Place , Date

Global Context of Sustainable Consumption & Production

Organised by UNEP DTIE sponsored by InWentTraining Programme for Capacity Building in

Cleaner Production Centers

Objectives

• Gain a better understanding of the integrated concept of consumption and production.

– Benefits of sustainable consumption & production.

– Tools and strategies available to address them.

• Identify opportunities for leveraging sustainable consumption and production.

– Help business to improve products (green products).

– Identify green markets.

– Influence national policy to change consumption and production patterns.

Why Training on Sustainable Consumption and Production? • UNIDO/UNEP NCPC mandate

– Develop experience in product management strategies.

• International Agenda– Calls to establish both Consumption and

Production issues by NCPCs in 2002/03 WSSD, GC and UN Marrakech meeting

• Expansion of services – To keep pace with changes in Consumption

and Production paradigm, tools & techniques.

Training agenda on Sustainable Consumption and Production

1. Opening Session

2. Global Context of SCP

3. CPC experiences with SCP[small group activity]

4. Integrating Sustainable Consumption & Production (SCP)

5. Tools and Strategies for SCP

6. Working Groups: SCP – Roles and Opportunities for NCPCs

7. Close of Session

Global Context of SCP- Outline -

• Problem-setting

• Global consumption patters

• Interrelation of consumption and production

• Actions needed

Promoting Sustainability: A Challenge for All

“Our biggest challenge in this new century is to take an idea that seems abstract - sustainable

development - and turn it into a daily reality for all the world’s people.”

Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General, March 2001

What is the Problem?

“The major cause of the continued deterioration of the global environment is the unsustainable patterns of consumption and production, particularly in industrialized countries, which is a matter of grave concern, aggravating poverty and imbalances.”

Agenda 21 (Chap. 4.3), Earth Summit, Rio 1992

What is the Magnitude?

“It is simply impossible for the world as a whole to sustain a Western level of consumption for all. In fact, if 7 billion people were to consume as much energy and resources as we do in the West today we will need more than one planet to satisfy all our needs.”

Gro Harlem Brundtland, 1994

Sustainable Development: a long-term issue (1)

1900 21002002 2050

If we go on with current production and consumption patterns,

Two planets are needed by 2050

Sustainable Development: a long-term issue (2)

Political leaders term of office

Corporate investment payback period

Life of an electricity generating plant

Life of a child born today

Influence of CO2 on green house effect

1900 21002002 2050

Deterioration Continues

• Between 1990 and 1995, 65 million hectares of forest (the size of 130 million football fields) were lost.

• In 1996, 25% of the world’s mammal species and 11% bird species were at a significant risk of total extinction.

• The global marine fish catch almost doubled between 1975-1995 and now an estimated 60% of fisheries are at or near the point at which yields decline.

• 400 million tones of hazardous waste is created from chemicals each year, with 75% of the use and waste generation attributed to the industrial countries.

Implementation Gap

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... Governments, relevant international organizations, the private sector and all major groups should play an active role in changing unsustainable consumption and production patterns.

WSSD. Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, Sept. 2002

WSSD Plan of Implementation, Johannesburg, 2002

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...

Global Consumption Patters

Gross Domestic Product

Inequalities in Consumption

1.3 billion people live on less than 1 US dollar a day.     

The overall consumption of the richest fifth of the world’s population is 16 times that of the poorest fifth.

Nearly 160 million children are malnourished. More than 880 million people lack access to

health services.   1.5 billion lack access to sanitation and clean

water.

Population under the age of 15

Population, Consumption & Environment

• Population is not the main problem of environmental degradation, but rather the consumption and production patterns.

• Need for inter- and intra-generation equity.

• Need to meet the basic needs of the whole population (food, shelter, health, education, clothing).

Interrelation of Cleaner Production and Sustainable Consumption

• Over the last decade, we have seen significant improvements in Cleaner Production (pollution prevention, waste minimization, and eco-efficiency).

• However, changes in consumption patterns have offset the environmental gains achieved CP and eco-efficiency.

0

50

100

150

200

250

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020

Index

, 198

0 = 10

0

Generation of municipal wasteEnergy useW ater abstractions

Generation of municipal wasteEnergy useW ater abstractions

Total use

Intensity of use per GDP

Figure 1. Resource and material intensity of OECD economies, total use and intensity of use relative to GDP, 1980-2020

Current Situation

• Rebound effects: productivity/efficiency gains being overtaken by production increases

• Problems of production process understood but gap of understanding consumption (use) and disposal of products.

• New developing sectors new opportunities• Environmental concerns not integrated into

economic and social programmes and vice versa

The challenge...

Promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns

• New product-oriented strategies (life cycle perspective, design and manufacture)

• Understanding consumption

• Integrated approach of sustainable consumption and production.

De-linking environmental damage from economic growth

Action needed: Influencing consumption & production patterns ...

Examine underlying drivers for consumption:

• identify obstacles and opportunities for change

• improve products and services

business

• modernize infrastructure and policy frameworks

governments

• awareness, dialogue and reflection

consumer groups

… to create “space for consumption” for all

Environmental Management Evolutionary “Ladder”

Cost & liability

Prevent

Control

Dilute

Ignore

Sustainable Development

Save & opportunity

React & treat

Anticipate & prevent GOAL

recycling; treatment

cleaner production;sustainable consumption

NOW - national strategies to promote SCP

• Starting from human needs

• Exploring current consumption and production patterns

• Optimizing economic, environmental and social aspects in systems approach

• Involving ‘new’ out of the box thinking

• Involving new partners

• let’s work together...