The Challenge of Sustainable Consumption for Governance and Policy Development—A Systematic Review

Abstract

The modern industry discourse on sustainability is the idea of ‘green growth’, which is described as the paradox of the continuation of increased economic growth, at the same time as increasing sustainability. Policy makers face the challenge of how to encourage and sustain appropriate levels of individual behavioural change to manage consumption in a changing environment. In addressing this challenge, this study seeks to move beyond discrete elements of human consumption behaviour and develop a better understand of the wider inputs including culture, societal norms, institutions and governance. The research methodology adopted uses a systematic literature review approach coupled with thematic analysis. The study presents a new understanding of the interrelatedness of consumption policy, social structures, and the boundary arrangements of governance. What emerges is a focus on the role of governance and societal context in influencing outcomes. A fundamental output of the study is the designation of 27 evidence-based principles of change. These principles represent a new framework: the Governance and Sustainable Policy Development (GSPD) framework or ‘Road Map’, designed to guide decision making and aid the understanding of what motivates individuals and institutions within a wider neo-liberal societal system to manage their consumption from a more sustainable policy and governance perspective.

Consumers’ Perspectives on Circular Economy: Main Tendencies for Market Valorization

“…The ways in which individuals relate and adhere to social structures and practices, made of shared meanings, skills, performances and regulations, decisively influence consumption patterns [112]. Therefore, it is necessary to redirect analytical attention to the social, cultural, political and material dimensions of environmental change [47,60,68].…”

“…It also recognizes the need to consider the infrastructural and social dynamics that alter consumption patterns. Thus, the focus must go beyond consumer intentions and behaviors to focus on the wider socio-technical context [60,68,88].…”

“…Institutions are determinant in defining and normalizing the diversity of behaviors and choices available to consumers. However, while institutions modulate consumer behavior, they only do so when they are perceived as legitimate [34,60]. This happens when they relate to underlying and shared socio-cultural values.…”

“…While it finds that one significant constraint to the CE transition process is regulatory and formal in nature, it also finds that the implementation of circularity is mainly driven by social and regulatory institutional factors. This scenario renders noticeable the insufficiency of approaches based on individual consumer behavior [1,14,60]. Rather, a macro-institutional approach is needed to handle existing conflicts between economic goals, environmental needs and social justice matters.…”