Fostering resource-efficient consumption in Europe
In recent decades, consumers have been buying goods, services and products unabashedly, without thinking of what this could do to the planet's sustainability. The EU-funded project 'Enhancing connectivity between research and policymaking in sustainable consumption' (Corpus) is working on transforming this phenomenon through different means. Primarily, it has developed an online platform and workshop formats to connect professionalsfor better sustainable consumption policies. Already in its third year, the established website has become an important networking platform for professionals and references for valuable data on sustainable consumption. It addresses consumer behavior in food, housing and transport, featuring the latest research and policy documents as well, including a database of related events. Registered users can even upload their own policy documents, events or publications. Beyond the important online achievements, the project has conducted several workshops in different policy domains, focusing on sustainability challenges, policy strategies and options for policy planning. The events included collaborative mapping exercises, poster sessions, visions of the future and participatory scenario building. One particular workshop topic of interest was sustainable food, representing an event which led to the formulation of a 'Research Agenda for Sustainable Food Consumption in Europe'. Results emerging from the Corpus project will facilitate more evidence-based policymaking in the field and advance sustainability in Europe. The project calls for more networking not only through the website but also through social media, bringing experts, professionals and policymakers together to create change for a more sustainable world. As a result, a resource-efficient Europe could finally be on the horizon.
