Consumption and Production patterns - Decisions
54/449. United Nations Guidelines for
Consumer Protection (as expanded in 1999)
At its 87th plenary meeting, on 22 December 1999, the
General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Second Committee, decided to
adopt the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection (as expanded in
1999), as set out in the annex to the present decision.
Commission on Sustainable Development, 7th Session
New York, 19-30 April 1999
Decision 7/2. Changing consumption and production
patterns
1. The Commission on Sustainable Development:
(a) Reaffirms the basis for
action as called for in chapter 4 of Agenda 21;
(b) Bears in mind the statement
of commitment adopted by the General Assembly at its nineteenth special
session on 27 June 1997;
(c) Takes fully into account
that States have common but differentiated responsibilities, as set forth in
principle 7 of the Rio Declaration, and different levels of development as
well as national conditions and priorities;
(d) Reaffirms the objectives and
policy measures elaborated in chapters 33 and 34 of Agenda 21 in relation to
financing and the transfer of environmentally sound technologies;
(e) Recognizes that the
implementation of sustainable consumption and production approaches suited to
country-specific conditions can lead to reduced costs and improved
competitiveness as well as reduced environmental impacts.
2. The Commission decides on the measures set out
below.
3. The principal goals of changing consumption and
production patterns should be pursued by all countries, with the developed
countries taking the lead, in full accordance with Agenda 21 and paragraph 28
of the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, taking into
account the situation of developing countries adversely affected by the
process, while ensuring that all countries benefit from the process.
Governments face a collective challenge that requires reaffirmed commitments,
strengthened cooperation and greater efforts towards concrete action, taking
into account that States have common but differentiated responsibilities in
accordance with principle 7 of the Rio Declaration. Governments, relevant
international organizations, the private sector and all other major groups as
defined by Agenda 21 have a role to play in changing unsustainable consumption
and production patterns and need to take action to this end. Special attention
should be paid to unsustainable consumption patterns among the richer segments
in all countries, in particular in developed countries.
4. Developed countries should continue to take the
lead in efforts to reverse unsustainable trends in consumption and production,
especially those that threaten the global environment. Developing countries'
priorities are to eradicate poverty, with international support for achieving
poverty reduction targets as agreed in United Nations conferences and summits,
and improve standards of living, including meeting basic needs and lessening
the burden of external debt, while taking all possible steps to avoid
environmental damage and social inequity, for the furtherance of sustainable
development. Countries with economies in transition face the challenge of
integrating policies to make consumption and production patterns more
sustainable into the reform process, for which international support is also
needed. Developed countries should therefore fulfil the commitments undertaken
to reach the accepted United Nations target of 0.7 per cent of gross national
product as soon as possible. This will require a reversal in the current
downward trend of overall official development assistance (ODA) as a
percentage of gross national product (GNP). Governments should ensure that the
basic needs of the people are met.
Priorities for future work
5. The Commission on Sustainable Development
reaffirms that poverty eradication and changing unsustainable consumption and
production patterns remain the overriding issues of the Commissions's work
programme. These two issues are to be integrated, as appropriate, into the
future themes of the work programme, in particular highlighting the linkages
with agriculture, financial resources, trade and investment in 2000, and
energy and transport in 2001. In this regard, consideration should be given to
developments in other relevant international organizations and
intergovernmental bodies. The two overriding issues should also be given due
regard at the comprehensive review at the Commission's tenth session in 2002
in preparation for the 10-year review of progress made since UNCED.
6. Activities under the Commission's international
work programme on sustainable consumption and production patterns, adopted at
its third session in 1995, should continue. In addition, the implementation of
the international work programme will incorporate the following four priority
areas: (a) effective policy development and implementation; (b) natural
resource management and cleaner production; (c) globalization and its impacts
on consumption and production patterns; and (d) urbanization and its impacts
on consumption and production patterns. Progress on work and concrete results
will be reported to the Commission at its tenth session, in 2002.
Effective policy development and implementation
7. Governments, in cooperation with relevant
international organizations and in partnership with major groups, should:
(a)
Further develop and implement policies for promoting sustainable consumption
and production patterns, including affordable, more eco-efficient consumption
and production, through disincentives for unsustainable practices and
incentives for more sustainable practices. A policy mix for this purpose could
include regulations, economic and social instruments, procurement policies and
voluntary agreements and initiatives to be applied in the light of
country-specific conditions;
(b) In
order to achieve sustainable consumption and production, promote measures to
internalize environmental costs and benefits in the price of goods and
services, while seeking to avoid potential negative effects for market access
by developing countries, particularly with a view to encouraging the use of
environmentally preferable products and commodities. Governments should
consider shifting the burden of taxation onto unsustainable patterns of
production and consumption; it is of vital importance to achieve such an
internalization of environmental costs. Such tax reforms should include a
socially responsible process of reduction and elimination of subsidies to
environmentally harmful activities;
(c) Work
to increase understanding of the role of advertising and mass media and
marketing forces in shaping consumption and production patterns, and enhance
their role in promoting sustainable development, inter alia, through
voluntary initiatives and agreed guidelines;
(d)
Develop and implement public awareness programmes with a focus on consumer
education and access to information, in particular addressing youth, through, inter
alia, integrating the issue of sustainable consumption and production into
teaching curricula at all levels, as appropriate, and taking into account
gender perspectives and the special concerns of older people;
(e)
Improve the quality of information regarding the environmental impact of
products and services, and to that end encourage the voluntary and transparent
use of eco-labelling;
(f)
Further develop, test and improve the preliminary set of indicators for
sustainable consumption and production developed under the Commission's work
programme, focusing on the practical use of the indicators for policy
development, taking into account the special needs and conditions of
developing countries;
(g)
Ensure that implementation of measures for the above do not result in
disguised barriers to trade;
(h)
Ensure that implementation of measures for the above take fully into account
the ongoing deliberations in relevant international forums.
8. Developed countries should promote and
facilitate the transfer of technical know-how, environmentally sound
technologies and capacity-building for implementation to developing countries,
in accordance with chapter 34 of Agenda 21, and also to countries with
economies in transition so as to foster more sustainable consumption and
production patterns. Furthermore, private-sector involvement should also be
encouraged and promoted.
