Chapter 1: Introduction to sustainable consumption: from the Brundtland Commission to acknowledging the importance of the demand-side
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Introduces the debate about sustainable consumption, from the Brundtland Report in 1987 and the Roundtable Symposium on sustainable consumption in Oslo in 1994 to the recent discussion about the importance of the demand-side for mitigating climate change. Introduces the distinction between the level and pattern of consumption and the importance of technology for the environmental impact of consumption. Adds the warning that most behaviour changes proposed by various entities have shown little impact on the problems they aim to solve. The importance of dynamic (i.e., delayed and indirect) effects of behaviour changes is also introduced.

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