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Means of implementation

(a) Financing and cost evaluation

3.11. The Conference secretariat has estimated the average total annual cost (1993-2000) of 
implementing the activities of this programme to be about $30 billion including about $15 billion 
from the international community on grant or concessional terms. These are indicative and order of 
magnitude estimates only and have not been reviewed by governments. This estimate overlaps estimates 
in other parts of Agenda 21. Actual costs and financial terms, including any that are non-concessional,
will depend upon, inter alia, the specific strategies and programmes governments decide upon for 
implementation.

(b) Capacity-building

3.12. National capacity-building for implementation of the above activities is crucial and should be 
given high priority. It is particularly important to focus capacity-building at the local community 
level in order to support a community-driven approach to sustainability and to establish and 
strengthen mechanisms to allow sharing of experience and knowledge between community groups at national 
and international levels. Requirements for such activities are considerable and are related to the 
various relevant sectors of Agenda 21 calling for requisite international, financial and technological 
support.

A21: Combating Poverty (Ch. 3), Advance CopyPage 1



Chapter 4  -  Changing Consumption Patterns 

                This is a final, advanced version of a chapter of Agenda 21, as adopted by the Plenary 
in Rio de Janeiro, on June 14, 1992. This document will be further edited, translated into the official 
languages, and published by the United Nations for the General Assembly this autumn.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 


4.1. This chapter contains the following programme areas:

(a) Focusing on unsustainable patterns of production and consumption;

(b) Developing national policies and strategies to encourage changes in unsustainable consumption 
patterns.

4.2. Since the issue of changing consumption patterns is very broad, it is addressed in several parts 
of Agenda 21, notably those dealing with energy, transportation and wastes, and in the chapters on 
economic instruments and the transfer of technology. The present chapter should also be read in 
conjunction with chapter 5 (Demographic dynamics and sustainability).

PROGRAMME AREAS

A. Focusing on unsustainable patterns of production and consumption

Basis for action

4.3. Poverty and environmental degradation are closely interrelated. While poverty results in 
certain kinds of environmental stress, the major cause of the continued deterioration of the global 
environment is the unsustainable pattern of consumption and production, particularly in industrialized 
countries, which is a matter of grave concern, aggravating poverty and imbalances.

4.4. Measures to be undertaken at the international level for the protection and enhancement of the 
environment must take fully into account the current imbalances in the global patterns of consumption 
and production.

4.5. Special attention should be paid to the demand for natural resources generated by unsustainable 
consumption and to the efficient use of those resources consistent with the goal of minimizing 
depletion and reducing pollution. Although consumption patterns are very high in certain parts of 
the world, the basic consumer needs of a large section of humanity are not being met. This results 
in excessive demands and unsustainable lifestyles among the richer segments, which place immense 
stress on the environment. The poorer segments, meanwhile, are unable to meet food, health care, 
shelter and educational needs. Changing consumption patterns will require a multipronged strategy 
focusing on demand, meeting the basic needs of the poor, and reducing wastage and the use of finite 
resources in the production process.

4.6. Growing recognition of the importance of addressing consumption has also not yet been matched 
by an understanding of its implications. Some economists are questioning traditional concepts of 
economic growth and underlining the importance of pursuing economic objectives that take account of 
the full value of natural resource capital. More needs to be known about the role of consumption in 
relation to economic growth and population dynamics in order to formulate coherent international and 
national policies.

Objectives

4.7. Action is needed to meet the following broad objectives:

(a) To promote patterns of consumption and production that reduce environmental stress and will meet 
the basic needs of humanity;

(b) To develop a better understanding of the role of consumption and how to bring about more sustainable 
consumption patterns.Activities

(a) Management-related activities

Adopting an international approach to achieving sustainable consumption patterns

4.8. In principle, countries should be guided by the following basic objectives in their efforts to 
address consumption and lifestyles in the context of environment and development:

(a) All countries should strive to promote sustainable consumption patterns;

(b) Developed countries should take the lead in achieving sustainable consumption patterns;

(c) Developing countries should seek to achieve sustainable consumption patterns in their development 
process, guaranteeing the provision of basic needs for the poor, while avoiding those unsustainable 
patterns, particularly in industrialized countries, generally recognized as unduly hazardous to the 
environment, inefficient and wasteful, in their development processes. This requires enhanced 
technological and other assistance from industrialized countries.