Natural resource management and cleaner production
9. Governments, in cooperation with relevant
international organizations and in partnership with major groups, should:
(a)
Develop and apply policies to promote public and private investments in
cleaner production and the sustainable use of natural resources, including the
transfer of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries, in
accordance with chapter 34 of Agenda 21, and also to countries with economies
in transition;
(b)
Collect and disseminate cost-effective best practice experiences in cleaner
production and environmental management;
(c)
Undertake further analysis of the costs and benefits of demand-side
management, and where there is still insufficient information, of supply-side
management, including cleaner production and eco-efficiency, and assess the
positive and negative impacts on developing and developed countries and
countries with economies in transition;
(d)
Further develop and implement, as appropriate, cleaner production and
eco-efficiency policy approaches, through, inter alia, environmental
management systems, integrated product policies, life-cycle management,
labelling schemes and performance reporting, and in this context, taking fully
into account the national circumstances and needs of the developing countries
as well as the relevant ongoing deliberations of the Committee on Technical
Barriers to Trade and the Committee on Trade and Environment of the World
Trade Organization (WTO). Best practices and results should be shared within
the wider community and used for capacity-building, in particular in small and
medium-sized enterprises, including in developing countries and countries with
economies in transition;
(e)
Engage industries and economic sectors, in both public and private sectors,
and all other major groups at the national and international levels, as
appropriate, in activities relating to sustainable consumption and production
with the objective of developing optimal strategies and/or programmes,
including targets and timetables, at the appropriate levels for more
sustainable consumption and production, including cleaner production and
affordable eco-efficiency.
10. The United Nations Environment Programme and the
United Nations Industrial Development Organization should, inter alia,
through their cleaner production centres, enhance their support to
enterprises, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises, in developing
countries and countries with economies in transition, especially in the areas
of auditing and certification, loan applications and financing, and the
marketing of their products on international markets as well as dissemination
of information on environmentally sound technology and technical know-how.
11. Recognizing that the implementation of cleaner
production and eco-efficiency approaches can lead to reduced costs and
improved competitiveness, as well as reduced environmental impacts, business
and industry should be encouraged to implement these approaches as a
contribution to the achievement of sustainable production.
Globalization and its impacts on consumption and production patterns
12. Governments, in cooperation with relevant
international organizations and in partnership with major groups, should:
(a)
Undertake studies of the impacts of globalization, including both positive and
negative impacts of trade, investment, mass media, advertising and marketing
in all countries, in particular developing countries. The studies should
examine ways and means to mitigate negative impacts and use opportunities to
promote more sustainable consumption and production patterns and open and
non-discriminatory trade;
(b)
Undertake studies on the role of the financial sector in promoting sustainable
consumption and production, and further encourage voluntary initiatives suited
to national conditions for sustainable development by that sector;
(c)
Increase their efforts to make policies on trade and policies on environment,
including those on sustainable consumption and production, mutually
supportive, without creating disguised barriers to trade;
(d)
Study the benefits of traditional values and local cultures in promoting
sustainable consumption.
Urbanization and its impacts on consumption and production patterns
13. Governments, in cooperation with relevant
international organizations and in partnership with major groups, while
particularly taking into account the work of the Commission on Human
Settlements, should:
(a)
Assess and address, in the context of sustainable development, the impacts of
urbanization, in particular those related to energy, transport, sanitation,
waste management and public health;
(b)
Increase efforts to address the critical issues of fresh water and sanitation
in human settlements in developing countries through, inter alia, the
transfer of environmentally sound technologies and the provision of financial
resources for implementation, as elaborated in Agenda 21, as a priority of the
international agenda on sustainable consumption and production;
(c)
Assess and address the impacts of urbanization on economic, environmental and
social conditions. In-depth studies on the key determining factors of quality
of life should be undertaken and used to strengthen appropriate human
settlement development strategies suited to national conditions, in the
context of urbanization.
14. Governments at all levels are encouraged to
incorporate sustainable consumption and production policies in city planning
and management, and to report to the review exercise to be conducted at the
tenth session of the Commission.
15. Governments at all levels, the private sector
and other major groups as defined in Agenda 21 are urged to cooperate in
developing waste collection systems and disposal facilities, and developing
programmes for prevention, minimization and recycling of waste, to safeguard
and improve the quality of life in human settlements and coastal regions in
all countries, especially in developing countries. Dissemination of positive
results of the implementation of various policy instruments suitable to the
national conditions and needs of developing countries can facilitate the wider
application of such policies.
Annex
Co-Chairmen's summary of the discussions on consumption and production
patterns held by the Inter-sessional Ad Hoc Working Group on Consumption and
Production Patterns and on Tourism at its meeting from 22 to 26 February 1999
Introduction
1. The debate on changing consumption and
production patterns was based on the report of the Secretary-General entitled
"Comprehensive review of changing consumption and production
patterns",10 in the context of chapter 4 of Agenda 21
and paragraph 28 of the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21.11
2. Many delegations from developing and developed countries and countries
with economies in transition described activities in their countries promoting
sustainable consumption and production patterns. Recent meetings that provided
useful contributions to the debate were mentioned, including a workshop at
Kabelvåg, Norway, on the theme "Consumption in a sustainable
world", hosted by Norway in June 1998, and a conference on the theme
"Sustainable consumption patterns: trends and traditions in East
Asia", hosted by the Republic of Korea in January 1999, in cooperation
with the United Nations Division for Sustainable Development, and co-sponsored
by Sweden and Norway. A number of delegations welcomed the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report, 1998,12
with its focus on consumption and human development, as a contribution to the
debate.
General considerations
3. Many delegations stated that unsustainable
consumption and production patterns include both adverse environmental impacts
arising from the excess consumption of natural resources, particularly in the
developed countries, and unemployment, poverty and underconsumption of basic
goods and services, particularly in developing countries. They felt it would
be useful to have a coordinated programme of national and regional studies
concerning destructive patterns of consumption and production, notably in the
areas of energy use, transport of waste products and use of renewable and
non-renewable natural resources, to assess their sustainability. It was also
considered important to ensure a sustainable development agenda for energy
that would cover all types of energy and address economic, social and
environmental aspects.
4. Many countries stated that achieving sustainable
development required a transition to sustainable patterns of production and
consumption, particularly in industrialized countries. It was noted that
Governments face a collective challenge to strengthen cooperation and make
greater efforts towards concrete action, taking into account the principle of
common but differentiated responsibilities.
5. Many delegations stated that the biggest
challenge for industrialized countries was to minimize the negative effects of
consumption and production and to assist developing countries and countries
with economies in transition in their efforts. Industrialized countries must
therefore continue to take the lead in finding ways to change unsustainable
consumption and production patterns.
6. Many delegations felt that the work programme on
changing consumption and production patterns as adopted by the Commission at
its third session should be implemented and further developed.
7. Many delegations emphasized that consumption and
production patterns, together with poverty, are overriding issues for the
Commission for the period 1998-2002. The need to change consumption and
production patterns towards sustainable development should therefore be
addressed in the context of the themes for each session of the Commission, in
particular with respect to agriculture in 2000 and energy and transport in
2001.
