I.

SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION
FUNDAMENTALS

© Carmen Teodosiu
 Sustainable Development:
A Global Challenge

“Our biggest
gg challenge
g in this new
century is to take an idea that seems
abstract
b t t - sustainable
t i bl development
d l t-
and turn it into a daily reality for all the
world’s people.”
Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General, March 2001
 The sustainable development
p concept
p
„ The development that meets today’s necessities withoput
compromizing the future generations’ chances for development
(B dtl d Report,
(Brundtland R t 1987)
Wastes and
Emissions
Materials and
ECO- Energy
CONSUMPTION
ENVIRONMENT EFICIENCE
ECONOMY
Wastes and SUSTAINABLE
Emissions DEVELOPMENT PRODUCTION
Capital &
HR

Goods and
Materials services
CONSUMPTION
gy
Energy
SOCIETY

© Carmen Teodosiu
 What is the problem?
“The major cause of the continued deterioration of
tthe
e global
g oba e environment
o e t is s tthe
euunsustainable
susta ab e
patterns of consumption and production,
particularly
p y in industrialized countries,, which is a
matter of grave concern, aggravating poverty
and imbalances.”

Agenda
g 21 ((Chap.
p 4.3),
) Earth Summit, Rio 1992
 Main causes for Environmental
Degradation

© Carmen Teodosiu
 Why sustainable production &
consumption?
„ Uneven distribution of population and
production
d ti facilities
f iliti ((capabilities)
biliti )
„ Uneven ((unfair)) distribution of resources and
goods
„ Raising pressures over environmental
components
„ Traditional consumption patterns do not
necessarily lead to increasing social wellbeing
(happiness) nor to environmental protection
(happiness),
 It’s estimated that world population will reach 9 billion by 2050. This is
unsustainable at a middle income level
Source: World Resources Institute (WRI)/Earthtrends, 2008.6
Consumer “culture”
culture and incomes
Income and reported happiness
(UNEP queries)

UNEP
 What is the long term projection?
At current production and consumption rates,

In 2050, 2 planets will be needed!!

1900 2002 2050 2100

 Environmental Protection / Sustainable
development
„ Production – oriented strategies: :
… Pollution prevention and Integrated pollution control
… S t i bl production
Sustainable d ti

„ P d t oriented
Product i t d strategies:
t t i
… Life cycle assessment (LCA)
… Integrated Product Policies - IPP
… Eco-design
… E l b lli
Eco-labelling
… Design for sustainability
„ Sustainable consumption
 Production-oriented strategies:
Sustainable Production
Creation of goods and services economically viable, viable environmentally
friendly processes and systems using, conserving energy and natural
resources, presenting safety for employees, community and consumers,
rewarding creativity and being social stimulating for those involved
(Lowel Center for Sustainable Production, 1998).

Companies that wish to improve sustainability must consider:

¾ Energy and Energia şi utilizarea materialelor (resurselor)
¾ Energy and resource conservation
¾ Environmental protection
¾ Social equity and community development
¾ Economic performance
¾ Employees
¾ Products
 What is sustainable consumption?
„ Using consumer goods and services that meet basic needs and raise file
quality, together with reducing natural resource use, toxic materials
usage and all types of emissions on the whole life cycle of the products”
(Oslo Symposium on Sustainable Consumption, 1994 )

„ Sustainable consumption is the economic activity to choose, use and

dispose goods such as to create social and environmental benefices
(IIED, 1999)

„ Sustainable consumption is the consumption that meets the current and

future generation material or other needs, without irreversible damaging
the environment (OCSC,
(OCSC 1999)

„ Sustainable consumption does not mean to consume less, but it

means to consume differently and efficiently so as to visibly
enhance life quality. (UNEP, 1999)
 The evolution of concepts
p and tools involved in
environmental protection
Environment
D i
Design, Sustainable
S t i bl production,
d ti
protection Sustainable consumption

