North American Workshop on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP)

November 6-7 2008, Washington, DC

Jason Potts, Coordinator of the Sustainable Commodity Initiative for IISD, attended the first North American Sustainable Consumption and Production Workshop organized under the CSD-led Marakech Process on sustainable consumption and production.

The workshop brought together private sector, government and NGO representatives to identify the core challenges, opportunities and priorities for promoting sustainable consumption and production systemically across North America. The meeting, which was co organized by the United Nations Environment Program, US Department of State and Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade represents the first ever collaboration towards a regional approach on sustainable consumption and production in North America.

The SCI addressed issues including the importance of a sound and participatory governance process in defining a regional sustainable consumption and production (SCP) agenda and the need for a common set of metrics for assessing the success of different SCP approaches. Workshop organizers will compile the results of the discussion as a basis for exploring the organization of a second meeting.

For more information on the workshop visit IISD's "Linkages" news reporting service at: www.iisd.ca/ymb/sdwsc