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KEY ELEMENTS OF THE OECD APPROACH

The OECD`s approach to sustainable consumption and production has two essential features. One is to recognize its value as an integrating concept (for economic, social, developmental and environmental policies); the second emphasizes the added value that can be obtained from a new focus on the management of consumption (demand-side) as a complement to existing work on production (supply-side). At the same time, it is essential to distinguish sustainable consumption and production from issues of sustainable development more broadly.

The starting point is to understand the forces which drive existing patterns of consumption and production, including consumer demand, competition, innovation (in technology, products and services), and financial flows. These patterns are driven by the purchasing choices of individual, business and public sector consumers, which in turn are determined by a myriad of factors. This is the context in which OECD`s analyses will be undertaken. Four main areas will command attention:

1. Clarification of the conceptual framework and the boundaries which can most usefully be placed around the issue for policy makers;

2. Problem identification and analysis, including selecting and analyzing trends in end-use consumption, including the economic, social and environmental impacts. A range of indicators will be used including economic indicators (employment, growth, inflation), social indicators (health, equity, safety) and environmental indicators (waste, emissions, resource use).

3. Assessing policy options and the stakeholders involved, developing effective policy instruments, and exploring the likely implications of their implementation for OECD and non- OECD countries. Policy options will include:

  • - regulatory instruments
  • - economic incentives and disincentives
  • - social incentives and disincentives
  • - facilities and infrastructure
  • - information and education

4. Monitoring and evaluation, and assessing the effectiveness of policies implemented to promote more sustainable consumption and production patterns, including through the use of country environmental performance reviews.

OECD Environment Directorate, Paris, 1995.