Consumption at the Summit

Abstract

Uncertainties and complexities notwithstanding, a few broad facts about the dynamics of consumption stand out and cry for creative action at the summit and beyond. The wealthy world has shown little inclination to supplement the inadequate consumption levels of the rest of the world by reducing its own current level of (over) consumption. Even as delegates at the summit debate this stance, it is worth emphasizing that in the wealthier countries of North America and Europe, consumption expenditures have risen over the last decade by $2,000 to $3,000 per capita. This decadal increase in our well-being is larger than the total average per-capita consumption expenditure in all other regions of the world. Indeed, in a single year our average per-capita increase in consumption is greater than the total consumption expenditure of most individuals in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. What possible justification is there for not experimenting with ways to transfer a significant proportion of these increases in the wealthy world's consumption--which surely is environmentally damaging and obviously is not socially rewarding--to places where it could do much more good in promoting a transition toward sustainability?