Sustainable Consumption Institute Report

The Sustainable Consumption Institute at the University of Manchester has published its first report. It argues that consumers are part of the problem, but also of the solution and that there are various ways in which consumers can and should be engaged.

Measures include:

• Making low carbon products available through innovation in the supply chain
• Empowering consumers by removing barriers (of price, information and a sense of hopelessness)
• Changing the social context (making low carbon choices the norm)
• Adapting the material context (recognising that goods and infrastructure are interconnected)

The report also has a number of case studies highlighting the work that manufacturers and retailers have undertaken to reduce their emissions and there is also a figure (11) illustrating how the dominant stages of the life cycle differ by different product type.