20060501_i will if you will_summary

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I will if you willTowards sustainable consumption

A summary


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About the Sustainable ConsumptionRoundtable

This brochure summarises the conclusions of

the Sustainable Consumption Roundtable,

jointly hosted by the National Consumer

Council (NCC) and the Sustainable

Development Commission (SDC) from

September 2004 to March 2006.

Funded by the Department for Environment,

Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and theDepartment of Trade and Industry (DTI), the

Roundtable assembled a small group of

experts in consumer policy, retailing and

sustainability to advise Government on how to

create consumer choices that stay within

environmental limits.

The Roundtable conducted its own primary

research into a range of possible solutions and

approaches to sustainable consumption,

besides drawing on the existing evidence base.

Roundtable members

> Ed Mayo (chair): chief executive, NCC

> Alan Knight (chair): head of corporate

accountability, SABMiller

> Rita Clifton: chair, Interbrand

> Tim Jackson: professor of sustainable

development, University of Surrey

> Jill Johnstone: policy director, NCC

> Sinead Furey: General Consumer Council of

Northern Ireland

> Andrew Lee: director, SDC (campaigns

director, WWF-UK to Febuary 2006)

> Chris Pomfret: senior associate, University ofCambridge Programme for Industry

Secretariat

> Convener: Joanna Collins

> Researcher: Paul Steedman

> Policy assistant: Poppy Maltby

(to November 2005)

> Administrative assistant: Ahmed Khayyam

(from November 2005)

Production

> Editing: Greg Stevenson and Beth Keehn

> Design: Greg Stevenson

> Photography: Cristian Barnett

(www.crisbarnett.com)

> Printing: Seacourt cleaner design and print

(www.seacourt.net)

ISBN: 1 899581 84 7

May 2006

sustainable

consumption

roundtable

a joint initiative from SDC and NCC


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Our consumer society brings usunprecedented comfort, convenience andchoice. However, the complexity of our

economy does not always help us toconnect the way we live with the naturalsystems on which we depend. The simpletruth is that if everyone in the worldconsumed at the average rate we do inthe UK, we would need three planets. Weneed to move from three-planet living toone-planet living(1), at home, at work ortravelling around and were running outof time to make the changes needed tomeet that challenge. Scientists have givenus just ten years to take the collective

action necessary to prevent catastrophicclimate change(2).

The governments sustainabledevelopment framework for the UK aimsto deliver a strong, healthy, just society,within environmental limits.

The key to achieving one-planet livinglies in making sustainable habits andchoices easier for us to take up. Thechallenge now is to create a supportiveframework for collective progress

encapsulated in the notion I will if youwill. We need to feel confident that weare acting in step with others neighbours and colleagues, friends andfamily - not alone and against the grain.

The government has already promisedto set out a plan for further action onsustainable consumption. This brochure

sets out the key Roundtablerecommendations for action in theshort and longer term.

The full report, I will if you will:towards sustainable consumption, isavailable to download fromwww.sd-commission.org.uk orwww.ncc.org.uk.

Quotes throughout this brochure aredrawn from a Consumer forum eventheld by the Roundtable in Manchester

with more than a hundred members ofthe general public, which explored howsustainable consumption relates to theirlifestyles and aspirations.

Introduction

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Growing numbers of individuals anbusinesses are ready and willing toembrace the challenge of one-planet

living, if the right policies are in plachelp. Most of us now understand thlogic of doing the right thing by theenvironment, for our own health andwellbeing, and that of our children a

grandchildren. Roundtable marketresearch showed that many peoplerecognise the need to balance materpossessions with the fundamentals ohaving time and energy to invest in g

relationships and healthy living.

Changing the habits of a lifetime is neasy for any of us. But publiccommitment can be harnessed by poleadership that delivers a compelling

for change and makes that changepossible. People need to feel confidethat their own efforts are part of acollective effort, supported by policie

make sustainable choices the easier ch

The government is well placed to givlead people want, and enable thiscollective approach to evolve.

