Preface

The Earth’s physical resources face numerous significant challenges, including increased consumption, exploitation, climate change impacts, pollution, and mismanagement. The concept of sustainable consumption and production, regarded as a solution to overcome these challenges, has existed for several centuries. Generally, the concept has shifted from the neoclassical economic view of rational thought and linear material flows to more complex material flows, which are best understood using ecological principles. However, how the concept might best be implemented is often contested.

This book takes a sectoral, national, and global view of the challenges associated with managing natural resources and offers practical approaches to addressing them. Drawing on global examples, it explores the challenges and opportunities in resource management, which could facilitate their long-term sustainability.

Given the complexity and holistic nature of the factors under consideration, a multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary approach is vital. Thus, the text takes a holistic approach to discussing the challenges and opportunities. Organized into 10 interrelated chapters, the book covers various issues, including the global policy and legislative context, sustainable consumption and production approaches in various sectors and countries, technologies for the recovery of value, behaviour change, and sustainable finance policies.

It should appeal to various stakeholders, especially those studying or working in the fields of global resource management, sustainability, development, and environmental policy.

While the focus of the text was on the management of natural resources, given the holistic and complex nature of the issues faced, it was deemed that a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach was essential. Therefore, authors from various fields and perspectives were sought to contribute to the text. A key aim was to develop a text that appealed to various stakeholders, including policymakers, researchers, and practitioners. Therefore, the book comprises both theoretical underpinnings and practical examples. The concept of sustainable consumption and production is broad. The nature of the concept and its underlying principles also vary considerably across and between different geographical and socio-demographic contexts. Thus, another aim was to tell the story of utilising the concept but using narratives and voices from various sources. Crucially, the intention was to focus these narratives and stories on Global South countries. Hence, many of the case studies are taken from and/or told from Global South contexts. Too often, these voices go unheard, and the stories remain untold. Finally, it is hoped that the narratives told throughout the text serve not only to inform decision-making but also to inspire change. Thus, the concluding chapter presents a framework for change. This framework takes account of the challenges and opportunities, suggesting potential pathways that might be employed at various levels, including for governance, policy, and practice.

I would like to thank Gev Eduljee for the invitation back in 2023 to edit the book. I also thank Amina Headley and Helen Armes from the Royal Society of Chemistry for their support throughout the process of putting the text together, whose guidance has been exceptional and invaluable. A heartfelt thank you also goes to all of the authors for their contributions. All of the contributors were extremely busy; nevertheless, they took the time to draft and make amendments to their chapters. I am grateful for their contributions, which have helped to enrich the book. Finally, I wish to thank you, the reader. I hope that you find it an enjoyable read, but more so, I trust that it will enlighten and inspire you.

Terry Tudor