Strategies to Promote Sustainable Consumption

 “International Conference on Strategies to Promote Sustainable Consumption” organised by CERC & German Society for International Cooperation(GIZ) draws attention from all stakeholders

New Delhi, 23^rd April 2012: CERC (Consumer Education and Research Center) in cooperation with GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) today began a two day conference on “Strategies to Promote Sustainable Consumption”, here in New Delhi. The Conference has drawn considerable attention from all stakeholders and partners.

Inauguration was attended by Mr. Manoj Parida, Jt. Secretary, Ministry of Consumer Affairs; Mr. Surjit Singh, Jt. Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests; Dr. Antje Gölner-Scholz, First Secretary, Economic Cooperation & Development, German Embassy; Mrs. Swarn Kohli, Trustee, Consumer Education & Research Centre (CERC); & Mr. Patrick von Braunmühl, Senior Advisor, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and considered various options available to help in Sustainable Consumption.

“Sustainable Shopping Basket”-a guide on sustainable consumption was also launched at the Conference, designed on the highly successful Blue Angel guide, a national climate initiative launched by the German Govt. While unveiling the guide Mr Manoj Parida said “Time has arrived to control ruthless consumption. There should be a fixation of responsibilities for Consumers which was not mentioned in the Consumer Protection Act. We should be more moderate and responsible in our consumption to ensure a better environment for the next generation.”    

Ms Susanne Heutlin, Umweltbundesamt, explained that 4 different institutions are responsible for awarding a Blue Angel mark including Environmental Label Jury, Federal Ministry for Environment Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Federal Environment Agency and RALg GmbH. Already 120 product groups from 1260 companies encompassing 13,000 products and services has already started using this Blue Angel logo and studies have shown a huge positive response to the same. It also has an Iceberg effect as well with 80% of the response due to emotional, subconscious and Feelings for a better environment and tomorrow.

The topics lined up for discussion at the two-day conference include sessions on Eco-Labelling, Life Cycle Assessment, Green Public Procurement & Consumer Awareness and Comparative Testing & Role of Business for Sustainable Consumption.

Consumption of resources in ethical manner is becoming important for consumers as well as corporates across the world. Therefore a responsible behavior is required from all stakeholders to protect the environment.

In India, consumer spending has risen significantly in the past few years. Reports indicate that India is one of the fastest growing consumer markets and consumer confidence in Indian markets is the highest among the world markets. This growing market has been fuelled by multiple factors such as rapid growth in Gross Domestic Product, growth conducive change in demographics – higher number of people under 30 years of age and rising middle class, changing consumption habits of people, increasing urbanization as well as higher purchasing power in urban and rural areas, due to planned expenditure in developmental activities.

This is, however, yet to translate into a substantial market for green goods, which even now remains at a significantly low level. There are multiple challenges in the path of sustainable consumption major ones being economic, socio-cultural and political.

Governments, civil society organisations as well as businesses can make major contributions towards the promotion of sustainable consumption by raising the consumers’ awareness and providing useful information to influence their consumption behaviour. Eco-labelling, Life Cycle Assessment, awareness campaigns, comparative testing and responsible advertising are effective instruments to foster sustainable consumption patterns. Also governments and

businesses themselves can take conscious decisions to purchase sustainable products and act as role models for consumers via the establishment of sustainable public procurement as well as green supply chains and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Sharing the motive behind organizing this conference, Ms. Swarn Kohli, Trustee, Consumer Education & Research Centre, said, “The conference aims to identify needs /methods/approaches to revamp the Indian Ecomark scheme; share the ongoing activities on the development of instruments for the promotion of sustainable consumption such as comparative testing, awareness campaigns, Life Cycle Assessment and green public procurement; clarify all stakeholders on the role of businesses and the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility for the promotion of sustainable consumption and identify a strategy for sustainable consumption that improves the efficiency of the mentioned instruments and determines joint efforts of all stakeholders.