Changing Consumption Patterns

The Centre for Our Common Future has produced a plain language version of Agenda 21 and other Rio agreements.  Here is an excerpt form its publication. 

The major cause of the continued deterioration of the global environment is the unsustainable pattern of consumption and production, particularly in the industrialised countries.

Excessive demands and unsustainable lifestyles among the richer segments of humanity place immense stress on the environment.  The poorer segments, meanwhile, are unable to meet food, healthcare, shelter and educational needs.  This pattern, which aggravates poverty in the world, is a matter of grave concern.  It is essential to have sustainable consumption patterns in order to reach the goals of Agenda 21.

We must examine the demand of natural resources generated by unsustainable consumption and seek ways of using resources that minimize depletion and reduce pollution.

We must consider the need for new concepts of wealth and prosperity, which allow higher standards of living through changed lifestyle and are less dependent on the Earth’s finite resources and more in harmony with the Earth’s carrying capacity.  Some economists are questioning traditional concepts of economic growth.  They underline the importance of pursuing economic objectives that take account of the full value of natural resource capital.

Achieving sustainable development will require efficiency in production and changes in consumption patterns.  In many instances, this will require re-orientation of existing production and consumption patterns which have developed in industrial societies and are, in turn, emulated in much of the world.

All countries should strive to promote sustainable consumption patterns, but developed countries should take the lead in achieving this goal.

Developing countries should try to establish sustainable consumption patterns as they build their economies.  They need to guarantee the provision of basic needs for the poor, while avoiding unsustainable patterns which are generally recognized as unduly hazardous to the environment.  Inefficient and wasteful.  Such development will require technological and other assistance form industrial countries.

In order to develop sustainably, countries need to:

Governments and industries need to co-operate in the development of environmentally sound and sustainable ways of using resources and of producing and using energy.  Reducing the amount of materials and energy used to produce goods and services reduces environmental stress and increase economic productivity and competitiveness.

Society needs to cope with mounting levels of waste products by encouraging recycling, reducing wasteful packaging and encouraging the introduction of more environmentally sound products.

Governments, in co-operation with industry and other groups and through such means as consumer legislation, should develop or expand environmental labelling and other information that informs people of the health and environmental impacts of products.

Significant changes in consumption and production patterns seem unlikely to occur soon without the stimulus of prices and market signals that make clear the environmental costs of the consumption of energy, materials and natural resources and the generation of wastes.  The use of market signals, such as environmental charges and taxes and deposit and refund systems, should be encouraged.

It is important that individuals take responsibility for consuming goods and services in a sustainable manner.  Government and business can promote sustainable consumption through education, public-awareness programmes and the positive advertising of products and services that encourage sustainability.

(The Centre is a charitable foundation set up in 1988 to encourage greater public and institutional involvement throughout the world in efforts to achieve sustainable development.  It is located at 52, rue de Paquis, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland.).  q

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