Integrated management of complex systems

Actions focused
Accounting for environmental costs
on PRODUCTION
Eco-design/Life cycle assessment
and PRODUCTS
Environmental management systems

Pollution prevention

Pollution control (end-of-pipe)

Uncontrolled Exhaust
emissions and waste 1980 1990 2000 2010

Reagent Anticipatory action Proactive

The answer No involvement, • Laws and regulations • Reduce the costs • Maximal integration of
and the sporadic voluntary compliance associated with environmental issues in the
involvement actions pollution activity of the firm (at
of industrial • Image improvement technological, economic
units • PP andd PC andd social
i l level)
l l)
• Upgrading and • Awareness program,
Development of • Social involvement
clean technologies • Environmental
performance reporting
• Alternative pproducts
• Energy resources

© Carmen Teodosiu
 OBJECTIVE
Sustainable
S i bl
Development
Shifting the way in which needs are
f lfill d so as tto minimize
fulfilled i i i
environmental impacts Sustainable Consumption

Cleaner Production Improving production

processes efficiency,
especially by product
changes
Recycling
Using secondary products for
minimizing waste loads
Treatment
Funds spent on environmental
protection
t ti representt costs
t and
d nott an
Dillution investment

Reactive Proactive
Producer and consumer behavior UNEP
 Relations of p
production systems
y with the environment

Waste Process Waste

Raw processing Metals, Chemicals,
Paper, Fibers,
Construction
materials

Ore, Coal,
Wood, Plants Crystals, Alloys,
Plastics, Cement,
Textiles

Drilling,
g, Cutting,
g, Excavation
RECYCLING

Oil Wood Ore Designing, Manufacturing,

Waste Packaging

Land
Products
Equipments
Cars
Structures (bridges)
Storage Waste Usage

© Carmen Teodosiu
 Production and consumption
systems and the environment
1. Natural resources Sequestration
(non-and renewable)

2. Extraction 5. Recycling, Recovery

reuse
reuse,
recovery
3. Processing,
conversion, transport, 4. Waste and
fabrication, storage, pollution
selling

6. Buying consumer
products and services

7. Meeting human needs

 Current situation
„ Contradiction
C t di ti in ff t Productivity
i effects: P d ti it / efficiency
ffi i
gains are small compared to increasing production
and
d it
its ((environmental
i t l and
d resources effects)
ff t )
„ Changing production processes towards
sustainable production is better understood than
consumption patterns
„ Emerging technologies bring new opportunities:
Renewable energy, gy recycling,
y g communication
„ Environmental problems are not fully integrated in
social and economic programs
 Consumers
I wish to p
put an end to
poverty, to stop violence,
racism and pollution.
Everybody should be equal

I want to wear the coolest

clothing, drive a super car and
use the latest smart-phone
Consumer Awareness and Behaviors
Changing Behavior 2007 (%) 2008 (%)

Saving
gppower 76 81
Recycling 65 70
Water use reduction 65 69
Using less packaging and plastic
56 68
bags
Buying green products 53 61
Energy efficiency of consumer
53 59
goods

I f
Information
ti on climate
li t changes
h 46 58

Consumer awareness and willingness to act on environmental concerns is rising in most 
countries.
Source: Synovate/Aegis, 2007; Synovate/BBC World 2008.
 Major Challenge
Promoting sustainable consumption and
production patterns
„ New product-oriented strategies (life cycle
perspective,
p p , design
g and manufacture))
„ Understanding consumption
„ Integrated
I t t d approach h off sustainable
t i bl
consumption and production.
ÎDe-linking environmental damage from
economic growth
 Integrated strategies concerning the products
Integrated Product Policies - PPI

„ EU Initiative to stimulate sustainable consumption

„ Th advent
The d t off PPIs
PPI is
i based
b d on the
th following:
f ll i
… Production and use of goods and services causes the majority of
negative impacts on the environment
… These impacts may arise at different moments in the life cycle
of the products: raw materials extraction, manufacturing,
assembly transport and distribution,
assembly, distribution marketing
marketing, sales
sales, use,
use
disposal as waste
… due to the large number of products and impact, there is no
unified strategy to address these issues in a coherent manner

