Sustainable Consumption Now! The German National Programme for Sustainable Consumption on the Test Bed

23 Pages Posted: 25 Sep 2020

See all articles by Lucia A. Reisch

Lucia A. Reisch

El-Erian Institute for Behavioural Economics and Policy; Copenhagen Business School - Department of Management, Society and Communication

Corinna Fischer

Öko-Institut e.V.

Rainer Grießhammer

Öko-Institut e.V.

Viola Muster

ConPolicy GmbH

Ulf Schrader

Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin)

Christian Thorun

ConPolicy GmbH

Franziska Wolff

Öko-Institut e.V.

Date Written: March 15, 2020

Abstract

The aim of the present paper is to evaluate the German National Programme for Sustainable Consumption, to identify key challenges and suggest further development of its scope, content, focus and processes. Germany has implemented a unique tool of SCP policy: the National Programme for Sustainable Consumption. Embedding this Programme in a theoretical frame of behavior-change mechanisms, the article first sketches current sustainable consumption and production policies. The hard and soft policies included in the Programme are outlined, and strengths and weaknesses and their suitability regarding the Programme’s mission are discussed. Four overarching recommendations are offered to fully develop the Programme’s potential: identify and prioritize the main policy problems along impact; implement a strategic approach and raise relevance; create effective bundles of hard and soft policy tools; and strengthen governance structures for more effective institutions. The paper closes by sketching upcoming challenges and next steps.

Keywords: National Programme for Sustainable Consumption, Germany, Sustainability Strategy, Sustainability Governance

Suggested Citation

Reisch, Lucia A. and Fischer, Corinna and Grießhammer, Rainer and Muster, Viola and Schrader, Ulf and Thorun, Christian and Wolff, Franziska, Sustainable Consumption Now! The German National Programme for Sustainable Consumption on the Test Bed (March 15, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3679773 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3679773

Lucia A. Reisch (Contact Author)

El-Erian Institute for Behavioural Economics and Policy ( email )

Trumpington Rd 25
Cambridge
Great Britain

Copenhagen Business School - Department of Management, Society and Communication ( email )

Solbjerg Plads 3
Frederiksberg C, DK - 2000
Denmark

Corinna Fischer

Öko-Institut e.V.

Merzhauser Straße 173
Freiburg im Breisgau, 79100
Germany

Rainer Grießhammer

Öko-Institut e.V.

Merzhauser Straße 173
Freiburg im Breisgau, 79100
Germany

Viola Muster

ConPolicy GmbH

Friedrichstraße 224
Berlin, 10969
Germany

Ulf Schrader

Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) ( email )

Straße des 17
Berlin, 10623
Germany

Christian Thorun

ConPolicy GmbH

Friedrichstraße 224
Berlin, 10969
Germany

Franziska Wolff

Öko-Institut e.V.

Merzhauser Straße 173
Freiburg im Breisgau, 79100
Germany

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