Climate change is a key issue today. Consumers International has made some recommendations on Climate change and energy.
In their update of October 14 this year, Consumers International recommended action for consumers, businesses and governments.
Here they are:-
Consumer
organisations must:
. Help consumers define, understand and act on climate change. There is an ‘obesity of information’ available on the impact of consumption on the planet. Consumer organisations have a critical role to play in sorting through the speculation, assumption and opinion, and direct consumers to evidence-based facts.
. Align with other consumer organisations and share research. Consumer organizations around the world working on climate change and sharing the most successful campaigns needs to be a priority.
Fight for vulnerable consumers who are directly feeling the impact of climate change. Whether it is a drop in access to essential services or the financial pain of moving to a low-carbon economy, consumer organisations must act as the voice for those consumers on the front line.
● Educate consumers that consuming differently, and in many cases consuming less, is needed.
● Motivate, mobilize and empower consumers. Consumers often feel that they alone cannot make a difference.
Consumer organizations must use their campaigning power to help consumers realise that, by acting together, they can make a tremendous contribution to the fight against global warming.
● Put sustainability and energy efficiency at the heart of product testing.
● Vigorously expose greenwashing and expose environmentally unsound business.
Governments must:
● Help consumers make positive changes and minimise negative impacts at all levels.
● Fund much needed research into where change in consumer behaviour can make the most difference.
● Conduct multi-scenario planning, make considered, evidence-based decisions and avoid contradictory policies that cancel out positive consumer action.
● Ensure climate change action does not impact negatively on development, particularly with regard to access to basic goods and essential services.
● Lead by example with low-carbon government procurement.
● Subsidize and simplify consumer action, particularly in high impact areas like housing, food, and transport.
● Fast-track the commercialisation of low carbon technologies.
● Ensure costs of the impact and mitigation of climate change are spread fairly and, where appropriate, according to polluting behaviour. Green consumers should not be discriminated against, nor should those vulnerable to the worst effects of climate change.
● Ensure undue weight is not given to high-carbon corporate interest through transparent and inclusive policy formulation.
● Push for independent assurance on climate issues so that businesses and government claims can be trusted.
● Engage with all stakeholders so that consumers are put at the heart of the solutions.
Businesses must:
● Make sustainable low-carbon goods and services affordable to consumers, with particular attention given to basic needs such as energy, water, and food.
● Support and enact universal, independently assured standards for climate change mitigation policies – both in product design and general business practice.
● Be fully transparent and open about impact – including progress on targets, suppliers and overseas operations.
● Proactively remove high impact products, making choice editing and choice reduction key to future design and product rollout.
● Provide consumer information on how to reduce the impact of product use and disposal in a way that is clear, prominent and understandable.
● Actively support and seek out green suppliers throughout the commodity chain.
