To intensify efforts in raising awareness regarding the importance of sustainable consumption, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) held a regional forum in Manila, Philippines last August 29-30.
ASEAN government bodies, business entities, as well as regional and international experts attended the event: The Regional Forum on the Promotion of Sustainable Consumption in ASEAN.
Among the things they discussed include the impact of changing the behavior and consumption pattern of consumers.
The forum serves as an activity under the project known as “Promotion of Sustainable Consumption in ASEAN.” which aims to:
- support the development of policies for sustainable consumption
- support the implementation of said policies
- enable consumers to be more knowledgeable in terms of their consumption practices
The promotion of sustainable consumption is one of the measures cited in the ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together in order to build higher consumer confidence and cross-border commercial transactions.
ASEAN aims to intensify the efforts in ensuring the sustainability of production and consumption patterns. This is so that by 2020 all chemicals and wastes are managed in an environmentally-sound manner.
By doing this, the release of waste and chemicals to the environment will be reduced. Consequently, their adverse effects will be minimized.
For the long-term, changing the way we consume and produce will also make our use of natural resources sustainable and efficient — something that ASEAN also wants to achieve by 2030.
“National economic policies are required to ensure that goods and services reflect environmental costs to stimulate more sustainable consumption and production patterns,” according to Ruth Castelo, Consumer Protection Group Undersecretary in the Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines
