A switch is needed from unsustainable to sustainable patterns of development. The SWITCH-Asia Programme was born out of this need. The programme focuses on sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and directly contributes to sustainable growth and the fight against poverty.
SCP is an attempt to reconcile the increased demand for goods and services that respond to basic needs and bring a better quality of life, while minimising the use of natural resources, toxic materials and emissions of waste and pollutants over the life cycle, in order not to jeopardize the needs of future generations. Materials, water and energy are the three key elements.
Sustainable Production concerns the supply side, focusing on the economic, social and environmental impacts of production processes; while Sustainable Consumption addresses the demand side, focusing on consumers’ behaviour and choices in use of goods and services, i.e. demand for products that are environmentally friendly both in their production and in their use, as well as by promoting a sensible consumption behaviour, avoiding spillage and waste.
In Asia, major challenges also concern the region's increasing energy consumption which contributes to rising greenhouse gas emissions. Increased adoption of SCP will lead to improved energy efficiency in the life-cycle of our products preventing Climate Change.
Objectives
The SWITCH-Asia, with its particular focus on SMEs, contributes directly and indirectly to poverty alleviation by improving the living conditions of poor households that surround, and are down-stream of, suburban SMEs by reducing water pollution, solid waste and air pollution. SWITCH-Asia also contributes to increasing employment and incomes by increased production that meets international environmental standards and higher competitiveness, e.g. through resource savings and better access to supply chains of international companies. In addition, adoption of SCP will help improving the conditions of both female and male labourers promoting reasonable salaries, decent working conditions and protection of children’s rights.
The SWITCH-Asia seeks to enhance the uptake of SCP by working simultaneously on the production and consumption sides, employing a multi-stakeholder approach with strong and intensive working relationships with SMEs, building upon existing structures and networks, and by scaling up results achieved in earlier projects. Projects will have to actively disseminate their results and facilitate the exchange of good practices, and will be supported in this task by the SWITCH-Asia Network Facility.
Please visit the website of the European Commission for further information on the SWITCH-Asia programme.
