Sustainable consumption and production.

Changing consumption and production patterns is one of the overarching objectives of sustainable development, as recognised by the Heads of State and Governments in the Johannesburg Declaration. The Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) states that:

"Fundamental changes in the way societies produce and consume are indispensable for achieving global sustainable development. All countries should promote sustainable consumption and production patterns, with the developed countries taking the lead and with all countries benefiting from the process, taking into account the Rio principles, including, inter alia, the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities as set out in principle 7 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. Governments, relevant international organisations, the private sector and all major groups should play an active role in changing unsustainable consumption and production patterns."

All countries are called to "Encourage and promote the development of a 10-year framework of programmes in support of regional and national initiatives to accelerate the shift towards sustainable consumption and production to promote social and economic development within the carrying capacity of ecosystems by addressing and, where appropriate, de-linking economic growth and environmental degradation through improving efficiency and sustainability in the use of resources and production processes and reducing resource degradation, pollution and waste. All countries should take action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development needs and capabilities of developing countries, through mobilisation, from all sources, of financial and technical assistance and capacity-building for developing countries".

In response to this The European Stakeholder Meeting on Sustainable Consumption and Production took place in Ostend 24-26 November 2004. It brought for the first time after Johannesburg various European stakeholders to work together on the issues of sustainable consumption and production. Key stakeholders from governments, private sector, consumers' and workers' organisations, NGOs and intergovernmental organisations elaborated together the European contribution to the Marrakech Process and Johannesburg follow-up, identifying key challenges, policy recommendations and concrete actions for implementation.

The 2nd European Conference on 'Sustainable Energy Consumption' under the Marrakech Process on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) was held in Berlin, Germany, 13-14 December 2005. The meeting was organised in response to the call of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) Plan of Implementation for the development of a 10-year framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, in support of national and regional initiatives. It addressed issues which relate to the production and the use of energy-using products, including the role of public procurement.

Links

• Backgroundpaper for the European Stakeholder Meeting on Sustainable Consumption and Production.
• EU inventory of policies, activities and instruments at the European Community level with best practice examples from a number of EU Member States.
• For more examples on sustainable production and consumption policies and initiatives in a number of EU Member States please see here
• International activities : Marrakech process
• European Sustainable Consumption and Production Action Plan