Social Sustainability

Sustainable Consumption

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Definition

Sustainable consumption is the use of goods and services that responds to basic needs and brings better quality of life while minimising the use of natural resources, toxic materials and emissions of waste and pollutants over the life cycle, so as not to jeopardise the needs of future generations (the Oslo Symposium definition, 1994). It spans efficiency (consuming with less impact), sufficiency (consuming less) and consistency (consuming differently), and together with sustainable production forms SDG 12.

References

www.oneplanetnetwork.orgBulk import source

Source imported for editorial provenance.

www.ipcc.chBulk import source

This reference provides supporting context for how “Sustainable Consumption” is defined and used.

Overview

How it is used

The concept structures SDG 12 implementation, the UN One Planet network's 10-Year Framework of Programmes, footprint policy and behaviour change programmes.

Why it matters

Every sustainability statistic is, at the other end, someone's shopping; sustainable consumption is where citizens enter the equation.