The continuing massive recourse to fossil fuel in both the energy and transport systems is hampering the development of a much needed low carbon economy in the EU. The main question has shifted from whether or not we have to de-carbonize our economy to how we can achieve this in a timeline that is compatible with climate change mitigation. Also, the finite character of many other natural resources (metals, minerals, productive land, etc.) is becoming increasingly tangible to governments and business. The upcoming "resource crunch" threatens economic vitality and social cohesion, at a time the EU economy still struggles with post-2008 financial crisis consequences.

In this challenging context, sustainable consumption could be an alternative to the current GDP-based model. The lecture will address how developing sustainable consumption practices and policies could help to curb the continuous increase of resource demand, reducing therefore the climate impact, while combining it with a qualitative improvement of life and work conditions.