8. Many delegations stated that changing consumption and
production patterns to ensure sustainability should not imply reductions in
the quality of life or living standards and should ensure that the basic needs
of all people are met.
9. Some delegations noted that increases in
consumption in recent decades have improved the welfare of large numbers of
people in the world. However, there are enormous, and in many cases widening,
disparities in consumption between and within countries. Increased consumption
has also, in many cases, resulted in the undermining of the sustainability of
development through environmental degradation and resource depletion. The most
severe environmental impacts are being felt in the poorest regions of the
world.
10. Many delegations stated that Governments should
ensure minimum standards of consumption for poor people, with particular
attention to nutrition, literacy and education, health care, clean drinking
water, sanitation and shelter. Improving opportunities for productive
employment, particularly in rural areas of developing countries, could
contribute to this objective. It was noted that rural communities in
developing countries where access to electricity was prohibitively expensive
could be supplied with solar energy, thus improving living standards and
environmental conditions.
11. One delegation noted that its country had
increased consumption in recent decades while reducing pollution through
measures such as increased energy and resource efficiency, increased reuse and
recycling, increased durability of goods, and improved management of chemicals
and waste. Nonetheless, it noted that much more needed to be done to promote
environmentally sound and sustainable consumption and production practices.
12. Another delegation noted that unsustainable
consumption and production patterns, particularly in developed countries, have
produced global environmental degradation, including depletion of fish stocks,
deforestation, loss of biodiversity, ozone depletion and the steady
accumulation of greenhouse gases.
13. Some delegations stated that a variety of
policy instruments should be used to promote sustainable consumption and
production patterns, including regulations, economic incentives, ecological
tax reform, information and education. It was noted that further work was
needed on assessing the effectiveness of policy instruments in providing
economic, environmental and social benefits. Further study was also needed to
assess the benefits and costs of phasing out environmentally harmful subsidies
and introducing environmental taxes and charges more widely, with measures to
assist vulnerable groups and enterprises that may be adversely affected. It
was proposed that the role of the financial services sector in facilitating
environmentally and socially responsible investments deserved further study
and analysis.
14. Some delegations stated that development of
indicators to measure changes in consumption and production patterns was
important for identifying areas where action is needed and assessing the
effectiveness of policy measures. It was also stated that, in developing such
indicators, consideration must be given to the situation of developing
countries, in particular to the satisfaction of basic needs, information
availability and accessible methodologies.
15. One delegation stated that information
dissemination measures were sometimes insufficient and that a shift to
"social system" measures was required.
16. Some delegations stated that Governments should
ensure cleaner production and eco-efficiency in their own operations and
procurement, and introduce environmental management systems. It was noted that
the 1996 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Council
Recommendation on Improving the Environmental Performance of Governments and
the Recommendation on Improving the Environmental Performance of OECD were
important contributions to this objective.
17. Some delegations noted that sustainable
production and consumption, particularly with respect to fossil fuel
consumption and its links to climate change and sea-level rise, were of
particular concern to small island developing States. Other delegations were
of the view that fossil fuel consumption was not the conclusive cause of
climate change.
18. Some delegations stated that further efforts
were needed to improve access to international markets for products from least
developed countries in order to promote sustainable consumption and production
in those countries.
19. One delegation stated that work in the area of
computer modelling of consumption and production trends should reflect
specific consumption and production trends at subregional and national levels.
Such computer models should be used to examine the possible impacts of changes
in policy.
20. Many delegations stated that progress towards
more sustainable consumption and production, and towards the implementation of
the Commission's work programme, would require cooperation among Governments,
business and industry, non-governmental organizations and international
organizations. Public-private partnerships should be promoted towards this
objective.
21. In addition to continuing work on the existing
work programme, delegations proposed new priorities and new areas of work as
described below.
Natural resource management and cleaner production
22. Many delegations stated that developed
countries should encourage the establishment of best practices in cleaner
production and environmental management. Developed countries and international
organizations should make further efforts towards capacity-building and
technology transfer to industrial sectors in developing countries and
countries with economies in transition.
23. Many delegations stated that increased efforts
were needed to promote and facilitate the transfer of environmentally sound
technologies, in combination with financial resources, to developing countries
and countries with economies in transition and provide them with technical
assistance in support of their national capacity-building programmes. They
looked forward to developed countries' meeting their commitments to ODA,
leading to more tangible and visible results.
24. Some delegations stated that cleaner production
and eco-efficiency, based on improved skills, technologies and efficient use
of energy and resources, were essential to sustainable development in both
developed and developing countries. In many cases, it was noted, cleaner
production provided large economic benefits as well as environmental benefits.
It was also noted, however, that these efficiency improvements have generally
been outweighed by increased volumes of production and consumption.
25. Some delegations supported the idea of
developing national cleaner production and eco-efficiency strategies and
setting targets for eco-efficiency adapted to particular sectors, products and
processes. Governments, in partnership with industry, should develop and
implement comprehensive policy packages including cleaner production,
eco-efficiency, life-cycle management, product stewardship and pollution
prevention. The development and application of integrated product policies was
seen as a useful approach to this objective.
26. Many delegations stated that Governments should
encourage business and industry to adopt environmental management systems and
to publish information on the environmental impacts of their activities. Where
possible, they should be encouraged to provide information on the
environmental impacts of their goods and services, including the impacts of
distribution, use and disposal, as well as production processes.
27. Some delegations stated that business and
industry could make important contributions to making consumption and
production more sustainable by developing and adopting cleaner production
technologies, environmental best practices, environmental management systems,
codes of conduct, voluntary guidelines and negotiated agreements. Governments
should promote dialogue and partnership with business and industry towards
this objective.
28. Some delegations stated that increased research
and investment are required to develop more sustainable use of key resources
in such areas as energy, transport and water, with a view to improving access
for poor people and conserving resources. It was noted that some Governments
were providing financial support for science and technology for sustainability
in such areas as energy and agriculture, and for incentives for consumers to
improve energy efficiency in homes and transportation.
29. Some delegations stated that regulations and
economic incentives, including progressive internalization of environmental
costs, should be used to promote cleaner production and eco-efficiency. Many
small and medium-sized enterprises would need support from government and
other members of industry in meeting those objectives.
30. Many delegations were of the view that economic
instruments and the internalization of environmental costs might constitute a
trade restriction and be counter-productive, specifically in regard to the
already limited comparative advantages of developing countries, and therefore
should be avoided in accordance with the principle of common but
differentiated responsibilities.
31. Some delegations stated that voluntary
initiatives by the private sector, where appropriate in cooperation with
government and non-governmental organizations, could also contribute to
changing consumption and production patterns. It was noted that the Commission
secretariat, in consultation with other stakeholders, was organizing a
multi-stakeholder experts workshop, to be hosted by Canada in March 1999, to
identify elements for a review of voluntary initiatives and agreements and to
report to the Commission.