© Carmen Teodosiu
 Integrated strategies concerning the products
Integrated Product Policies - PPI
„ Principles:
1. Orientation towards the product life cycle
2. Market orientation:
„ Stimulation of the supply and demand for Green products
„ Promoting innovation of products
products, technologies
technologies, sale
3. Involvement of stakeholders: manufacturers, retailers, consumers,
governmental bodies, NGOs, etc..
4. Continuous improvement of the product for minimizing impacts
throughout the life cycle
5
5. The coordinated use of associated tools
„ Voluntary or compulsory
„ environmental or economic

© Carmen Teodosiu
 Integrated strategies concerning the products
Integrated Product Policies - PPI

„ General objective:
… Better Products and low environmental impacts throughout
their life cycle

„ The definition of coherent actions, use the most suitable policies

and instruments and the involvement of all interested parties for the
development of high-quality products which have lower
environmental impacts
„ R
Requires
i the
h continuous
i iimprovement off the
h goods
d ddesign,
i
production and products marketing for successful high consumer

© Carmen Teodosiu
 Action needed: Influencing
consumption & production patterns ...
E
Examine
i underlying
d l i drivers
di f consumption:
for ti
„ identify obstacles and opportunities for change
„ improve products and services
Î business
„ modernize infrastructure and policy frameworks
Î governments
„ awareness dialogue and reflection
awareness,
Î consumer groups
… to create “space consumption for all
space for consumption”
 The structure of the ISO 14000 series of standards
Organizational performance Product performance
evaluation tools evaluation tools

Production oriented Product oriented

Series ISO 14040

Product LCA

Series ISO 14030

Environmental performance EMS Requirements
R i t Series ISO 14020
evaluation
ISO 14001 Eco-labeling

ISO 19011
EMS and
d QMS and d auditing
diti
EMS Principles ISO 14062
Eco-design
ISO 14063
Systems and
Environmental communication application techniques
ISO 14063
ISO 14004 Environmental communication

© Carmen Teodosiu
 Sustainable Consumption: History
„ Sustainable consumption was used for the first time in Chapter 4 of Agenda
21 : Changing consumption patterns (Rio Summit , 1992): “New concepts
are needed for improving wellbeing and prosperity to allow better life
standards so as to depend less on Earth’s finite resources”

„ 1995: Launching
g UNCSD p
programme
g for modifying
y g consumption
p behaviors

„ 1998: UNDP Report on Sustainable Consumption

„ 2002 Johannesburg
2002: J h b S
Summit
it – Decision
D i i ffor d
development
l t off a 10 Y
Year
Framework programme (10YFP) : Establishment of the Marrackech Process

„ 2005: Establishment of the Sustainable Consumption and Production

Centre, www.scp-centre.org

„ 2007: Sustainable Consumption Project Univ. of Manchester - TESCO UK

(5 mil.)
 S t i bl Consumption:
Sustainable C ti OBJECTIVES

„ For emerging
F i economies i :
… Using resources more efficiently for
increasing life quality
„ For developed
p economies:
… Modifying consumption patterns to minimize
material and energy flows and environmental
impacts

© Carmen Teodosiu
Stakeholders
Research – Education
Development NGOs

Contractors Governmental Bodies

Employers Banks

Producers
Product Insurance

Competitors Investors

Consumers

Analysts
M i i liti
Municipalities

Local Governments Selling Consultants

Media Marketing Consultants

Stakeholders

„ Different interests and responsibilities

towards production and consumption

„ Complex Inter-Relations
… Difficulties in analysis
… Difficulties in changing consumption patterns
 Sustainable Consumption:
Priorities

