Capital Consumption: a
consumption based approach to tackling
climate change and the transition to sustainable
consumption and production in London Sue RiddlestoneExecutive Director
BioRegionalLondon Sustainable
Development Commissioner
Introducing BioRegional
BioRegional is an entrepreneurial charity which invents and delivers solutions for sustainability Established in 1994, 40 staff , 8 associated companies & 3 sister organisations in China, South Africa and North America
Sustainable Consumption and Production
• Can we choose a product or service with a lower impact, more durable?
• Achieving more with less
• Do we need this commodity?
• Can we use less of it or reduce waste?
BioRegional projects: demonstrating SCP is possible
BioRegional projects and companies - Local Paper for London (93% EF) - Local charcoal (85% transport CO2) - BedZED eco-village (71% personal CO2)
What would SCP look like for the whole of London?
We modelled using REAP software (developed by Stockholm Environment Institute, York, UK)
• Material flow accounting (PRODCOM data organised by consumption patterns)
• High level data complements LCA
• CO2, GHG & eco-footprint
Benchmarking London’s CO2 emissions
Why count consumption emissions?
• Export of CO2 emissions
• Paints a truer picture (In UK production shows fall 8.5% consumption shows increase 19%)
• We take responsibility rather than pass wholly on to poorer countries
• Increasing recognition Lord Stern
• Only one atmosphere
Production emissions & consumption emissions
What scale of reductions do we need? 9% annually to stay within UK carbon budget
Our UK carbon budget is 2.4 billion tonnes till 2050
Modelling a low carbon London
Eight sectors modelled
Scenario modelled against BAU
Scenario modelled against business as usual which assumes: – projected population growth in London (ONS 2006) – but per capita emissions stay the same
Renewable electricity grid: cross cutting measure
50% renewable electricity95% renewable grid electricity by 2030
4 Benchmarking London emissions
Household energy (22%)
Is achieved with all CCAP measures + 95% renewable grid by 2030 & more microgen
Emissions from personal transport (20%)
Personal transportPersonal transport (22%)
CCAP
Emissions from Food
Food (10% CO2 or 19% GHG)
CO2 arising from consumer goods (12%)
Consumer goods (12%)
Longer lasting clothes & floor coverings?
Classic Well made Low laundry impact Fairtrade Eco-impact reduced
B&Q: New models for retail?
• Reducing impact of own operations• Helping customers to reduce their
impact
Built Infrastructure (9%)
Reduce new
Housing Infrastructure (5%)
Public sector (11%)
CO2 emissions from private services (11%)
Private services (11%)
Combined results of measures modelled
We can do it, but will we do it? • 90% Co2 cut & the measures modelled are
achievable: Energy saving, renewable energy, design to reduce need to travel, more walking & cycling, buying fewer, higher quality, resource efficient & durable goods, cut waste, eat less meat & dairy, fly less.
• It would bring a healthier and better quality lifestyle
• But it requires a shift in consumption patterns, business models & human behaviour. How can we resolve this?
• Convince economists to convince business & politicians?
www.bioregional.comwww.londonsdc.org.uk