The Sustainable Consumption Institute examines issues related to environmental sustainability through the lens of consumption. A key current focus is on climate change; it is imperative that international, national and company climate change strategies and targets are grounded in climate science.  The challenge facing society means that we cannot rely only on technology based solutions to combat climate change and move to a low carbon based economy; it will be vital to also change patterns of consumption and production.

The SCI currently has three interrelated themes to guide and organise research activities: Sustainable Consumer Behaviours and Lifestyles, Stimulating Eco-Innovation for Sustainable Production and Distribution and Climate Change and Carbon: Mitigation, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Each of these themes has a number of research projects, most funded from external sources, as well as an interdisciplinary flagship project funded by the SCI which will run to the end of 2012.

In the coming year we aim to further develop our capacity within our existing themes and to develop our capacity in two new areas: Sustainable Cities and Ecosystem Services. Part of the latter new theme, will expand upon SCI research on sustainable water resource management undertaken as part the current three core research themes. Research projects in this topic combine hydrology, environmental engineering and natural resource economic modelling to derive key policy recommendations.

You are welcome to read final project reports in our Publications section, or visit the Completed projects section within each theme to the right.