32. Many delegations stated that the UNEP/UNIDO
cleaner production centres should provide additional support to enterprises,
in particular small and medium-sized enterprises, in developing countries and
countries with economies in transition, for introducing cleaner production
technologies, financing technology transfer and undertaking capacity-building
for environmental management, auditing and certification.
33. Some delegations welcomed the International
Declaration on Cleaner Production launched by UNEP in October 1998 and invited
Governments that had not already done so to sign the Declaration.
Impact of globalization on consumption and production patterns
34. Many delegations noted that consumption and
production patterns in developed countries strongly influenced patterns in
developing countries, particularly in the context of globalization and trade
liberalization. This occurred not only through trade and investment, but also
through communication, mass media, advertising and marketing. They stressed
that consumption and production patterns in developed countries should not be
used to create technical barriers to trade.
35. Some delegations stated that further efforts
should be made to identify areas in which changing consumption patterns in
developed countries offer opportunities for enterprises in developing
countries. It was noted that some developing-country production processes are
more environmentally friendly than processes in developed countries.
36. Many delegations stated that trade pressure
from developed countries had also contributed to unsustainable consumption
practices in developing countries. For example, when developed countries seek,
through various means, lower taxes on their exports to developing countries,
such as luxury cars, energy-wasting home appliances and other expensive
products, they affect the consumption patterns of developing countries. Those
delegations recommended that developed countries take steps to harmonize their
policies on trade and sustainable development, with particular reference to
avoiding the tendency to export unsustainable consumption and production
patterns. It was suggested that countries could consider applying
environmental taxes on particular luxury and disposable goods that have
negative environmental impacts.
37. Some delegations stated that improvements in
eco-efficiency would be beneficial to all countries and that action to promote
cleaner production and eco-efficiency should be intensified, but that there
might be some negative side effects for countries with a high economic
dependence on exports of natural resources.
38. Some delegations noted that economic and social
development in oil exporting countries could be adversely affected by measures
such as energy taxes and that consideration should be given to the situation
of those countries.
39. One delegation stressed the importance of
ensuring coherence between multilateral agreements and instruments that
address environmental and social standards, and the multilateral trade rules.
40. Many delegations proposed that the role of
communications, media and advertising in promoting unsustainable consumption
and production patterns and in disseminating consumption and production
patterns internationally should be studied. They suggested that agreed
guidelines might be considered.
Urbanization
41. Many delegations stated that further efforts
are urgently needed to address problems related to transportation and health
in human settlements in developing countries, in particular problems of air
pollution and traffic congestion. New approaches to urban planning, land-use
management and public transportation were needed to address these problems in
a comprehensive way.
42. Many delegations noted that waste collection
and disposal was a major environmental issue in both developing and developed
countries. They noted a need for research and development in waste management
systems and for developed-country support in introducing such systems into
developing countries. It was stated that waste prevention through cleaner
production, reductions in packaging, recycling and reuse, and consumer
education and information could make a major contribution to waste management.
International exchange of best practices in those areas would be of major
importance.
43. Many delegations stated that urban
infrastructure for clean drinking water and sanitation in developing countries
should be a priority.
44. Many delegations stated that developed-country
expertise, technology and financial resources could help in addressing the
problems of urban infrastructure development, waste management and
comprehensive urban planning in developing countries.
45. Some delegations noted that urban planning and
infrastructure development were key determinants of long-term patterns of
consumption and production, as they impose constraints on changes in patterns
of transportation and consumption of energy, water and materials.
Sustainability considerations should be integrated into land-use planning and
urban development.
Consumer information and education and social values
46. Some delegations stated that sustainable
consumption and production required that technology improvements be
complemented by changes in lifestyles and new perceptions of welfare, in
particular among affluent consumers in all countries. This required that
consumers be active participants in sustainable development efforts.
47. Some delegations stated that information on
sustainable consumption and production should be integrated into educational
curricula at all levels of education, particularly into professional
education.
48. Some delegations stated that eco-labelling and
fair trade labelling could assist consumers in taking environmental and social
issues into account in their consumption. Such measures, however, should not
be disguised barriers to trade. Many delegations cautioned that the concept of
eco-labelling and related issues were still under discussion in the Committee
on Trade and Environment of the World Trade Organization.
49. One delegation stressed that issues related to
eco-labelling should focus only on product characteristics, taking due
consideration of discussions in other multilateral forums, such as the World
Trade Organization Committee on Trade and Environment, in order to avoid
disguised barriers to trade.
50. Some delegations stated that the use of
economic policy instruments, including internalization of environmental and
social costs, and the phasing out of environmentally harmful subsidies, were
also essential in promoting consumer choices that take into account the impact
on sustainable development. Many delegations questioned the idea of
"social costs" and expressed preference for a reference instead to
the social impacts of economic policy instruments.
51. Some delegations stated that further research
was needed on consumer behaviour, including the choices made by women, men and
children, and of the effect of advertising and the media. The Oxford-based
International Commission on Sustainability which is being established to look
at the social-cultural dimensions that shape consumption and production
patterns should provide a valuable contribution to further consideration of
this issue.
52. Some delegations stated that consideration
should be given to how elements of traditional knowledge, culture, practices
and lifestyles can be combined with modern approaches to promote sustainable
consumption and production patterns. Efforts in this area in East Asia should
take into account the work of the conference on the theme "Sustainable
consumption patterns: trends and traditions in East Asia", held in the
Republic of Korea in January 1999.
53. Many delegations welcomed the agreement in
informal consultations on new elements on sustainable consumption for
inclusion in the United Nations guidelines for consumer protection.13
54. Some delegations stated that consumer
information and education were essential for enabling consumers to make
informed choices. Consumers should be provided with information on the impacts
of consumer behaviour on the environment, health, quality of life and poverty,
and with information on alternative consumption possibilities. Governments, in
partnership with the business community, consumer organizations and other
organizations of civil society, should promote public availability of such
information. It was noted that public participation in policy-making at all
levels and transparent legislative and regulatory process promote public
support of, and participation in, sustainable production and consumption
efforts. Public support was needed to strengthen the work of consumer
organizations in these areas.
