Changing Patterns: UK Government Framework for Sustainable Consumption and Production

At the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, the UK Government committed themselves to "encourage and promote the development of a ten year framework of programmes ...to accelerate the shift towards sustainable consumption and production".

The first major statement from a Government since WSSD, Changing Patterns provides a framework to take forward a very broad, ambitious and challenging agenda which affects us all at the local, national and global level. Key proposals include:

• Breaking the link between economic growth and environmental pollution.
• Improving resource efficiency
• Focusing on areas where environmental damage is greatest.
• Examining the whole life-cycle of a product, through design, production, use and disposal, to help reduce its effect on the environment.
• Enabling consumers to receive more information on products and services.
• Government utilising a range of tools, including taxes, voluntary agreements, subsidies, regulation and information campaigns, to stimulate innovation and investment to provide cleaner technology.

Sustainable Consumption and Production Indicators

To accompany Changing Patterns, a consultation paper on a set of "decoupling" indicators was published to assess the progress of breaking the link between economic growth and environmental damage.

Printed copies of the Framework and the consultation paper are available from Defra Publications, Admail 6000, London SW1A 2XX, Tel: 08459 556000, Fax 020 8957 5012 email: defra@iforcegroup.com

Information about the Framework is also available at the Defra website.