About SCP

It is common to think of production and consumption as discrete stages in a product's life cycle chain, with production (an industrial activity) preceding consumption (a domestic activity). But production and consumption are inextricably interwoven. All production consumes resources and energy: to produce something requires that something must be consumed.

Changing consumption and production patterns is one of the overarching objectives of and essential requirements for sustainable development. Concern over unsustainable patterns of consumption and production was reinforced by the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, which devoted Chapter III of its Plan of Implementation to the issue.

Recognising that consumption and production patterns are increasingly global and that international co-operation is needed to address them in cost-effective ways, the Johannesburg Summit called for the “development of a 10-year framework of programmes in support of regional and national initiatives to accelerate the shift towards sustainable consumption and production patterns that will promote social and economic development within the carrying capacity of ecosystems.”

In general, implementation of strategies will be facilitated by programmes carried out by UNEP,  UN DESA and other UN agencies, as well as bilateral, regional and other international  organisations. For instance, UNEP’s activities on SCP include a variety of methodologies, tools,  initiatives, training packages and programmes such as Life Cycle Analysis, Cleaner Production,  product-service systems (PSS), Eco-design, Sustainable Procurement, UN Guidelines for  Consumer Protection, Advertising for Sustainable Consumption, Education and Awareness  Raising, and UNEP is also working with National Cleaner Production Centers. The Work of  UN DESA on SCP currently focuses on environmental management accounting (EMA), sustainable public procurement, and clean technology strategies.

There are many initiatives worldwide which may help illustrate what Sustainable Consumption and Production is all about.