EVENT: Sustainable Consumption for Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services Worldwide

DATE: 30 September 2019

TIME: 09:00 - 16:00 CEST

LOCATION: Stresemannstraße 128-130, 10117 Berlin, Germany

High levels of consumption of goods and services have become a defining characteristic of modern industrial societies. To cover these levels of consumption, consumers in countries such as Germany to a large extent rely on resources that are cultivated, extracted and sometimes processed in other regions of the world. The production and extraction of these materials has severe impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. While consciousness of the need for environmentally and nature-compatible consumption is increasing in Germany, substantial shifts towards sustainable consumption patterns cannot be observed. Hence, to better conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services worldwide targeted policies and measures to facilitate shifts in consumption are needed.

The conference "Sustainable Consumption for Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services Worldwide" will discuss topics such as the impacts of consumption on biodiversity and ecosystems, the shifts in consumption patterns needed to reduce these impacts, and the policy approaches that can promote such shifts. The conference is hosted by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU)​, co-lead of the Consumer Information programme. 

The conference launches the study Protecting biodiversity and ecosystem services worldwide through sustainable consumption and discusses questions, such as:

• What are the impacts of consumption on biodi- versity and ecosystem services in the producing countries?
• Which shifts in consumption patterns are needed to reduce these impacts?
• What can be learned from the cases of soy (food), cotton (clothing) and lithium (mobility)?
• What are policy options to shift consumption and production patterns towards more nature-friendly options?
• What are the main obstacles with regard to policy implementation?

For more information please see the Conference Flyer, Conference Website, as well as the Registration Form. 

Unsplash - Ansgar Scheffold