ABSTRACT
The concept of sustainable development, elaborated by the Brundtland Commission and then entrenched in policy by the Earth Summit, was viewed by many as a great step forward for both the environment and the development agendas. Among other things, it represented an attempt by the environmental community to engage the economists with language they could use. The UN Environment Programme is aiming to create awareness of the need to change production and consumption patterns, and to build consensus on the policies and tools which will achieve the necessary corresponding increase in resource productivity, as well as related pollution prevention at source. Trends in population, industrialization and consumption growth release wastes and pollutants faster than the earth can absorb them. Natural resources are consumed faster than they can be restored. So the need to reorient production processes, products and services, as well as the demands expressed by consumers, is a key issue on the sustainable development agenda.