The Roundtable calls on governme

> make all central government buildings

transport systems carbon neutral(3) by

> give priority to providing sustainably-

produced food, and on-site renewable

energy, in public settings like schools

and hospitals.

One: There is s

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Four areas of our lives account for ffifths of our impact on the environmhow we run our homes, what we eat

how we get around and our holidaytravel. We often find ourselves lockeinto unsustainable consumption patteither out of habit or because we seothers acting in the same way. The

Roundtable believes that practicalcatalysts are needed to open peopleminds to the impact of their actionsdemonstrate alternatives, helping to the mandate for more radical change

What are these practical catalysts a

how would they help people to makreal difference?

i) Waking up to the real costs of ai

travel: carbon offsetting

Many people do not connect cheap with climate change. Carbon offsetschemes are one way of engaging pe

in taking responsibility for the impacflying. Paying an extra charge on the of each flight to offset these emissio

can help fund projects that preventgreenhouse gases being released

elsewhere. One scheme, for examplecarbon offset payments to invest in sfor Indian schools that run on carboneutral crop waste rather than gas.

People at the Consumer forum back

the Roundtable idea that all passengshould be offered carbon offset whe

Two: Start from

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I want to see the day whenconsumers can expect thatenvironmental responsibility

fundamental to the productsthey buy as health and safetynow...(9) Prime Minister Tony Blair

We must find ways of making it easifor people to make sustainable choicAs shoppers, in the face ofoverwhelming levels of choice, we aexpect some issues to have been dea

with upstream. Often we are not aw

that government and retailers aredelegating to us as individuals theresponsibility for choosing societys out of unsustainability. As a result, o

concerns as citizens often do not gereflected in the choices on offer. It iunrealistic to expect the heroic minoof green consumers to solve

environmental problems that face us

The solution lies in the trend towardwhat we call choice editing. From thmagazines we read, the radio stationslisten to or the shops we visit, we loo

others to help organise the choices we

Choice editing for sustainability invediting out high-impact products andservices, and replacing them with lowimpact ones that consumers see as

equally good or better. This can hapin a number of ways. Governments set minimum standards or give clear

Three: Dont psolely on green

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Product labelling achieves little on itsown, but enables a powerful set ofdrivers to promote change, such as

procurement policy, regulation orvoluntary agreements to set minimumstandards, fiscal incentives andproduct charges.

The Roundtable calls on government to:

> work with business champions to plot 10

product roadmaps for high-impact products

by 2007. Priorities include accelerating

consumer demand for:

> Low-carbon cars

> Low-energy home entertainment

> The next generation of low-energy lighting.

Enforcing changeyou could do this by

basically saying were not going to

produce normal light bulbs any more;

every light bulb is going to be an energy-

saving one.

Many people wouldnt even notice if cod

was bannedif you go into a fish shop,

theres a whole range of fish and

theres no cod. You cant buy cod end of

story really.

Choice editing in action

In 1995, the DIY store chain B&Q set a

target that by 1999 it would only selltimber that was certified as sustainable by

the Forest Stewardship Council. Instead of

leaving the onus on the consumer to

distinguish between wood products on

grounds of sustainability, B&Q edited out

unsustainable options. This means that

customers can now focus on the look or

the price of the door or shelf theyre

thinking of buying safe in the knowledge

that the entire range of wood products

are all FSC-certified. One third of demand

for wood products in the UK is now met by

FSC-certified timber.

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To go with the flow of sustainableconsumption, we need bold leadershand positive role models. Its also ess

to know that were not acting alone, in step with others neighbours andfriends, family and colleagues part bigger picture of worthwhile progresthats making a real difference.

