Citizens can help change consumption patterns in their multiple rolesas consumers, householders, workers and voters. Women have a particularlypowerful role in influencing sustainable consumption decisions. The challengeis to find ways to empower citizens to take effective environmental actionsin their homes, communities and workplaces. A starting point is for citizensto take account of information on the environmental impact of goods andservices in their consumption choices.

Environment, development, consumer, women`s and community-based organisationshave undertaken a wide range activities to support individual and householdefforts to achieve sustainable lifestyles. These efforts could be strengthenedby further work to:

Improving Understanding and Analysis

	Undertake research to develop sustainable lifestyle strategies for consumers.
	Critically review life cycle assessments and monitor environmental claimsin advertising and marketing statements.
	Form partnerships with business, governments and other groups to examinejointly how to improve consumption and production patterns, and meet basichuman needs around the world.

Applying Tools for Modifying Behaviour

	Develop community-based strategies to enable citizens to move to sustainableconsumption patterns, and help people to maintain and develop their culturalidentity in the face of pressures to adopt unsustainable lifestyles.
	Raise public awareness through product information campaigns and highlightingthe relationship between quality of life and consumption patterns.
	Operate information clearing houses to facilitate the sharing of lessonslearned through consumer campaigns, research and actions of communities,governments and industry (for example, to ensure a rapid dissemination ofinformation on environmental harmful production methods).
	Publish action alerts and sustain local and international campaigns to obtainenvironmentally sound products and production. When needed, NGOs will alsowork for boycotts and banning of environmentally harmful products and production.
	Influence and press governments and business to implement concrete actionsto promote sustainable consumption.

Monitoring, Evaluating and ReviewingPerformance

Monitor and evaluate progress of local, national and internationalauthorities, institutions and industry for action on: green tax reform,land use patterns, the phase-out of toxic chemicals, reducing energy andmaterial consumption, the need for transport (especially in the industrialisedcountries), and promoting the "right to know".

THE IMPERATIVE OF SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTIONAND CONSUMPTION

[1.1 The need for change] [1.2 Defining sustainable consumption] [Global Dialogue] [1.3 Laying the foundations for action] [1.4 Linking production to consumption]

[A NEW DEVELOPMENT APPROACH] [UBUNTU - AN AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE ON LIFESTYLES] [TRANSPORT AND THE ENVIRONMENT] [ENVIRONMENTAL SPACE] [TOWARDS CLEANER PRODUCTION] [AN END-USE APPROACH TO ENERGY MANAGEMENT]