„ Changing
Ch i consumer lifestyle
lif l
„ Changing consumer behavior
„ Raising awareness consumers by:
… Social,
Social cultural,
cultural economic,
economic and environmental
Changes
… Developing and Implementing strategies that raise
awareness on sustainable consumption and lead to
new values regarding products and services
Sustainable Consumption:
Priorities
„ Improving efficiency of using consumer goods and
services through coordinated efforts :
… Governmental
G t l Organizations
O i ti
… Business sector
… NGO’s
… Media
… Education and research institutions
 Sustainable Consumption
Characteristics
„ Multidisciplinary Concept : Uses concepts and notions in
diverse areas :
… Economy (Consumption theory)
… Psychology (Consumer Behavior)
… Sociology, Social Philosophy: (Consumption patterns)
… Anthropology (Consumer Behaviors
Behaviors, Taboos
Taboos, etc.)
etc )
… Technology (Innovation)
… Marketing
… Environmental Management:
… Etc.
 I
Importance
t off Product-oriented
P d t i t d strategies
t t i

tone
Cr2+ Emissions
2500 ((Manufacturing)
g)
Manufacturing
2000

1500

1000

500

0
1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990

Kretsloppsdelegationen rapport 1997:14, Fig. 21:3

tonnes
Cr2+ Emissions
2500 (Using)
Use phase
2000

1500

1000

500

0
1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990

Kretsloppsdelegationen rapport 1997:14, Fig. 21:3

 Total
tonnes
emissions
3000 Total
Manufacturing
2500
Use phase
2000

1500

1000

500

0
1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990

Kretsloppsdelegationen rapport 1997:14, Fig. 21:3

Key areas Expectations in industrial countries
Remain competitive and offer development
Economic development
opportunities to emerging economies
Ethics and management Promote the adoption of environmental and
social standards, throughout the value
chain, especially among suppliers Create
transparency, regarding economic,
ecological and social aspects of corporate
activities, especially in emerging
economies
pp human rights
Support g
Employees and jobs Promote job security through employee
training and development Proactively
address challenges like equal opportunity
and population aging
Products and marketing Ensure product safety Offer quality
products at fair prices Promote sustainable
consumption through ethically and
ecologically sound products, and by
informing consumers and raising their
awareness
Resource efficiency and climate protection Stronger focus on products:
dematerialization of the economy by
moving from product-
product to service-oriented
service oriented
business models Help to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions
Social commitment Work toward meeting the United Nations’
Millennium Development Goals
Help to solve social problems, also by
encouraging employee volunteering
Expectations in emerging economies
Contribute to the country’s development,
especially in structurally weak regions
Act ethically and legally Establish high
environmental and social standards, and
set an example for suppliers and
competitors Help to build management
competencies and institutions
Create jobs and train employees ensure
occupational safety and health protection
Promote and raise employee awareness of
environmental protection
Develop and market quality products for
those at the bottom of the affluence
pyramid Ensure that products are safe and
environmentally compatible Consider the
cultural and social context
Transfer know-how and modern energy-
and resource-conserving technologies
Satisfy growing consumer needs with
products that use limited resources
efficiently
Support and promote, in particular,
disadvantaged children and young people
Raise public awareness of environmental
protection Promote education and research
for sustainable development
There is no sustainable
consumption
p

With t
Without

Sustainable Production
 Consumption and Production:
an integrated
g problem
p
“Consumers are becoming increasingly interested in
the company that stands behind the products.
products They
want to know how, where and by whom products
were made”
made”.

“Increasing awareness is a sign of hope”. Business

and governments needs to continue this trend.

Klaus Toepfer,
Toepfer UNEP Executive Director
Consumption and Production oriented
on PROCESS

Consumption Production
A systemic model of Sustainable
Consumption and Production

Consumption Production
 Life Cycle Thinking
“…Implies that
Return to the
each party involved
environment in the whole
Ob l
Obsolescence
Consumption/ Society’s Need
for Products and
chain of a product
Use
Re-Use Services life cycle to
Manufac-
turing Recy- assume
cling
E l
Exploration
i responsibilities and
roles, taking
Refining Extraction
into account all
relevant external
impacts ”
Klaus Toepfer