General government procurement accounts for 12% of gross domestic product and nearly one third of government expenditures in OECD countries. Today, 84% of OECD countries have policies encouraging green procurement at the central government level, such as Japan with its Green Purchasing Act that has been in place since 2000. However, much remains to be done to integrate resource efficiency considerations - including the use of lifecycle analysis - into public procurement programmes. This will require a review of GPP criteria to ensure that they reflect resource efficiency objectives and that they build upon lifecycle analysis. Furthermore, it is crucial that appropriate capacity is built in relevant agencies at national and sub-national level. The OECD Council Recommendation on Public Procurement can serve as an important reference point.