UNEP activities on Sustainable Consumption began in 1998. Production process oriented activities, such as Cleaner and Safer Production and Industrial Pollution Management, are being supplemented with demand-side activities. Sustainable production and consumption policies are two sides of the same sustainability "coin" and UNEP is addressing them in an integrated manner.

Sustainable Consumption has been defined as: "The use of services and related products which respond to basic needs and bring a better quality of life while minimising the use of natural resources and toxic materials as well as the emissions of wastes and pollutants over the file-cycle so as not to jeopardise the needs of future generations".

Examples of UNEP's Sustainable Consumption activities are:

• advertising initiative;
• towards global use of Life Cycle Assessment;
• opportunities for business; and
• youth and sustainable consumption strategy.