Draft resolution I
Expansion of the United Nations guidelines on consumer protection to
include sustainable consumption
1. The Commission on Sustainable Development recommends
to the Economic and Social Council the adoption of the following draft
resolution:
Draft resolution I
Expansion of the United Nations guidelines on consumer protection to include
sustainable consumption
The Economic and Social
Council,
Recalling General
Assembly resolution 39/248 of 9 April 1985, in which the Assembly adopted the
guidelines for consumer protection,
Noting that the
Commission on Sustainable Development, at its third session, recommended that
the guidelines for consumer protection be expanded to include guidelines for
sustainable consumption, (E/1995/32/para 45.E)
Recalling Economic and
Social Council resolutions 1995/53 of 28 July 1995 and 1997/53 of 23 July
1997, in which the Council requested the Secretary-General, inter alia,
to elaborate guidelines in the area of sustainable consumption patterns,
Taking note of the report
of the Secretary-General and the recommendations of the Interregional Expert
Group Meeting on Consumer Protection and Sustainable Consumption, held at
São Paulo, Brazil, from 28 to 30 January 1998,3
Noting with appreciation
the organization by the Bureau of the seventh session of the Commission on
Sustainable Development of open-ended consultations among member States, as
requested by the Council in its decision 1998/215 of 23 July 1998,
Aware that the need
remains great for assistance in the area of consumer protection, particularly
in developing countries and countries with economies in transition,
Recognizing the impact
that the guidelines have had in many countries in promoting just, equitable
and sustainable economic and social development through their implementation
by Governments,
Also recognizing the
important role of civil society, in particular of non-governmental
organizations, in promoting the implementation of the guidelines,
1. Decides
to transmit to the General Assembly, for consideration with a view to their
adoption, the draft guidelines for consumer protection expanded to include
sustainable consumption, as contained in the annex;
2. Urges
Member States, other entities of the United Nations system and relevant
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to continue their efforts
to implement effectively the United Nations guidelines for consumer
protection.
Annex
United Nations guidelines for consumer protection
(As expanded in 1999)
I. Objectives
1. Taking into account the interests and needs of
consumers in all countries, particularly those in developing countries;
recognizing that consumers often face imbalances in economic terms,
educational levels, and bargaining power; and bearing in mind that consumers
should have the right of access to non-hazardous products, as well as the
right to promote just, equitable and sustainable economic and social
development and environmental protection, these guidelines for consumer
protection have the following objectives:
(a) To assist
countries in achieving or maintaining adequate protection for their population
as consumers;
(b)
To facilitate production and distribution patterns responsive to the needs and
desires of consumers;
(c) To
encourage high levels of ethical conduct for those engaged in the production
and distribution of goods and services to consumers;
(d) To assist
countries in curbing abusive business practices by all enterprises at the
national and international levels which adversely affect consumers;
(e) To
facilitate the development of independent consumer groups;
(f) To further
international cooperation in the field of consumer protection;
(g) To
encourage the development of market conditions which provide consumers with
greater choice at lower prices;
(h) To promote
sustainable consumption.
II. General principles
2. Governments should develop or maintain a strong
consumer protection policy, taking into account the Guidelines set out below
and relevant international agreements. In so doing, each Government should set
its own priorities for the protection of consumers in accordance with the
economic, social and environmental circumstances of the country and the needs
of its population, bearing in mind the costs and benefits of proposed
measures.
3. The legitimate needs which the guidelines are intended
to meet are the following:
(a) The
protection of consumers from hazards to their health and safety;
(b) The
promotion and protection of the economic interests of consumers;
(c) Access of
consumers to adequate information to enable them to make informed choices
according to individual wishes and needs;
(d) Consumer
education, including education on the environmental, social and economic
impacts of consumer choice;
(e)
Availability of effective consumer redress;
(f) Freedom to
form consumer and other relevant groups or organizations and the opportunity
of such organizations to present their views in decision-making processes
affecting them;
(g) The
promotion of sustainable consumption patterns.
4. Unsustainable patterns of production and consumption,
particularly in industrialized countries, are the major cause of the continued
deterioration of the global environment. All countries should strive to
promote sustainable consumption patterns; developed countries should take the
lead in achieving sustainable consumption patterns; developing countries
should seek to achieve sustainable consumption patterns in their development
process, having due regard to the principle of common but differentiated
responsibilities. The special situation and needs of developing countries in
this regard should be fully taken into account.
5. Policies for promoting sustainable consumption should
take into account the goals of eradicating poverty, satisfying the basic human
needs of all members of society, and reducing inequality within and between
countries.
6. Governments should provide or maintain adequate
infrastructure to develop, implement and monitor consumer protection policies.
Special care should be taken to ensure that measures for consumer protection
are implemented for the benefit of all sectors of the population, particularly
the rural population and people living in poverty.
7. All enterprises should obey the relevant laws and
regulations of the countries in which they do business. They should also
conform to the appropriate provisions of international standards for consumer
protection to which the competent authorities of the country in question have
agreed. (Hereinafter references to international standards in the guidelines
should be viewed in the context of this paragraph.)
8. The potential positive role of universities and public
and private enterprises in research should be considered when developing
consumer protection policies.
III. Guidelines
9. The following guidelines should apply both to
home-produced goods and services and to imports.
10. In applying any procedures or regulations for
consumer protection, due regard should be given to ensuring that they do not
become barriers to international trade and that they are consistent with
international trade obligations.
A. Physical safety
11. Governments should adopt or encourage the adoption of
appropriate measures, including legal systems, safety regulations, national or
international standards, voluntary standards and the maintenance of safety
records to ensure that products are safe for either intended or normally
foreseeable use.
12. Appropriate policies should ensure that goods
produced by manufacturers are safe for either intended or normally foreseeable
use. Those responsible for bringing goods to the market, in particular
suppliers, exporters, importers, retailers and the like (hereinafter referred
to as "distributors"), should ensure that while in their care these
goods are not rendered unsafe through improper handling or storage and that
while in their care they do not become hazardous through improper handling or
storage. Consumers should be instructed in the proper use of goods and should
be informed of the risks involved in intended or normally foreseeable use.
Vital safety information should be conveyed to consumers by internationally
understandable symbols wherever possible.
13. Appropriate policies should ensure that if
manufacturers or distributors become aware of unforeseen hazards after
products are placed on the market, they should notify the relevant authorities
and, as appropriate, the public without delay. Governments should also
consider ways of ensuring that consumers are properly informed of such
hazards.
14. Governments should, where appropriate, adopt policies
under which, if a product is found to be seriously defective and/or to
constitute a substantial and severe hazard even when properly used,
manufacturers and/or distributors should recall it and replace or modify it,
or substitute another product for it; if it is not possible to do this within
a reasonable period of time, the consumer should be adequately compensated.
B. Promotion and protection of consumers' economic
interests
15. Government policies should seek to enable consumers
to obtain optimum benefit from their economic resources. They should also seek
to achieve the goals of satisfactory production and performance standards,
adequate distribution methods, fair business practices, informative marketing
and effective protection against practices which could adversely affect the
economic interests of consumers and the exercise of choice in the market
place.
