KonsumWende - Sustainable consumption for the preservation of ecosystem services and biodiversity worldwide
The consumption of goods and services has become a defining characteristic of modern-day (industrial) societies and is accompanied by an enormous and continuously increasing use of resources. Agricultural production is for example associated with 70 % of the world's terrestrial biodiversity loss. Consumption also has a significant impact on the provision of ecosystem services worldwide. While consciousness of the need for environmentally and nature-compatible consumption is quite high in Germany, this does not necessarily result in sustainable consumption patterns. The project 'KomsumWende' aims to develop tools and policy recommendations that can promote consumption patterns that lead to the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the global south. For this purpose, the effects of German consumption behavior on biodiversity and ecosystem services in the global south will be identified through the use of case studies in the fields of food, mobility and clothing. Subsequently, promising policy instruments are identified and their effectiveness evaluated.
Consumption and production systems are inherently linked. On the one hand, a change in consumption patterns towards sustainability can have pull-effects on the supply side and ultimately change production processes. On the other hand, producers and marketers can actively generate demand for more sustainable products through push-effects on the supply side. Strategic marketing that influences trends and fashions plays an important role, especially in countries with significant purchasing power. An increase in availability and strategic subsidies on sustainable goods in industrialized countries can lead to changes in consumption patterns on the demand side. Biodiversity and ecosystem services are directly impacted through raw material production, extraction and processing. Ultimately, this is where substantial changes have to take place in order to protect the environment. Yet, shifts away from harmful processes can also occur if consumers in industrialized countries demand such changes and change their consumption patterns accordingly.
