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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development
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Sustainable consumption and production

Description

Goal n.12 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development aims to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Paragraph 28 of the 2030 Agenda reads: “We (Countries) commit to making fundamental changes in the way that our societies produce and consume goods and services. Governments, international organizations, the business sector and other non-state actors and individuals must contribute to changing unsustainable consumption and production patterns, including through the mobilization, from all sources, of financial and technical assistance to strengthen developing countries’ scientific, technological and innovative capacities to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production. We encourage the implementation of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production. All countries take action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries”.

The concept of sustainable consumption and production was later recognized in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, adopted in 2002 at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). On that occasion, sustainable consumption and production was identified as one of the three overarching objectives of, and essential requirements for, sustainable development, together with poverty eradication and the management of natural resources in order to foster economic and social development. It was acknowledged that fundamental changes in the way societies produce and consume are indispensable for achieving global sustainable development.

The Johannesburg Plan of Implementation also called for all countries to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns, with the developed countries taking the lead and with all countries benefiting from the process, taking into account the Rio principles, including, inter alia, the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities as set out in Principle 7 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development.

Furthermore, the Plan called in its Chapter 3 “Changing unsustainable patterns of consumption and production” for governments, relevant international organizations, the private sector and all major groups to play an active role in changing unsustainable consumption and production patterns and more specifically,through its Paragraph 15, to "Encourage and promote the development of a 10-year framework of programmes (10YFP) in support of regional and national initiatives to accelerate the shift towards sustainable consumption and production to promote social and economic development within the carrying capacity of ecosystems".

The 10- year framework of programme (10YFP) on sustainable consumption and production patterns was adopted at the Rio+20 Conference, through Paragraph 226.

UNEP has been requested to serve as the 10YFP Secretariat and to establish and administer a Trust Fund to support SCP implementation in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. (A/C.2/67/L.45).

The Inter-Agency Coordination Group (IACG) of the 10YFP was established in May 2013, with the participation of 19 United Nations bodies. It is permanently chaired by UNEP and co-chaired for the period 2013-2015 by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The Coordination Group has been providing inputs for the development of the 10-year framework programmes and prepared a document on “SCP in the SDG [Sustainable Development Goals] Focus Areas”, which was issued in June 2014. The main areas of actions of the Inter-Agency Coordination Group include enhancing visibility within the UN and the raising awareness outside the UN, enhancing coherent inter-agency support for the implementation of the programmes, conducting joint research as well as promoting information exchange and responding to the 10YFP Board.

Displaying 1 - 15 of 109
Title Type Date
A/76/212 - Towards the achievement of sustainable development: implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including through sustainable consumption and production, building on Agenda 21 Secretary-General Reports 3-Aug-2021
2018 HLPF Review of SDGs implementation: SDG 12 Background Notes 2-Jul-2018
Agenda - EGM on SDG 12 Programme 24-Apr-2018
A/70/472/Add.1 - Implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the… Resolutions and decisions 23-Dec-2015
The grand green challenge: Assessing progress in eco-innovation through Y02 patents Other documents 22-Jul-2015
E/2015/56 - Progress report on the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production… Secretary-General Reports 31-Mar-2015
E/2014/93 - Progress report on the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production… Secretary-General Reports 18-Sep-2014
A/69/379 - Term of the Board of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns… Secretary-General Reports 12-Sep-2014
Outcome Document - Introduction to the Proposal of the Open Working Group for Sustainable Development Goals Outcome Documents 19-Jul-2014
UNEP Post 2015 Note #2: Sustainable Consumption and Production and the SDGs Other documents 14-May-2014
Summary of the Co-Chairs - Open Working Group on SDGs - Seventh Session Outcome Documents 21-Mar-2014
TST Issues Brief: Sustainable Consumption and Production, including Chemicals and Waste Technical Support Team (TST) Issues Briefs 29-Oct-2013
Marrakech Process Final Report: Paving the Way Background papers/Special studies 5-Aug-2013
Brochure: Why Take A Life Cycle Approach? (Japanese) Other documents 12-Apr-2013
Brochure: Why Take A Life Cycle Approach? (French) Other documents 12-Apr-2013
Displaying 1 - 15 of 226
Title Category Date Sort ascending
Brazil Interactive Dialogue 3: Fostering sustainable economic growth, transformation and promoting sustainable consumption and production 26-Sep-2015
UN-Habitat Interactive Dialogue 3: Fostering sustainable economic growth, transformation and promoting sustainable consumption and production 26-Sep-2015
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Interactive Dialogue 3: Fostering sustainable economic growth, transformation and promoting sustainable consumption and production 26-Sep-2015
Bangladesh Interactive Dialogue 3: Fostering sustainable economic growth, transformation and promoting sustainable consumption and production 26-Sep-2015
Campaign for Peoples Goals for Sustainable Development Interactive Dialogue 3: Fostering sustainable economic growth, transformation and promoting sustainable consumption and production 26-Sep-2015
Madagascar Interactive Dialogue 3: Fostering sustainable economic growth, transformation and promoting sustainable consumption and production 26-Sep-2015
Kyrgyzstan Interactive Dialogue 3: Fostering sustainable economic growth, transformation and promoting sustainable consumption and production 26-Sep-2015
Mr. Didier Bergeret, Head of the Global Social Compliance Programme 30-Jun-2014
H.E. Mr. Balthasar Kambuaya , Minister for the Environment, Indonesia Dialogue with the Chair of the Board of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production 30-Jun-2014
Ms. Kaye Ceille, President of Zipcar 30-Jun-2014
Ms. Sylvia del Carmen Trevino, Director General of Industry, Ministry of Environmental and… Dialogue with the Chair of the Board of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production 30-Jun-2014
Dr. Ulf D. Jaeckel, Head of Division of Sustainable Consumer Protection, Product-related… 30-Jun-2014
Mr. Cesar Barahona , President of Global Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production… 30-Jun-2014
Major Group of Children & Youth, and Post Carbon Institute, Global Footprint… Co-chairs' meetings with Major Groups 23-Jun-2014
Major Group: Business & Industry Co-chairs' meetings with Major Groups 19-Jun-2014

