Sustainable consumption is a concept that offers great benefits for society, business and the environment. It has the potential to mitigate, or even undo, the negative environmental impacts that development has had in the past.

Economic development has been largely coupled with increasing resource use and pollution and despite improvements in product efficiencies, consumption patterns continue to put significant strain on the environment. Resource use and pollution already exceed the planet’s carrying capacity and are likely to increase dramatically with the growing consumption trends in emerging economies.

A shift towards more sustainable consumption and sustainable lifestyles is essential and by joining forces with all relevant stakeholders, such a shift is possible. The solution lies beyond increasing efficiency and moving to greener and more fair products. New lifestyles and business models need to be developed to decouple consumption from resource use.


Annika Varnäs is a contributor to this publication.


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