16. Governments should intensify their efforts to prevent
practices which are damaging to the economic interests of consumers through
ensuring that manufacturers, distributors and others involved in the provision
of goods and services adhere to established laws and mandatory standards.
Consumer organizations should be encouraged to monitor adverse practices, such
as the adulteration of foods, false or misleading claims in marketing and
service frauds.
17. Governments should develop, strengthen or maintain,
as the case may be, measures relating to the control of restrictive and other
abusive business practices which may be harmful to consumers, including means
for the enforcement of such measures. In this connection, Governments should
be guided by their commitment to the Set of Multilaterally Agreed Equitable
Principles and Rules for the Control of Restrictive Business Practices adopted
by the General Assembly in resolution 35/63 of 5 December 1980.
18. Governments should adopt or maintain policies that
make clear the responsibility of the producer to ensure that goods meet
reasonable demands of durability, utility and reliability, and are suited to
the purpose for which they are intended, and that the seller should see that
these requirements are met. Similar policies should apply to the provision of
services.
19. Governments should encourage fair and effective
competition in order to provide consumers with the greatest range of choice
among products and services at the lowest cost.
20. Governments should, where appropriate, see to it that
manufacturers and/or retailers ensure adequate availability of reliable
after-sales service and spare parts.
21. Consumers should be protected from such contractual
abuses as one-sided standard contracts, exclusion of essential rights in
contracts, and unconscionable conditions of credit by sellers.
22. Promotional marketing and sales practices should be
guided by the principle of fair treatment of consumers and should meet legal
requirements. This requires the provision of the information necessary to
enable consumers to take informed and independent decisions, as well as
measures to ensure that the information provided is accurate.
23. Governments should encourage all concerned to
participate in the free flow of accurate information on all aspects of
consumer products.
24. Consumer access to accurate information about the
environmental impact of products and services should be encouraged through
such means as product profiles, environmental reports by industry, information
centres for consumers, voluntary and transparent eco-labelling programmes and
product information hotlines.
25. Governments, in close collaboration with
manufacturers, distributors and consumer organizations, should take measures
regarding misleading environmental claims or information in advertising and
other marketing activities. The development of appropriate advertising codes
and standards for the regulation and verification of environmental claims
should be encouraged.
26. Governments should, within their own national
context, encourage the formulation and implementation by business, in
cooperation with consumer organizations, of codes of marketing and other
business practices to ensure adequate consumer protection. Voluntary
agreements may also be established jointly by business, consumer organizations
and other interested parties. These codes should receive adequate publicity.
27. Governments should regularly review legislation
pertaining to weights and measures and assess the adequacy of the machinery
for its enforcement.
C. Standards for the safety and quality of consumer goods
and services
28. Governments should, as appropriate, formulate or
promote the elaboration and implementation of standards, voluntary and other,
at the national and international levels for the safety and quality of goods
and services and give them appropriate publicity. National standards and
regulations for product safety and quality should be reviewed from time to
time, in order to ensure that they conform, where possible, to generally
accepted international standards.
29. Where a standard lower than the generally accepted
international standard is being applied because of local economic conditions,
every effort should be made to raise that standard as soon as possible.
30. Governments should encourage and ensure the
availability of facilities to test and certify the safety, quality and
performance of essential consumer goods and services.
D. Distribution facilities for essential consumer
goods and services
31. Governments should, where appropriate, consider:
(a) Adopting or maintaining policies to ensure the efficient
distribution of goods and services to consumers; where
appropriate, specific policies should be considered to ensure the distribution
of essential goods and services where this distribution is endangered, as
could be the case particularly in rural areas. Such policies could include
assistance for the creation of adequate storage and retail facilities in rural
centres, incentives for consumer self-help and better control of the
conditions under which essential goods and services are provided in rural
areas;
(b)
Encouraging the establishment of consumer cooperatives and related trading
activities, as well as information about them, especially in rural areas.
E. Measures enabling consumers to obtain redress
32. Governments should establish or maintain legal and/or
administrative measures to enable consumers or, as appropriate, relevant
organizations to obtain redress through formal or informal procedures that are
expeditious, fair, inexpensive and accessible. Such procedures should take
particular account of the needs of low-income consumers.
33. Governments should encourage all enterprises to
resolve consumer disputes in a fair, expeditious and informal manner, and to
establish voluntary mechanisms, including advisory services and informal
complaints procedures, which can provide assistance to consumers.
34. Information on available redress and other
dispute-resolving procedures should be made available to consumers.
F. Education and information programmes
35. Governments should develop or encourage the
development of general consumer education and information programmes,
including information on the environmental impacts of consumer choices and
behaviour and the possible implications, including benefits and costs, of
changes in consumption, bearing in mind the cultural traditions of the people
concerned. The aim of such programmes should be to enable people to act as
discriminating consumers, capable of making an informed choice of goods and
services, and conscious of their rights and responsibilities. In developing
such programmes, special attention should be given to the needs of
disadvantaged consumers, in both rural and urban areas, including low-income
consumers and those with low or non-existent literacy levels. Consumer groups,
business and other relevant organizations of civil society should be involved
in these educational efforts.
36. Consumer education should, where appropriate, become
an integral part of the basic curriculum of the educational system, preferably
as a component of existing subjects.
37. Consumer education and information programmes should
cover such important aspects of consumer protection as the following:
(a)
Health, nutrition, prevention of food-borne diseases and food adulteration;
(b)
Product hazards;
(c)
Product labelling;
(d)
Relevant legislation, how to obtain redress, and agencies and organizations
for consumer protection;
(e)
Information on weights and measures, prices, quality, credit conditions and
availability of basic necessities;
(f)
Environmental protection; and
(g)
Efficient use of materials, energy and water.
38. Governments should encourage consumer organizations
and other interested groups, including the media, to undertake education and
information programmes, including on the environmental impacts of consumption
patterns and on the possible implications, including benefits and costs, of
changes in consumption, particularly for the benefit of low-income consumer
groups in rural and urban areas.
39. Business should, where appropriate, undertake or
participate in factual and relevant consumer education and information
programmes.
40. Bearing in mind the need to reach rural consumers and
illiterate consumers, Governments should, as appropriate, develop or encourage
the development of consumer information programmes in the mass media.
41. Governments should organize or encourage training
programmes for educators, mass media professionals and consumer advisers, to
enable them to participate in carrying out consumer information and education
programmes.
G. Promotion of sustainable consumption
42. Sustainable consumption includes meeting the needs of
present and future generations for goods and services in ways that are
economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.
