The purpose of this workshop is to arrive at an improved framework and agenda for research on the sustainability of production-consumption systems. There are two key reasons for framing the challenge as one of sustainability of "production-consumption" systems rather than the more conventional focus on production technologies and regulation. The first is the need to bring attention to the processes closer to the decisions and actions of final consumer when undertaking analyses of the underlying reasons for environmental impacts at remote, more primary, "production", parts of commodity chains. The second is that a commodity chain itself can be thought of a series or network of many production-consumption relationships. For each linkage we can ask questions from both a production perspective (how could this industrial process be made more resource efficient?), and, in addition, a consumption perspective (What are the underlying drivers of downstream demands in the network or value chain?). Consumption and production perspectives are complimentary but not alternatives.
Over-consumption is clearly one of the root causes of unsustainable production-consumption systems. But what drives over-consumption? Has globalization through the "stretching" of commodity chains and ''masking" strategies of corporations made environmental and social impacts of consumption less visible? Or can the improved information sharing and knowledge creating infrastructure that comes with globalization become part of the solution by making feedbacks more visible?
Under-consumption, on the other hand, may also be a symptom or cause of unsustainable development. How can environmental protection concerns be incorporated into poverty alleviation strategies? What role does increasing consumption have in improving well-being, and when do the returns start to "level-off"? Do efforts at improving sustainability of production-consumption systems, for example, through international health and environmental standards or trade-related measures and structural adjustment programs, really help producers in developing countries? Or do they keep them poor? We note that the split between over- and under- consumption does not fall neatly into south-north, or "developed" - "developing" categories. Elites and wealthy of cities in the third world have life styles that parallel those of the majority in the developed, and conversely, the homeless in the big cities of the U.S. may be no better off than many slum dwellers in the mega-cities of Asia. Ultimately, questions about sustainability of production-consumption systems under the transformations wrought by globalization lead to questions about justice, rights and responsibilities. Which innovations in governance mechanisms and institutional arrangements are needed to drive production-consumption systems along more sustainable trajectories that are also fair?
To address these kinds of questions we are bringing a small group of researchers from around the world, from both developing and developed countries, to debate and discuss priorities for research in the next decade. The workshop will be based on facilitated discussions. This small workshop will build on the results of an earlier web-based conference (see www.sea-user.org/e_conferences.php) we organized last year and on several other recent meetings and publications prepared by other groups. We believe that research on sustainability of production-consumption systems is at nearing some very exciting scientific frontiers and we would like to be involved and contribute to it.
Details about the program are available here: www.sea-user.org/events/sustprodcon.pdf
Some direct invitations to attend this workshop have already been circulated. If you are very interested in participating and can support your own air-travel to the meeting then please send an expression of interest with justification to participate to Dr. Louis Lebel (louis@sea-user.org) and Dr. Jesse Manuta (jesse@sea-user.org) or one of the other organizing committee members. Note we will keep the meeting small to ensure good quality discussion!
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