First international forum on sustainable lifestyles

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Dubai 25 February 2015 - The international forum seeks to accelerate transition to sustainable consumption and production patterns, and also looks to find ways around barriers to change by sharing knowledge and experiences, and showcasing initiatives across many areas.

High-level representatives from government and the private sector, international experts, academics, and practitioners from around the globe have gathered in Dubai to build momentum for a shift to sustainable lifestyles, particularly in the Arab region.

The 1st Dubai International Forum for Sustainable Lifestyles is organized by the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Technical support is provided by the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (10YFP) Secretariat. It is also supported by the European Commission through the SWITCH-Med Project. The Forum aims to identify the drivers of unsustainable consumption and lifestyles.

"Shifting to more sustainable lifestyles is not only a 'label', found in UN jargon, it is about our daily lives: the buildings we live in, the shopping we do at the mall, the food we have on our plates, the waste we generate, the clothes we wear and the light above our heads," said UNEP Deputy Executive Director Ibrahim Thiaw. "Whether you work in business, in research and innovation, in educating our children or in architectural planning, it is our collective responsibility to make this issue our own."

The forum also looks to find ways around barriers to change by sharing knowledge and experiences, and showcasing initiatives across many areas-such as daily living, the built environment, mobility, consumer goods and services, food consumption, health and wellbeing.

The forum will contribute to the regional Programme on Sustainable Lifestyles and Education, which is part of the existing Arab Regional Roadmap for the implementation of the 10YFP.

Other expected outcomes of the forum include:

• The development of an international network to exchange experience and support-related efforts;

• The definition of relevant research topics to inform policy and promote sustainability-driven entrepreneurship;

• The creation of partnerships and project ideas to advance sustainable lifestyles in the Arab region;

• Increased engagement to successfully implement and upscale promising ideas and initiatives.

The forum will also zero in on the contribution of the private sector, looking at how business can use innovation to address consumer needs and shift to more sustainable lifestyles and cultural and social mind-sets.

"There is an increased demand for innovative solutions to sustainability challenges, and new business models are emerging in response," said Mr Thiaw. "Consumer demand for sustainable products and services is growing. Companies with innovative business models that have integrated sustainability into their core strategies are growing fast-on average, at a rate of 15 per cent a year-at a time when their respective markets have remained flat."

Further Resources

10YFP Sustainable Lifestyles and Education Programme

10YFP Roadmap on Sustainable Consumption and Production in the Arab Region

For more information, please contact:

Marie Daher Corthay, Information Officer, UNEP-Regional Office for West Asia

Marie.Daher@unep.org