43. Responsibility for sustainable consumption is shared
by all members and organizations of society, with informed consumers,
Government, business, labour organizations, and consumer and environmental
organizations playing particularly important roles. Informed consumers have an
essential role in promoting consumption that is environmentally, economically
and socially sustainable, including through the effects of their choices on
producers. Governments should promote the development and implementation of
policies for sustainable consumption and the integration of those policies
with other public policies. Government policy making should be conducted in
consultation with business, consumer and environmental organizations, and
other concerned groups. Business has a responsibility for promoting
sustainable consumption through the design, production and distribution of
goods and services. Consumer and environmental organizations have a
responsibility for promoting public participation and debate on sustainable
consumption, for informing consumers, and for working with Government and
business towards sustainable consumption.
44. Governments, in partnership with business and
relevant organizations of civil society, should develop and implement
strategies that promote sustainable consumption through a mix of policies that
could include regulations; economic and social instruments; sectoral policies
in such areas as land use, transport, energy and housing; information
programmes to raise awareness of the impact of consumption patterns; removal
of subsidies that promote unsustainable patterns of consumption and
production; and promotion of sector-specific environmental-management best
practices.
45. Governments should encourage the design, development
and use of products and services that are safe and energy and resource
efficient, considering their full life-cycle impacts. Governments should
encourage recycling programmes that encourage consumers to both recycle wastes
and purchase recycled products.
46. Governments should promote the development and use of
national and international environmental health and safety standards for
products and services; such standards should not result in disguised barriers
to trade.
47. Governments should encourage impartial environmental
testing of products.
48. Governments should safely manage environmentally
harmful uses of substances and encourage the development of environmentally
sound alternatives for such uses. New potentially hazardous substances should
be evaluated on a scientific basis for their long-term environmental impact
prior to distribution.
49. Governments should promote awareness of the
health-related benefits of sustainable consumption and production patterns,
bearing in mind both direct effects on individual health and collective
effects through environmental protection.
50. Governments, in partnership with the private sector
and other relevant organizations, should encourage the transformation of
unsustainable consumption patterns through the development and use of new
environmentally sound products and services and new technologies, including
information and communication technologies, that can meet consumer needs while
reducing pollution and depletion of natural resources.
51. Governments are encouraged to create or strengthen
effective regulatory mechanisms for the protection of consumers, including
aspects of sustainable consumption.
52. Governments should consider a range of economic
instruments, such as fiscal instruments and internalization of environmental
costs, to promote sustainable consumption, taking into account social needs,
the need for disincentives for unsustainable practices and incentives for more
sustainable practices, while avoiding potential negative effects for market
access, in particular for developing countries.
53. Governments, in cooperation with business and other
relevant groups, should develop indicators, methodologies and databases for
measuring progress towards sustainable consumption at all levels. This
information should be publicly available.
54. Governments and international agencies should take
the lead in introducing sustainable practices in their own operations, in
particular through their procurement policies. Government procurement, as
appropriate, should encourage development and use of environmentally sound
products and services.
55. Governments and other relevant organizations should
promote research on consumer behaviour related to environmental damage in
order to identify ways to make consumption patterns more sustainable.
H. Measures relating to specific areas
56. In advancing consumer interests, particularly in
developing countries, Governments should, where appropriate, give priority to
areas of essential concern for the health of the consumer, such as food, water
and pharmaceuticals. Policies should be adopted or maintained for product
quality control, adequate and secure distribution facilities, standardized
international labelling and information, as well as education and research
programmes in these areas. Government guidelines in regard to specific areas
should be developed in the context of the provisions of this document.
57. Food. When formulating national policies and
plans with regard to food, Governments should take into account the need of
all consumers for food security and should support and, as far as possible,
adopt standards from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations and the World Health Organization Codex Alimentarius or, in their
absence, other generally accepted international food standards. Governments
should maintain, develop or improve food safety measures, including, inter
alia, safety criteria, food standards and dietary requirements and
effective monitoring, inspection and evaluation mechanisms.
58. Governments should promote sustainable agricultural
policies and practices, conservation of biodiversity, and protection of soil
and water, taking into account traditional knowledge.
59. Water. Governments should, within the goals
and targets set for the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation
Decade, formulate, maintain or strengthen national policies to improve the
supply, distribution and quality of water for drinking. Due regard should be
paid to the choice of appropriate levels of service, quality and technology,
the need for education programmes and the importance of community
participation.
60. Governments should assign high priority to the
formulation and implementation of policies and programmes concerning the
multiple uses of water, taking into account the importance of water for
sustainable development in general and its finite character as a resource.
61. Pharmaceuticals. Governments should develop or
maintain adequate standards, provisions and appropriate regulatory systems for
ensuring the quality and appropriate use of pharmaceuticals through integrated
national drug policies which could address, inter alia, procurement,
distribution, production, licensing arrangements, registration systems and the
availability of reliable information on pharmaceuticals. In so doing,
Governments should take special account of the work and recommendations of the
World Health Organization on pharmaceuticals. For relevant products, the use
of that organization's Certification Scheme on the Quality of Pharmaceutical
Products Moving in International Commerce and other international information
systems on pharmaceuticals should be encouraged. Measures should also be
taken, as appropriate, to promote the use of international non-proprietary
names (INNs) for drugs, drawing on the work done by the World Health
Organization.
62. In addition to the priority areas indicated above,
Governments should adopt appropriate measures in other areas, such as
pesticides and chemicals in regard, where relevant, to their use, production
and storage, taking into account such relevant health and environmental
information as Governments may require producers to provide and include in the
labelling of products.
IV. International cooperation
63. Governments should, especially in a regional or
subregional context:
(a) Develop,
review, maintain or strengthen, as appropriate, mechanisms for the exchange of
information on national policies and measures in the field of consumer
protection;
(b) Cooperate
or encourage cooperation in the implementation of consumer protection policies
to achieve greater results within existing resources. Examples of such
cooperation could be collaboration in the setting up or joint use of testing
facilities, common testing procedures, exchange of consumer information and
education programmes, joint training programmes and joint elaboration of
regulations;
(c) Cooperate
to improve the conditions under which essential goods are offered to
consumers, giving due regard to both price and quality. Such cooperation could
include joint procurement of essential goods, exchange of information on
different procurement possibilities and agreements on regional product
specifications.
64. Governments should develop or strengthen information
links regarding products which have been banned, withdrawn or severely
restricted in order to enable other importing countries to protect themselves
adequately against the harmful effects of such products.
65. Governments should work to ensure that the quality of
products, and information relating to such products, does not vary from
country to country in a way that would have detrimental effects on consumers.
66. To promote sustainable consumption, Governments,
international bodies and business should work together to develop, transfer
and disseminate environmentally sound technologies, including through
appropriate financial support from developed countries, and to devise new and
innovative mechanisms for financing their transfer among all countries, in
particular to and among developing countries and countries with economies in
transition.