4.9. In the follow-up of the implementation of Agenda 21 the review of progress made in achieving 
sustainable consumption patterns should be given high priority.

(b) Data and information

Undertaking research on consumption

4.10. In order to support this broad strategy, Governments, and/or private research and policy 
institutes, with the assistance of regional and international economic and environmental organizations, 
should make a concerted effort to:

(a) Expand or promote databases on production and consumption and develop methodologies for analysing 
them;

(b) Assess the relationship between production and consumption, environment, technological adaptation 
and innovation, economic growth and development, and demographic factors;

(c) Examine the impact of ongoing changes in the structure of modern industrial economies away from 
material-intensive economic growth;

(d) Consider how economies can grow and prosper while reducing the use of energy and materials and 
the production of harmful materials;

(e) Identify balanced patterns of consumption worldwide which the Earth can support in the long term.

Developing new concepts of sustainable economic growth and prosperity

4.11. Consideration should also be given to the present concepts of economic growth and the need for 
new concepts of wealth and prosperity which allow higher standards of living through changed lifestyles 
and are less dependent on the Earth's finite resources and more in harmony with the Earth's carrying 
capacity. This should be reflected in the evolution of new systems of national accounts and other 
indicators of sustainable development.

(c) International cooperation and coordination

4.12. While international review processes exist for examining economic, development and demographic 
factors, more attention needs to be paid to issues related to consumption and production patterns and 
sustainable lifestyles and environment.

4.13. In the follow-up of the implementation of Agenda 21, reviewing the role and impact of 
unsustainable production and consumption patterns and lifestyles and their relation to sustainable 
development should be given high priority.

Financing and cost evaluation

4.14. The Conference secretariat has estimated that implementation of this programme is not likely to 
require significant new financial resources.

B. Developing national policies and strategies to encourage changes in unsustainable consumption 
patterns

Basis for action

4.15. Achieving the goals of environmental quality and sustainable development will require efficiency 
in production and changes in consumption patterns in order to emphasize optimization of resource use 
and minimization of waste. In many instances, this will require reorientation of existing production 
and consumption patterns that have developed in industrial societies and are in turn emulated in much 
of the world.

4.16. Progress can be made by strengthening positive trends and directions that are emerging, as part 
of a process aimed at achieving significant changes in the consumption patterns of industries, 
Governments, households and individuals.

Objectives

4.17. In the years ahead, Governments, working with appropriate organizations, should strive to meet 
the following broad objectives:

(a) To promote efficiency in production processes and reduce wasteful consumption in the process of 
economic growth, taking into account the development needs of developing countries;

(b) To develop a domestic policy framework that will encourage a shift to more sustainable patterns 
of production and consumption;

(c) To reinforce both values that encourage sustainable production and consumption patterns and 
policies that encourage the transfer of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries.

Activities

(a) Encouraging greater efficiency in the use of energy and resources

4.18. Reducing the amount of energy and materials used per unit in the production of goods and 
services can contribute both to the alleviation of environmental stress and to greater economic 
and industrial productivity and competitiveness. Governments, in cooperation with industry, should 
therefore intensify efforts to use energy and resources in an economically efficient and 
environmentally sound manner by:

(a) Encouraging the dissemination of existing environmentally sound technologies;

(b) Promoting research and development in environmentally sound technologies;

(c) Assisting developing countries to use these technologies efficiently and to develop technologies 
suited to their particular circumstances;

(d) Encouraging the environmentally sound use of new and renewable sources of energy;

(e) Encouraging the environmentally sound and sustainable use of renewable natural resources.

(b) Minimizing the generation of wastes

4.19. At the same time, society needs to develop effective ways of dealing with the problem of 
disposing of mounting levels of waste products and materials. Governments, together with industry, 
households and the public, should make a concerted effort to reduce the generation of wastes and 
waste products by:

(a) Encouraging recycling in industrial processes and at the consumed level;

(b) Reducing wasteful packaging of products;

(c) Encouraging the introduction of more environmentally sound products.

(c) Assisti