ICLEI Africa recognises the importance of sustainable consumption and production (SCP), especially in Africa where resources are scarce and poverty is rife. We believe that a more sustainable lifestyle can be achieved through raising awareness around the importance of effective resource management.
“Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) is about achieving economic growth whilst respecting environmental limits, finding ways to minimise damage to the natural world and making use of the earth's resources in a sustainable way. It is therefore not a challenge restricted to just a few countries or areas of the world, but one which must engage the whole global community.”
-Defra, UK
The SCP programme for Africa is currently being developed based on the needs of the various African regions and in support of:
The main focus areas that we would like to include under this programme at this stage are:
- Sustainable procurement, with a focus on public procurement
- Sustainable buildings and construction
- Sustainable lifestyles and education
- Sustainable tourism
- EcoMobility (use of non-motorised or public transport)
Chapter 4.3 of Agenda 21 states that:
"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."
A definition of sustainable consumption is:
"Sustainable consumption includes meeting the needs of present and future generations for goods and services in ways that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable."
-United Nations, 1995
