What is SCP ?
SCP simply stands for Sustainable Consumption and Production. Every day we buy products and services that are produced by industry. SCP wants to green this cycle of manufacturing, buying and using of products. Principles of Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP):
There are many SCP practices that we use to make our lives more sustainable. It can be as simple as turning off unnecessary lights. Industry can implement SCP by recycling and not disposing waste. Demanding and buying green products is a positive and progressive move towards SCP.
Life cycle thinking
SCP is a comprehensive approach to improve the sustainability of economic growth, from a life-cycle perspective. The life cycle of a product simply refers to a product's circle of life, from the day of its creation till the end of its useful life. The circle comprises: the extraction of resources; production, the delivery of services and the market place; the use phase; and end-of-life (i.e. waste management). Life cycle thinking encourages people at every stage of a product's life cycle to take environmental aspects into consideration. For example, consumers decide whether to buy a green product or whether to reuse or recycle a product. Manufacturers decide how a product is made. They decide whether a product can be dismantled or whether it can be recycled.
Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) is a concept that promotes economic growth without compromising the environment. It aims to disconnect the rate of resource use and the rate of economic growth. SCP advances resource efficiency of consumption and production, reduces pressure on scarce resources and increases sustainable use of renewable resources. Ultimately, these efforts aim at resource decoupling which means breaking the link between resource use and economic growth.
The SWITCH-Asia National Policy Support Component (NPSC) advances sustainable consumption and production (SCP). SCP advances resource efficiency of consumption and production, reduces pressure on scarce resources and increases sustainable use of renewable resources. SCP aims at doing more with less. It aims to disconnect the rate of resource use and the rate of economic growth.
Ultimately, these efforts aim at resource decoupling. This means reducing the rate of use of resources per unit of economic activity.
Tools for SCP
The tools and technologies needed to implement SCP practices are already available today.
Cleaner Production
Cleaner Production is an integrated preventive environmental strategy to increase overall efficiency of products and services and to reduce risks to humans and the environment. Cleaner Production can be applied to the processes used in any industry, to goods themselves, and to various services provided in society.
Design for Sustainability
Design for Sustainability (DfS) is a design strategy process to minimize impacts of products. By introducing a full life cycle approach to assessing product impacts into the design process, DfS minimizes product's footprints, while improving performance for consumers.
Eco-Labelling
Eco-labelling is a voluntary method of environmental performance certification and labelling that is practiced by producers or retailers. Eco-labels help to ensure that labelled services and products meet certain specified criteria.
Sustainable Procurement
Sustainable Procurement means purchasing materials, goods, utilities and services that cause minimal adverse environmental impacts. It incorporates human health and environmental concerns into the purchase for high quality products and services at competitive prices.
Green Reporting
A sustainability report is published by a company or organization and covers the economic, environmental and social impacts caused by the companys activities. CSR reporting enables companies or organizations to consider their ecological, economic and social impacts enabling them to be more transparent about the risks and opportunities they face.
Sustainable Supply Chain Management
Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) involves development and enforcement of sustainability standards, such as suppliers codes of conduct. By implementing such instruments in their supply chains end product manufacturers manage the flow of goods and services in terms of for example environmental, risk, and waste costs.
Raising Consumer Awareness
Sustainable consumption means motivating consumers to switch to greener products and services, and it means encouraging less polluting and resource-intense purchase patterns. Ultimately, sustainable consumption leads towards a sustainable world of low-carbon economy with zero waste.