Community action is easier than goialone, and this has already been seenrecycling schemes have been rolled oacross the UK. We are social animalmost of us dont want to risk isolatio

Councils can mobilise us at the

neighbourhood level to consume mosustainably and to acquire moreenvironmentally-friendly habits. Somealready introduced a range of incent

and penalties to help everyone switchlower-carbon lifestyles, and councils sbe free to develop this leadership rol

The Roundtable calls on governme

> reward households for careful use of e

and water via taxes and tariffs. The

Governments energy review provides

opportunity to establish such a system

rewards and penalties.

> empower and resource local councils t

help people create sustainable

communities. Councils should give stre

level feedback on recycling and other

achievements and reward people who

pledge to adopt sustainable behaviour

Four: Show peof something b

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Sustainable consumption can be seenspectrum. At the near end are measurequiring less in terms of active chan

habits and routines the installationmini-wind turbine on a roof, or a bigin stand-by requirements for new TVexample. At the far end of the spect

lie innovations and measures that remore fundamental change such asreducing demand for air travel and ca

Public policy on sustainable consumshould enable government, business

all of us as individuals to moveprogressively along this spectrum.

The experience of the Consumer forsuggests that people are willing to enconstructively in exploring the wide r

of policy options that will be neededPolicy-makers at all levels should embevery opportunity to engage us in diaabout how we can collectively achievebetter quality of life within global lim

Events like the Consumer forum, whpeople have the time and space todeliberate on the big challenges like

climate change, and relate these to thown lives, can help to demonstrate abuild the mandate for policies that esustainable consumption. Crucially, tcan also help ensure that the policieschosen will be both effective and fai

Five: Sustainin

If we dont look after the world, it won

be here for the children or the great-gre

grandchildren.

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1. WWF/Bioregional

2. Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change,Met Office, Exeter 1-3 February 2005

3. Since the emission of carbon dioxide isthe biggest single contributor to climatechange, we need collectively to lowerour output of carbon into theatmosphere. Goods and services thatprevent as much global carbonpollution as they produce are knownas carbon neutral.

4. Defra: www.Defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/globatmos/kf/gakf07.htm

5. Tukker A, et al. (2005) Environmentalimpact of products (EIPRO): Analysisof the life cycle environmental impactsrelated to the total final consumption ofthe EU25, European Science andTechnology Observatory and Institutefor Prospective Technological studies,full draft report.

6. www.feedmebetter.com

7. Garden Organic:www.gardenorganic.org.uk

8. Allan Asher, Chief Executive,energywatch, speech to NEAconference September 20th 2005,

www.energywatch.org.uk/uploads/National_Energy_Action1.doc; Energywatch(2005) Get Smart: Bringing meters intothe 21st Centurywww.energywatch.org.uk/uploads/Smart_meters.pdf.

9. Prime Ministers Speech on ClimateChange to HRH the Prince of Wales'sBusiness and Environment Programme,14 September 2004.

References and notes

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The Roundtable's work has clearly demonstrated that citizens can engage

positively, constructively and creatively in the debate on how we tackle the

big environmental challenges of our time.

Viki Cooke, Joint Chief Executive, Opinion Leader Research

This report highlights that consumers are increasingly looking to government

and business to help them live more sustainable lives and make better

choices about the products and services they buy. The job for the business

community then is to satisfy this consumer need and to provide clear and

practical guidance to government on the steps required.

Neil Carson, CEO, Johnson Matthey & Chair of the Business Taskforce on

Sustainable Consumption and Production

The Roundtable has rightly identified that reconnecting people with the

origins of the food they eat can repay powerful double dividends for public

health and the environment. I will if you will makes a significant

contribution to a critical public debate.

Sir Don Curry, Chair, Sustainable Farming and Food Implementation Group

It is hard to go it alone as a green consumer. The Roundtable has set out

practical steps that government can take to make sustainable consumption a

reality in peoples daily lives and reassure them that their actions are part of

something bigger.

Robert Napier, Chief Executive, WWF-UK

20060501_i will if you will_summary

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