Yes/No mode allowing only eco-friendly products to display the eco-label, or should it adopt a BEE like rating system. After all, a rating system not only guides consumer choices but also increases competition among manufacturers to improve performance and obtain higher ratings.

In addition, Ecomark should be made flexible to accommodate existing green ratings as well as upcoming green ratings like the Right to Repair rating of products. The growing interest of consumers in green products underscores the need for a reliable eco-label that simplifies their choices. With streamlined implementation, Ecomark has the potential to become a unified, transparent label for enabling consumers to make impactful, informed decisions for a sustainable planet.

(The writers are, respectively, an associate professor and a student at the Jindal School of Environment & Sustainability, O.P. Jindal Global University, Haryana, India.)