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La voix des Consommateurs
The global voice
La voz global para la defensa
à travers le monde
for consumers
de los consumidores
Consumers and Climate Change
Bjarne Pedersen
Director of Operations, Consumers International
2009
About Consumers International
• Global federation of consumer organisation
• Independent and not-for-profit
• 220 member organisations in 115 countries
• Campaign, capacity build and raise awareness through
and for our members
Consumers and Climate Change
 Consumer organizations and CI have a key and
unique role to play in this global effort to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions
 We believe it is essential that governments and the
business sector everywhere commit to implementing
policies that guide us onto a sustainable course
Consumers and Climate Change
 Initiatives to mobilize consumer concern about global
warming into more sustainable consumption choices
have increased globally over the past few years
 Businesses,
governments
and
civil
society
organisations are all involved in the development of
consumer education campaigns, new products,
labelling and certification initiatives.
What Assures Consumers ?
 Climate Change is a main consumer issue
 The majority of consumers have already made some
easy, close-to-home changes
 There are not many who are completely unwilling to
embrace a more climate conscious lifestyle.
WAC
 Consumers want more information from businesses
about how they are addressing the climate impacts of
their products
 But consumers does not trust information from
businesses on climate change
 Consumers say they want more independent
assurance of product information.
Solutions
Focus on what matters:
 Food
 Transport
 Housing
Food and Climate Change
It is not that difficult…. but we might not like the message
DO tell consumers what matters….






Eat less meat
Eat more vegetables
Eat more vegetables in season
Think about personal transport
Keep development in mind
Keep product composition in mind.
Food and Climate Change
DO NOT:
 Put all the responsibility on the consumer
 Confuse consumers with pointless self-declared
claims/labels
 Add to the obesity of (poor) information
 Disguise climate change message as protectionism.
Mixed and misleading
messages
 John Chidsey, the CEO of Burger King, believes that
Climate Change is "an overriding issue of
importance for the global community,
business community and people in
general", as he stated in a interview conducted at
this year's World Economic Forum
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b14ypPZ4NyE)
40 Burger Kings in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi
Conclusion…
 Setting an example and enabling action
 Develop and consolidate rigorous and fair standards
 Reducing unhelpful choice
 Creating sector-wide solutions
 Helping consumers make cuts that count.
Bjarne Pedersen
Director of Operations, Consumers International
www.consumersinternational.org