New Delhi: “Sustainable future is not about no consumption, it is about smart consumption,” said Connie Hedegaard, European Union Chief for Climate Action, in a special panel discussion on “Sustainable Development and Consumption” that took place on Friday at Delhi Sustainable Development (DSDS) 2012 organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in New Delhi.

Peter Bakker, President of World Business Council for Sustainable Development; Pierre Jacquet, Chief Economist, AFD; Bittu Sahgal, Editor of Sanctuary Asia; Warren Evans, Senior Advisor, Sustainable Development Network, World Bank and Prof. Petteri Taalas, Director-general of Finnish Meteorological Institute were the other eminent panellists. 

Economist Jacquet talked about the need for food security while ensuring sustainability and he urged on the need for involving local communities to ensure the same. 

Peter Bakker advocated that well-informed consumers can do a lot to sustain the magnificent development which we have already achieved. If consumers will opt for environment-friendly products and are ready to share expensive goods rather than buying them, many of the environmental problems can be addressed. “Conscious consumerism will change the way we live and what we desire,” he said.

“We know exactly what to do. We do not need to be told, do not need to discuss or negotiate. But probably, we have very intelligent minds and very disobedient lifestyles,” said Bittu Sahgal. He also showed an outstanding documentary depicting how earth, which is alive and beautiful, but has been deeply hurt by human activities.

Prof. Taalas is preparing the next Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. The previous IPCC report in 2007 had highlighted the vulnerable situation of Maldives owing to changing climate.

While answering a question from the audience, Hedegaard said that to bring about an environment movement - political leaders, the media, and everyone else will have to work together. She believed that the consumers need to be made aware about the realities of a product so that they think twice before buying an environment-unfriendly product. 

The panellists urged the people to take their fair share of responsibilities towards the earth and that policy makers should make sure that polluters must pay for what they do.