Milestones

  • January 2015 SDG 12
    SDG 12 aims at ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns. In particular, its targets focus on the implementation of the 10-year framework of programme, the achievement of sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources as well as halving per capita global food waste. Other targets are concentrated on encouraging companies to adopt sustainable practices and integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle as well as monitor sustainable development impacts and rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies.
  • Three years after the adoption of the 10YFP at Rio, the First Global Meeting of the 10YFP was held at the UN Headquarters in May 2015. The event consisted of a Global Stakeholder Meeting of the 10YFP and of the Implementation and and Inter-linking 10YFP Programmes.
  • Through paragraph 224, Member States take the opportunity to "recall the commitments made in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation on sustainable consumption and production and, in particular, the request in chapter 3 of the Plan of Implementation to encourage and promote the development of a 10-year framework of programmes". Within the same paragraph, Member States also acknowledge that fundamental changes occurred "in the way societies consume and produce are indispensable for achieving global sustainable development". Paragraph 225 reaffirms the commitment "to phase out harmful and inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption and undermine sustainable development" and invite others "to consider rationalizing inefficient fossil fuel subsidies". With paragraph 226, Member States "adopt the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production patterns, as contained in document A/CONF.216/5, and highlight that the programmes included in the 10-year framework are voluntary".
  • January 2003 Marrakech Process
    The Marrakech Process is a global multi-stakeholder process to support the implementation of SCP and develop the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on SCP (10YFP). The Process responds to the call of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation to support the regional and national initiatives to accelerate the shift towards SCP patterns, thus de-linking economic growth from environmental degradation. UNEP and UN DESA are the leading agencies of this global process, with an active participation of national governments, development agencies, business and industry, civil society and other stakeholders. The first meeting devoted to developing the10 YFP took place in Marrakech, Morocco in June 2003, hence the name.
  • In the JPOI, Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) are recognized as an overarching objective and an essential requirement for sustainable development. Therefore, the JPOI calls on all stakeholders to "Encourage and promote the development of a 10-year framework of programmes (10YFP) in support of regional and national initiatives to accelerate the shift towards sustainable consumption and production to promote social and economic development within the carrying capacity of ecosystems".
  • January 1994 Oslo Symposium
    Sustainable consumption was defined at the 1994 Oslo Symposium on Sustainable Consumption as: “the use of services and related products which respond to basic needs and bring a better quality of life while minimizing the use of natural resources and toxic materials as well as emissions of waste and pollutants over the life cycle of the service or product so as not to jeopardize the needs of future generations”. There are five central concepts in the Oslo Symposium definition: • satisfying basic human needs (not the desire for ‘wants’ and luxuries); • privileging quality of life concerns over material standards of living; • minimizing resource use, waste and pollution; • taking a life-cycle approach; and • acting with concern for future generations.
  • January 1992 Agenda 21 (Chap.4)
    Chapter 4 contains two programmes areas respectively focusing on unsustainable patterns of production and consumption and on developing national policies and strategies to encourage changes in unsustainable consumption patterns.

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