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Living planet, green and fair consumption
On Wednesday, Oct
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n Wednesday, Oct. 13, WWF launched the Living Planet Report (LPR), a leading publication on the state of the planet. The LPR has been published every two years since 2000 and represents a monitoring instrument for assessing the health of the planet.
It is widely regarded as an authoritative analysis of the state of biodiversity and the level of human footprint. The LPR is produced in partnership with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the Global Footprint Network (GFN).
What is the main message in the report published in 2010, which is also the UN Year of Biodiversity? The message is strong and loud: Human demands on nature exceed our planet ability to remain a “living planet”. We overconsume the resources of our planet, and we are not fair in the way we do it. Some countries’ resources are being exploited for the increasing consumption of other countries, while the same countries rich in resources are struggling to overcome poverty and secure the sources of livelihoods for their growing population and development needs.
The crisis might be more imminent than the effects of climate change. For sure, the combination of both can inexorably limit the ability of the living planet to support continued and unchecked economic growth.
The advance in economic growth has been fueled by increased pressure on natural resources, and resulted in higher footprint. However, as the LPR also clearly shows, great disparities remain with regard to distribution of material prosperity and fulfillment of basic needs. Significant gain in economic wealth over time as reflected in the GDP of countries has not necessarily produced equal increase in quality of life: economic growth has not always correlated with a similar growth in prosperity and happiness.
As pointedly illustrated in the report Prosperity without Growth by the UK Sustainable Commission (2008), a strictly economic definition of prosperity falls short of accounting for other important dimensions of well-being, both in the North and the South. Prosperity also embraces the quality of our lives: Health, well-being, social networks and trust, the sense of purpose and satisfaction, and also our capacity and fair opportunities for all to flourish and develop our potential as human beings. Human well-being is directly related to the way we use (not abuse) the natural capital of the earth.
Increased consumption and lifestyle is one big driver of the increasing demand on the finite resources and fragile ecology of our planet.
Social development practitioners believe that more public awareness on conservation and sustainable consumption is important at a time when concerns for the sustainability of the resources on our planet and poverty are highest. Individuals’ commitment and simple actions like choosing and consuming the right products can steer our lifestyles towards a wiser direction.
Currenty, WWF Indonesia is running a campaign on “green” and “fair” products. “Green and Fair products” are products that are organic, produced or harvested sustainably by local communities, they are traded through more direct marketing chains, respect local traditions and culture, and are sold at a fair price. The value of the products is much more than their market price. The products also tell a unique conservation and cultural story, and are a source of sustainable economic alternative for local communities.
Consumers who want to choose products that are “green” and “fair” do not do so because they look for less expensive products. In fact, products that are “green” and “fair” are never “cheap” because they are sold at a price that reflects their intrinsic and real value. Consumers who can buy products that are “green” and “fair”, choose products that are local and organic, products that are healthy and obtained directly from the producers/farmers. Consumers’ choice can help manage natural resources in more sustainable ways and help our “living planet”.
The message of the Living Planet Report is strong. We need to change the way we use natural resources, produce, and consume. The economic paradigm and development policies overwhelmingly based on exploitation of natural resources need to be revisited. The adoption of a more sustainable lifestyle is also part of the solution. The Green and Fair Products campaign of WWF illustrates some small steps and things that individuals can do. There is a fair choice for us and nature. There are ways we can consume and choose products that help reduce footprint and sustain the earth’s natural capital, and do so in ways that are fair and equitable.
The writer is social development senior adviser for WWF-Indonesia. She received her PhD in Anthropology from Rutgers University. She also serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Social Forestry and the journal Human Ecology.
