Sara Eppel

Defra
1. Climate change – one of our impacts
Global surface temperature has risen significantly
 Impacts
Headline of UK
goes here consumption patterns, CO2

• When measured on a domestic production basis, UK emissions appear to have fallen

– However, on a domestic consumption basis, emissions have risen

Net imported CO2

emissions

Total UK
emissions have
risen 19% since
1990.
Domestic
production
emissions
(12% drop)

Source: Helm, Smale & Phillips (2007) – Too good to be true; the UK’s climate change record
Headline
Onegoes here
representation of the scale of the challenge:
Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology

Scenario 1 (on trend):

Carbon content of no more
than 36gCO2 /dollar spent
21 times lower than the
average carbon intensity
today.

Scenario 3 (all at EU level):

768 down to 14gCO2/$
spent – 55 times lower

Prof Tim Jackson

Prosperity without Growth?
SDC
75% of a UK individual’s carbon impact is through the
product and services we buy and use

Estimated carbon emissions from UK

household consumption, 2004
600
Indirect emissions
f rom services
500
A ppliances and
other products
400
Million tonnes CO2

Indirect Textiles
emissions
Food and drink
300 A viation & public
transport

Indirect emissions
200
f rom energy use

Direct Fuel f or private c ars

100
emissions

Fuel use in the home

0
Source: Based on estimates of embedded emissions, Stockholm
Environment Institute, 2008
Impact : Embedded water

= 4,000
= 150 litres = 11,000 litres litres of
of water of water water

Issues for business:

•Water supply: 70%
used for agriculture,
food production to
increase by 50% by
2030
•Water scarcity could
lead to 30%
reduction in harvests
by 2030 (UNEP)
•Reputational and
regulatory risks
 What is a sustainable supply chain?

REDUCED INPUTS: energy, water, materials, land

Sell higher- Recover waste

Seek recovered performing products Demand better Remanufacture
materials products
Less raw Distribution
and retail End of life
material

Production Consumer
use
Source better Facilitate waste
Innovate in design products Save energy and recycling
and technology water, reduce waste

REDUCED OUTPUTS: greenhouse gases, air emissions, effluent, solid waste

Life Cycle Analysis of a product gives you the evidence of impacts

 How can we progress sustainability in practice?
LCA can improve tracking and influencing the supply chains and can allow traceability
But we need to:
• share product data (generic) so we can develop Product Category Rules (carbon
and ? water). Please help us do this for hospitality and grocery products through a
new Product Research Forum: . www.wrap.org.uk/prf
• develop traceability systems for commodities (eg cotton) to enable labelling
and consumer demand
• develop business collaboration without breaching competition rules eg
Roadmaps
• develop new business models – extending product life, more repair, less replace
• lead by example – business as much as Government, it’s your brand
• influence citizens to buy (are you making them?) and use products sustainably
(are you influencing them?) .
You have an important role!
Core motivations and barriers to
sustainable living

• I won’t if you don’t and why should I - fairness is key

What others • People’s behaviour follows the behaviour of others – social norms
are doing is • People need to see exemplification – e.g. from government and business
key • People want to be involved – e.g. active involvement in decision making
• Localism and community action – feeling connected to the place I live

• People learn from each other - peer to peer learning

Understanding, • Self efficacy & agency – knowledge, skills and feeling capable of making a difference
knowledge, • People are sceptical about the problem, causes, and value of action
skills, and
ability • Understanding the science of climate change is not a prerequisite for action
• Ability to act and ease of action – e.g. access to the right infrastructure

• Fit with self identity and status – who I am and how others see me
What’s in it • People are more concerned by loss (costs) than gain
for me • Lifestyle fit – people don’t really want to change their lives
• People ‘only want to do their bit’ and no more – people do enough to ‘feel good’

It just makes • Not all sustainable behaviours are motivated by environmental concerns
sense and e.g. wastefulness, cost savings, and being a little frugal
making a • There is a disconnect between the small actions and the big issue
difference • People desire feedback on progress and validation
Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP)

Sara Eppel
Head of Sustainable Products and Consumers
Defra