Chapter 13 - Sustainable Consumption: Environmental Policy and the Social Sciences

Abstract

This chapter develops a complex and multi-layered understanding of consumption and the policies related to it. Around 1972, governments throughout the developed world began to institutionalize environmental protection. In 1971, eight of the world's richest countries created environmental ministries. Other actions common at this time were the establishment of national environmental authorities and agencies, and the inclusion of commitments to environmental protection in national constitutions. Slightly later, the national environmental reports emerged and for many countries, these were followed by environmental framework legislation. The recent emergence of an environmental-policy debate in the area of sustainable consumption is represented as an attempt to overcome several decades of denial of the social dimensions of environmental problems. Individual consumption decisions necessarily reproduce or change existing networks, group norms and infrastructures. Assessment of consumption choices based on their future consequences for individual welfare (egotistic) or the welfare of society (social) is an “utilitarian consequentialist,” but not in a way that makes individual welfare consequences the decisive issue is a “non-utilitarian consequentialist.” Assessment of consumption choices in a way that does not judge the goodness of the choice according to its consequences but instead attaches value to behaving in a certain manner or according to certain rules is a “deontological” value position. The impact of context, the social and psychological objectives of people and the various characteristics of objects, offers considerable potential for creative policymaking.