Policy Viewpoints
Since Rio, the UN and governments of the world have recognized production and consumption as the major cross-cutting and overriding issue of sustainable development, next to poverty. In Agenda 21, the world leaders at the Earth Summit agreed that unsustainable production and consumption patterns are the major cause of the deterioration of the environment. Yet in the past ten years, despite the many conferences and reports, the issue and goal of sustainable production and consumption remains pushed to the margins of international priorities and action. Although effective policies to promote sustainable production and consumption is the key to the transition to sustainable economies, fair trade and sustainable livelihoods and lifestyles, governments continue to shy away from this issue. It is clearly up to civil society show strong leadership in pushing governments and industry beyond the rhetoric and to the realization of this goal.
US government: views & policy
- US report on changing consumption patterns (for UN General Assembly Special Session review of progress on Agenda 21, 1997)
US civil society commentary
- Center for a New American Dream
- Co-op America
- Adbusters
- Responsible buying and consumption (Sustainable Communities Network)
- Simple Living Network
US business & industry commentary
- Sustainable production & consumption: A business perspective (World Business Council for Sustainable Development, 1996)
Other views
- ANPED Sustainable Production & Consumption Program (Netherlands)
- Center for Sustainable Production & Consumption (Consumer Unity & Trust Society, India)
- Consumer Guide to Sustainable Consumption (Consumers International, March 1997)
- Center for Sustainable Consumption (Sheffield University)
United Nations documents
- Changing consumption patterns: Report of the Secretary General (CSD for the First Preparatory Meeting of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, 30 April - 2 May, 2001)
- Comprehensive review of changing consumption and production patterns (Commission on Sustainable Development, 7th Session, 19-30 April, 1999)
- Global change and sustainable development: critical trends (CSD, 5th Session, 7-25 April 1997)
- Agenda 21, Chapter 4 - "Changing consumption patterns" (1992)
- CSD - Consumption and production patterns (CSD web site)
- UNEP Sustainable Consumption (UN Environment Programme)
