Promoting resource efficiency

Today, more than ever, there is a real opportunity to put innovative and creative solutions into practice that bring prosperity not only to present but also future generations, respecting our environment. This is the time to make changes based on sustainable lifestyles that incorporate sustainable consumption and production habits and that minimise the use of natural resources and CO2 emissions.

In a context of climate change, economic crisis and environmental degradation, it is even more necessary for the global community, with the participation of all actors, from governments and the private sector to civil society and citizens, to change their patterns of behaviour to reduce the use of natural resources and eradicate poverty.

Promoting green economies that advocate for sustainable consumption and production is essential for bringing about a transformation in our societies. This means doing more with less, decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation, encouraging efficient use of resources and energy, creating sustainable infrastructure, facilitating access to basic services and affordable, sustainable products as well as creating green jobs.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, several countries' progress in implementing policies for sustainable public procurement is remarkable. Governments, with the support of  the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), are leading the way in changing consumption habits, including environmental and social criteria, in addition to economic criteria, when procuring or contracting goods and services.

Programmes and projects

​Regional Strategy for Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP)

UNEP, together with governments from various Latin American and Caribbean countries, coordinates the Regional Strategy for Sustainable Consumption and Production (2014-2022) to promote the region's transition to more sustainable lifestyles.

Green Economy

In the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), the Green Economy - in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication— was recognised as a tool for achieving social, economic and environmental sustainable development.

PAGE Peru

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy is an alliance of five United Nations System agencies that work jointly in one country —in this case, Peru— to support the transition to an inclusive and environmentally sustainable economy.

The Ten-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (10YFP)

The United Nations Conference on Climate Change (Rio+20) reaffirmed that "promoting patterns of sustainable consumption and production (SCP) is one of the three overarching objectives of, and essential requirements for sustainable development."

Sustainable Public Procurement and Eco-labelling

Sustainable public procurement involves the Government's procurement power in order for public spending to better encourage the private sector's environmental and social engagement.

Eco-innovation in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) of Developing and Transitioning Economies

According to UNEP's working definition, Eco-innovation is "the development and application of a business model that works through a new business strategy that incorporates sustainability throughout all business operations, based on life cycle thinking and involves partners across..."