ABSTRACT
Sustainable consumption and production came of age as an international policy priority at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in June 1992—the 'Earth Summit'. A number of initiatives with the producers of other beverages, such as tea and cocoa, which originally aimed to improve their economic and social conditions, have also resulted in environmental benefits as these producers convert to organic production. Globalisation, increasing trade liberalisation and the establishment of the World Trade Organisation have raised the stakes. Consumption patterns and their 'footprints' are now increasingly international, as are aspirations. For developing-country producers seeking to succeed in these markets, sustainable consumption presents a number of new and often complex challenges. Positive policy choices can make a difference to the ease with which sustainable initiatives can emerge and spread. The response of the Indian government to the German legislation on azo dyes helped turn a potential threat into an export opportunity for their textile producers.
