Policies to promote sustainable consumption patterns
2008 - 2011
Leading research institutions from across Europe are taking part in a groundbreaking project analysing the impacts of policy strategies and instruments on consumption patterns in order to examine how sustainable consumption (SC) policies can successfully tackle the problems caused by unsustainable consumption patterns. A focus is on policies in the need areas of housing and food. Green public procurement (GPP) is relevant to the extent that we can learn something in terms of instruments and mechanisms which may have an impact on sustainable private consumption. ICLEI's role in the project is to analyse the impact that GPP has on the sustainable consumption practices of individual consumers, particularly for the food sector (e.g. school canteens, "green" events).
Consumption is a key lever to attain a more sustainable development: unsustainable consumption patterns are major causes of global environmental deterioration, including the overexploitation of renewable resources and the use of non-renewable resources with their associated environmental impacts. Leading research institutions from across Europe are taking part in a groundbreaking project analysing the impacts of policy strategies and instruments on consumption patterns in order to examine how sustainable consumption (SC) policies can successfully tackle this problem. A focus is on policies in the need areas of housing and food. In the analysis, all European regions will be covered, with a special emphasis on Spain, Finland, Germany, and the Baltic area. The project "European Policies to Promote Sustainable Consumption Patterns" (EUPOPP) is funded under the EU's 7th Framework Programme and is running from August 2008 to July 2011.
Products and results: The project will deliver products of different shape and scope. Besides the elaboration of policy papers, e. g. on gender aspects, European SC strategies, or the consumption and production trends, several stakeholder workshops, regional procurer workshops, focus groups and a final conference will be held. The project results will promote sustainable consumption in the three main arenas of Sustainable Consumption and Production. An early well-grounded dissemination strategy will address for policymakers, consumer organisations, academia and other stakeholder groups.
