Making consumption patterns sustainable is a prerequisite to achieve the goal of sustainable development. Ten years after the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, it is time to ask: are OECD countries moving towards sustainable consumption? What are the best policy options to effectively promote sustainable consumption?

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of household consumption patterns in five key areas: food, tourism-related travel, energy, water and waste generation. It brings together the various elements of household consumption that are necessary to better understand consumption trends and to identify the best policy options towards sustainable consumption. These include data on household consumption trends and drivers, environmental impacts, policy responses and policy recommendations. The analysis shows that environmental impacts from household activities have worsened over the last three decades and are expected to intensify even more over the next twenty years, particularly in the areas of energy, transport and waste if strong and comprehensive policies are not implemented.

The book provides a framework and outlines the objectives of policies to promote sustainable consumption. It analyses the effectiveness of different types of policy instruments (regulatory, economic, social) in influencing consumer decision-making, and identifies combinations of instruments for promoting more sustainable consumption.