As the financial and environmental costs of resource depletion and negative ecological impacts begin to affect economic growth, countries around the world need to find ways to manage finite resources while meeting the needs of a growing and increasingly urban world population. By integrating sustainable consumption and production (SCP) patterns into national development planning and implementation, policymakers can make it easier and cheaper to produce goods and services more efficiently, with lower risks to humankind and the environment.
The handbook contains a rich compilation of SCP definitions, case studies from all over the world, policy instruments, policy implementation processes, monitoring and evaluation methodologies and indicators. It also contains compelling data on both the impact of unsustainable consumption and production, and the efficiency gains to be made by mainstreaming SCP patterns.