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Choosing sustainable consumption: a capability perspective on indicators

Author

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  • Flavio Comim
  • Rie Tsutsumi

    (UNEP Regional Office for Europe, Geneva, Switzerland)

  • Angels Varea

    (Capability and Sustainability Centre, St. Edmund's College, University of Cambridge, Mount Pleasant, Cambridge, UK)

Abstract

The concept of sustainable consumption (SC) has been proposed as a way of operationalising sustainable development (SD). However, until now, in view of the difficulties in conceptualising SC, emphasis has been placed mainly on a pragmatic approach. In an a-conceptual and pragmatic account of SC, many problems remain unaddressed, such as the danger of the notion becoming empty and lack of integration between the different dimensions of sustainability. In this paper, we propose that the informational space provided by the capability approach (CA) offers a conceptual framework to elaborate SC. The CA is employed here (i) to discuss the philosophical underpinnings of SC as part of a strategy for enhancing quality-of-life and (ii) to investigate the links between the different dimensions of SC. Emphasis on autonomy, freedom, and public reasoning in the CA can help in contextualising and providing an organising frame for SC policies. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Flavio Comim & Rie Tsutsumi & Angels Varea, 2007. "Choosing sustainable consumption: a capability perspective on indicators," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(4), pages 493-509.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jintdv:v:19:y:2007:i:4:p:493-509
    DOI: 10.1002/jid.1384
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Leßmann, Ortrud & Masson, Torsten, 2015. "Sustainable consumption in capability perspective: Operationalization and empirical illustration," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 64-72.
    2. Pedro A. B. Lima & Gessica M. K. Jesus & Camila R. Ortiz & Fernanda C. O. Frascareli & Fernando B. Souza & Enzo B. Mariano, 2021. "Sustainable Development as Freedom: Trends and Opportunities for the Circular Economy in the Human Development Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-26, December.
    3. Nadia von Jacobi, 2014. "Can the Context Mediate Macro-Policy Outcomes?: Contextual Differences in the Returns to Bolsa Familia in Brazil," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2014-049, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    4. Binder, Martin & Witt, Ulrich, 2012. "A critical note on the role of the capability approach for sustainability economics," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 41(5), pages 721-725.
    5. Michał Gazdecki & Elżbieta Goryńska-Goldmann & Marietta Kiss & Zoltán Szakály, 2021. "Segmentation of Food Consumers Based on Their Sustainable Attitude," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-28, May.
    6. von Jacobi, Nadia, 2014. "Can the context mediate macro-policy outcomes? Contextual differences in the returns to Bolsa Familia in Brazil," WIDER Working Paper Series 049, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    7. Sunyang Park & Yuri Lee, 2020. "Scale Development of Sustainable Consumption of Clothing Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-20, December.
    8. Tobias Engelmann & Daniel Fischer & Marianne Lörchner & Jaya Bowry & Holger Rohn, 2019. "“Doing” Sustainability Assessment in Different Consumption and Production Contexts—Lessons from Case Study Comparison," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-25, December.

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