In just two decades, man-made capital doubled – on a per capita basis – while the per capita stock of natural capital declined by nearly 40%1; resource use trends are at record extremes2,3 and leading the size of the man-made mass to exceed that of the global living biomass4. Unsustainable consumption and production patterns are putting unprecedented pressures on the planet3, resulting in, among others, the ongoing biodiversity, climate and equity crises. The UN’s 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the EU Green Deal provide essential frameworks for national and global cooperation on sustainable development. However, despite these agreements, global greenhouse gas emissions in 2010-2019 surpassed those of any previous decade, and current contributions are projected to lead to a median warming of 2.6–3.1 degrees Celsius by 21005. The recent UNFCCC Global Stocktake report6 indicates that national climate action plans “remain insufficient to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C and meet the goals of the Paris Agreement”. Moreover, inaction could risk global resource use to further increase by 60% in 2060 (compared to 2020) – according to the 2024 Global Resource Outlook3 – likely causing “the impacts of our resource use [to] derail all hope of meeting Multilateral Environmental Agreements”. As a consequence, the urgency is emerging to complement efficiency and circularity measures with demand-side management measures that focus on sufficiency. Production and consumption patterns cannot be changed unless the widespread, self-interest-driven value systems that encourage, support, and reinforce overly consumptive, wasteful, and polluting lifestyles are also radically transformed by humans as individuals and, most importantly, collectively as society.  

Consequently, a sustainable lifestyles approach is critically needed: to directly reduce environmental pressures, introduce a wellbeing perspective and reduce inequality, while also providing public acceptance and the legitimacy needed for radical actions in a range of key areas. In fact, the UN has estimated a 40 – 70% reduction in GHG emissions and attendant co-benefits through changes in consumption and lifestyles. Drawing from Hot or Cool’s research on 1.5-Degree Lifestyles, and Consumption and Biodiversity research, this session will demonstrate how climate change and biodiversity loss have common underlying drivers that are strongly linked to consumption and lifestyles. Guided by the concept of a fair and sustainable consumption space, it will propose concrete approaches and quantitative estimations in reductions of environmental pressures, and co-benefits such as increased wellbeing and reduced inequalities, thus contributing to the OPN forum objective of “Addressing inequalities and enabling just transitions through SCP, including circular economy”. 

To be achieved, these changes require to look at the wider economic paradigm and policy context within which societies are nested, rather than placing responsibility solely on citizens and consumers. The session will highlight opportunities for changes through: attitudes and framings of implementing organisations, businesses and governments; innovative public policies, economic instruments and business strategies; and investments in infrastructure that avoid lock-ins and prioritise sustainable practices as a default.  

Auditorium MAR, Museu do Amanhã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 

Join the live session stream online, and watch the youtube upload after the event