COLLABORATION ON STRATEGIES FOR SCP

The Expert Conference on the Marrakech Process – Creating Solutions for SCP provided a platform for experts from around the world to collaborate on finding pathways to sustainable consumption. The conference enabled the global community to take one further step toward reaching an international agreement on sustainable consumption and production which is anticipated to be reached in 2011.

"We see a particular sense of urgency among governments to tackle SCP issues in the context of climate change. Governments are striving to achieve targets defined under the Kyoto Protocol in the 2008-2012 period in the face of new social trends. The number of people per household is becoming smaller; electrical appliances are growing in number and variety; people are travelling more frequently and over greater distances. We therefore need to take further urgent action to tackle this global environmental crisis not only through continuous improvement in production methods but also by finding effective ways to enable consumers to shift their lifestyles and consumption habits.” said Michael Kuhndt, Head of the UNEP/Wuppertal Institute Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP).

 

The Marrakech Process: A call to Increase Sustainable Consumption and Production

The “Marrakech Process” is a United Nations led international effort to develop a 10-year Framework of Programmes for Sustainable Consumption and Production (10YFP). The process was established in response to a call for action at the 2002 UN Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development for governments to work to “change unsustainable patterns of consumption and production”. The process took its name from the site of the first international expert meeting on the 10YFP, which took place in Morocco.

Seven countries are leading this effort by hosting “Marrakech Task Forces”, which are government and topic area expert working groups working to develop new tools and approaches in different fields of consumption and production. Each country is leading one Task Force. Task Force members gathered at the Wuppertal Expert Conference to explore opportunities for developed and developing country governments to collaborate in building specific action plans for the 10YFP.

 

Entrepreneurial Solutions towards SCP

Pioneering entrepreneurs and business leaders are already embracing sustainable consumption and production as an opportunity for innovation through providing consumers with environmentally and socially sound choices, such as organic food and Fair Trade products.

 

The Important Role of the Governments for SCP

Despite the leading role of some business leaders, Mr. Arab Hoballah, Head of the UNEP Sustainable Consumption and Production Branch, also called upon governments to establish regional and national strategies and action plans for sustainable consumption and production at the Expert Conference. At the conference Mr. Hoballah said that “governments have an important role to play in providing a policy framework that both enables business to invest in more sustainable products and services and supports consumers to lead more sustainable lifestyles. The 10YFP should define an international agreement on the actions of all parties towards sustainable consumption and production over the next decade at a concrete level. Governments need to accelerate their efforts to mobilise public awareness in order to achieve momentum by 2011.”

 

Background

The conference was organised by the UNEP/Wuppertal Institute Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP), in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and in cooperation with the Club of Rome and the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP). Approximately 150 guests from UN agencies, governments, businesses, NGOs and academia participated in the event.