67. Governments and international organizations, as
appropriate, should promote and facilitate capacity building in the area of
sustainable consumption, particularly in developing countries and countries
with economies in transition. In particular, Governments should also
facilitate cooperation among consumer groups and other relevant organizations
of civil society, with the aim of strengthening capacity in this area.
68. Governments and international bodies, as appropriate,
should promote programmes relating to consumer education and information.
69. Governments should work to ensure that policies and
measures for consumer protection are implemented with due regard to their not
becoming barriers to international trade, and that they are consistent with
international trade obligations.
2. The Commission on Sustainable Development recommends
to the Economic and Social Council the adoption of the following draft
resolution, and in this context, invites the Council to consider on an
exceptional basis and without creating a precedent and without prejudice to
other bodies the possibility of States that are not members of the Commission
on Sustainable Development holding office in the Ad Hoc Open-ended
Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Energy and Sustainable Development, and
requests the Office of Legal Affairs to submit its legal opinion on that
matter to the Chairman of the Commission for transmission to the President of
the Council:
TOP
Commission on Sustainable Development, 2nd Session
New York, 16-27 May 1994
Report Of The Commission On Sustainable Development On Its Second Session (New
York, 16-27 May 1994)
5. Changing consumption and production patterns
43. With UNCED, the issue of changing consumption patterns was for the
first time formally placed on the agenda for multilateral negotiations. The
Commission reaffirms the need to change those contemporary patterns of
consumption and production which are detrimental to sustainable development.
In the context of differentiated responsibilities in this field, developed
countries bear special responsibility and should take the lead by taking
effective measures for change in their own countries.
44. The Commission recognizes that the main economic agents whose behaviour
as producers or consumers should be the target of policy measures are
individual households, business and industry, and Governments, especially in
developed countries. Policies and measures to change production and
consumption patterns should be predictable for producers and consumers and
should be supportive of sustainable development. The price of a product should
be related to its life-cycle costs. Prevention of pollution which results in
cost reduction should also be recognized and encouraged with appropriate
incentives. The Commission urges national authorities to endeavour to promote
the internalization of environmental costs and the use of economic
instruments, taking into account the approach that the polluter should, in
principle, bear the cost of pollution, with due regard to the public interest
and without distorting international trade and investment. Where vulnerable
groups may already be affected by measures taken for environmental purposes,
appropriate offsetting measures should be introduced.
45. Attention should be given to the special situation and needs of
developing countries; for them, eradicating poverty and meeting basic human
needs in the process of pursuing sustainable development are overriding
priorities.
46. The Commission recognizes, at the same time, that all countries should
derive immediate and long-term benefits from establishing and maintaining more
sustainable consumption and production patterns.
47. The Commission recommends that measures and steps to change consumption
and production patterns should be pursued, especially in developed countries,
inter alia, by appropriate instruments, public awareness campaigns, adequate
guidance in the field of advertising, education, information and advice for
the purposes of: (a) conserving energy and using renewable sources of energy;
(b) making greater use of public transport; (c) minimizing recycling and
reusing waste; (d) reducing the quantity of packaging; (e) encouraging
consumption of products produced by more environmentally sound processes and
the development of environmentally sound products; (f) reducing the amount of
water wasted; and (g) reducing environmentally harmful substances in products.
48. After reviewing which measures could be most cost-effective in changing
behaviour, in particular, economic instruments, the Commission notes that
despite the growing interest in such instruments and their increasing use,
especially in developed countries, there is not as yet sufficient quantitative
evidence to evaluate adequately the effectiveness of their use in practice.
The Commission notes further that experience in developed countries with such
instruments suggests a number of tentative conclusions, as described in the
report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.17/1994/2), which need to be explored
further.
49. The Commission notes ongoing efforts to introduce mechanisms,
particularly in developed countries, to internalize external costs, especially
regarding all greenhouse-gas emissions.
50. In order to facilitate a better understanding of the interrelationship
among consumption patterns, production structures and techniques, economic
growth, employment, population dynamics and environmental stress, the
Commission calls on Government to: (a) intensify and expand their efforts to
collect relevant data at the national and subnational levels and (b) undertake
projections and prospective studies so as to better appreciate the
consequences of present policy stances and the possible impact of changing
those policies.
51. The Commission notes the work undertaken within and outside the United
Nations system that could contribute to developing a solid conceptual
framework in this field. In this context, the Commission further notes that
OECD is working actively on analysing the process of bringing about changes in
consumption and production patterns. This analysis is intended to contribute
to assessing current patterns and trends and to addressing the likely sectoral,
economic and environmental impacts of significant changes in consumption and
production patterns in OECD countries. The Commission calls on organizations
within and outside the United Nations system, including OECD, to continue
their useful work in this area, taking into account the guidelines in chapter
4 of Agenda 21, as well as in the present decision.
52. The Commission urges Governments and the private sector to consider
measures to achieve the following objectives: (a) encouraging greater
efficiency in the use of energy and resources; (b) minimizing waste; (c)
assisting individuals and households to make environmentally sound purchasing
decisions; (d) exercising leadership through government purchasing; (e) moving
towards environmentally sound pricing, and (f) reinforcing values that support
sustainable consumption and production. In this connection, exchange of
experience should be encouraged.
53. The Commission recommends that Governments and relevant international
organizations undertake national and regional studies of environmental, social
and economic trends and damage from present patterns of consumption and
production to assess their sustainability and their repercussions on other
countries, particularly developing countries, and on the world economy. The
results of these studies should help Governments set national priorities to
address the most damaging effects of unsustainable consumption patterns and to
assist developing countries to this effect.
54. It urges Governments to consider using pricing policies to internalize
the costs of risk and damage to the environment, to a greater or lesser
extent, depending on the varying circumstances of developed and developing
countries and countries with economies in transition and to consider reporting
on the action taken to the Commission on Sustainable Development in 1997.
55. It invites the United Nations system, as well as regional and
international organizations, to assess and report on how they may promote
sustainable consumption and production patterns through their own activities.
56. The Commission calls upon the Secretary-General to request the views of
Governments in order to formulate elements of a possible work programme for
sustainable consumption and production patterns by the third session of the
Commission on Sustainable Development, in 1995. Preparatory work could include
the inter-sessional organization of workshops and other forms of
information-exchange on the relative effectiveness of a spectrum of
instruments for changing unsustainable consumption and production patterns in
all groups of countries. This should be done in continuous consultation with
representatives from non-governmental organizations, business and industry
from all regions.
57. The Commission requests the Secretary-General to prepare an analytical
report on the use of economic instruments and other policy measures for
changing consumption patterns in developed countries, with special reference
to the sectoral issues on the agenda of the Commission at its third session,
as an input to the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Finance.
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