Alongside producers, consumers have long been an integral part of the sustainability debate. Responsible consumption is key to achieving environment and sustainability goals. The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and The Federal Environment Agency (UBA) rightly point out that sustainable consumption cannot be prescribed in a top-down approach. It requires wide-ranging support from "below" (bottom-up).
All relevant stakeholders must work together to develop a joint strategy with the aim of promoting sustainable production and consumption patterns. The mobilisation of all market participants in production, marketing and consumption is particularly important in this regard. The strategy can only be successful if it accounts for and utilizes the central market mechanisms – on both the supply and demand side.
In collaboration with key decision-makers, adelphi is designing and implementing the dialogue series "Boosting the Role of the Individual in Sustainable Consumption" on behalf of the BMU and the UBA. The series aims to enhance the overall and individual capacity to act of all stakeholders concerned in order to produce conditions conducive to sustainable consumption. At the same time, the BMU/UBA also endeavours to boost the promotion of sustainable consumption as a sphere of activity in the field of environmental policy with the aim of increasing climate protection and resource conservation.