Nordic Programme on Sustainable Consumption
The Nordic countries are widely recognized as leaders in sustainability. However, they also face the challenge of having some of the highest consumption levels per capita. This disconnect, driven by various factors, risks being amplified unless decisive action is taken.
One significant challenge is the difficulty for circular solutions to establish themselves or scale up. Additionally, the rapid increase in e-commerce floods the market with new products, many of which have short lifespans and low compliance with EU regulations. These low-cost products often undermine the sustainability ambitions of Nordic citizens.
The Nordic Programme on Sustainable Consumption bridges this gap by aligning the region's high sustainability values with actual consumption behaviours. The programme focuses on educating consumers, supporting sustainable business models, and ensuring compliance with regulations.
Focus areas:
- Leading consumers to more sustainable consumption patterns and minimizing the purchase of products containing harmful substances.
- Strengthening the enforcement, co-operation, and information sharing among public authorities to tackle the import of products non-compliant with EU legislation.
- Supporting business models that provide long life spans (repair, upgrading, renting etc.) and other circular solutions.
Given the fast-paced nature of consumption, the programme starts off with mapping current consumer behaviours, e-commerce environments, and sustainable business models. Based on this analysis, suitable initiatives will be decided upon.
READ MORE: norden.org
