The International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics

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• Some thoughts around the role of business in a
  world of Sustainable Consumption and Production
  (or in the transition to SCP)
• Thomas Lindhqvist
• IIIEE
• EEB Conference Brussels 27 May 2009

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What is happening?

• Watching the fifth programme about poor working
  conditions in Indian textile industry
• What if we buy a bath towel for 2.50?
• The amount of household waste is growing by 2-3
  annually
• What is growing?
• Talking to the garden tool manufacturer
• The electrical lawn mower for 50
• Where is the business?

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Life Cycle Thinking

• Everyones responsibility is no ones
  responsibility
• Life cycle thinking can, in an optimistic light,
  be seen as part of a counter-tendency to this
  anonymity and organised irresponsibility
  (Heiskanen, 2002)
• But she acknowledges it is an optimistic view
• And life cycle thinking is not that easy for
  every one

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Efficiency

• Should eco-efficiency be replaced by
  eco-inefficiency?
• Emphasising quality more than quantity

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A Dilemma
Does it make sense to recycle?
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The Role of Business

• Sustainable Consumption and Production is a
  Challenge not a Threat
• Challenges create Opportunities
• The balance between small and large scale
  production
• The shift promotes Distributed Economies

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Swedish Technical Foresight

• What do we agree upon?
• Knowledge-intensive
• Tailor-made
• More of the service element

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The Role of Policy

• Both the carrot and the stick
• We need brave policy makers
• or rather, policy makers with a vision
• EPR ELV and WEEE/RoHS Directives - The most
  exciting happened during the anticipation of the
  legislation

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Information provision

• Eco-labels
• EPDs Environmental Product Declarations 1988
• NCM study 1996 Why EPDs?
• Not everyone can use all information -
• but there is often someone who can use available
  information

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www.iiiee.lu.se
Education
MSc Programme in Environmental Management
Policy (EMP)
MESPOM Masters in Environmental Sciences, Policy
and Management (Erasmus Mundus Masters Programme)
PhD Programme
Research

• Sustainable buildings and energy systems
• Sustainable Product and Service Systems
• Environmental Product Policies
• Interorganisational management
• Design for Sustainability
• Product Service Systems
• Sustainable Tourism
• ICT and Sustainable Development
• Recycling and Waste Management
• FLIPP

FLIPP
Furthering Life Cycle Considerations through
Integrated Product Policy