Theme Sustainable Consumption and Production

Staff-members
Gert Spaargaren, Bas van Vliet, Peter Oosterveer, Kris van Koppen, Arthur Mol, Dries Hegger, Gábor Szántó, Zhang Lei.

Key words

Cleaner Production; Industrial Ecology, Environmental Management Strategies of TNC’s and SME’s; Environmental Infrastructures; Systems of Provision; Sustainable Lifestyles; Labeling and Certification Schemes; Trust and Risk; Globalizing Food Chains; Domestic Consumption; Environmental Behaviours; ENGO-Strategies.

General description of the SCP-research topics

This theme addresses the greening or ecological modernization of production and consumption chains and networks. Studies on the ‘greening of industry’ are conducted on a worldwide basis, addressing the environmental management efforts as developed by Transnational Corporations (TNCs) as well as Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs). Especially in China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand the role of SMEs in environmental governance within agro-industrial sectors is explored in some detail. When analyzing the significance of technology in environmental transitions, a social science perspective is used which emphasizes the key roles of local and transnational actors and institutions in the management of environmental change. The strategies of Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations (ENGOs) are given explicit attention in several projects.

Next to globalizing production-consumption chains (for food; fuels, textiles etc.) also networks for the provision of water, energy and waste-services are included in this research theme. The public-private networks providing these goods and services are often referred to as the ‘infrastructures of consumption’ and they are demonstrated to be very powerful in shaping domestic practices of consumption to a considerable extent.





In both Africa and Asia, special projects are implemented to study the access of poor people to (key) environmental infrastructures for the provision of water, energy and sanitation facilities. In these projects, the perceptions, commitments and interests of end-users and their access to environmental goods, services and infrastructures are highlighted while the need for new, flexible, locally adapted socio-technical arrangements is emphasized.



Within the ENP research program, consumption is studied in close connection to the networks and systems of provision which support our daily consumption routines. The greening of lifestyles and consumption practices is investigated in different domains of consumption like housing, food, leisure and tourism, clothing and personal care, and mobility. In all consumption domains, the development of new policy arrangements and instruments is investigated, for example the wide range of environmental labels, certification schemes and brands are given special attention since they are important vehicles for information and regulation strategies in the context of globalizing (f.e. food-)chains.

The research under this core theme is rooted in and makes substantial contributions to the theory of Ecological Modernization of production and consumption (EMT) in particular, while also using the Triad Network Approach, the Social Practices Approach and the theory of Modernized Mixtures.

Staff- and PhD-Projects under the SCP-theme

Staff-projects and programs

PhD-projects

1. Castro, Walter mailto: Walter.Castro@wur.nl
Role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the environmental reform of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Latin America
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. C.S.A. van Koppen and Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol
Expected year of completion: 2010

2. Ching, Kim mailto: Kim.Ching@wur.nl
Water Services Reform in Malaysia
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol and Dr.ir. B.J.M. van Vliet
Expected year of completion: 2012

3. Feng, Yan mailto: Yan.Feng@wur.nl
Environmental Risk Management and Emergency Response in China: Principles, Challenges and Innovations (ERMER)
Supervisor: Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol & Prof.dr.ir. C.S.A. van Koppen
Expected year of completion: 2013

4. Glin, Laurent mailto: Laurent.Glin@wur.nl
Greening Agriculture in the Global Economy: Networks and Policy Perspective in West Africa
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Ir. A.P.J. Mol and Dr. Ir. P.J.M. Oosterveer
Expected year of completion: 2012

5. Kantamaturapoj, Kanang mailto: Kanang.Kantamaturapoj@wur.nl
Emerging sustainable food consumption in newly industrializing economies: the case of Thailand.
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. G. Spaargaren and Dr.ir. P.J.M. Oosterveer
Expected year of completion: 2011

6. Katusiimeh, Mesharch Walto mailto: Mesharch.Katusiimeh@wur.nl
Assessing national policies in East Africa on urban environmental infrastructures and the consequences of different types of public private partnership-based management systems for urban waste and sanitation on access for the poor.
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol and Dr. C.P.J. Burger
Expected year of completion: 2010

7. Krom, Michiel de mailto: Michiel.deKrom@wur.nl
Transformations in food safety governance in Europe.
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol and Dr.ir. P.J.M. Oosterveer
Expected year of completion: 2010

8. Letema, Sammy mailto: Sammy.Letema@wur.nl
Urban environmental governance: review the implementation of national policies and solid municipal waste management at urban level: institutions, regulations, and practices.
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. J. van Lier and Dr.ir. B.J.M. van Vliet
Expected year of completion: 2010

9. Maciel, Carolina Toschi mailto: Carolina.Maciel@wur.nl
Animal well-being and global food markets
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol & Dr.ir. P.J.M. Oosterveer
Expected year of completion: 2013

10. Majale, Christine Lucy mailto: Christine.Majale@wur.nl
Developing an integrated conceptual and methodological approach to develop mixed-modern urban environmental infrastructures that fit in the conditions and needs of communities in East African cities.
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. G. Spaargaren and Dr. P.J.M. Oosterveer
Expected year of completion: 2010

11. Nguyen Thi Anh Tuyet mailto: hoasuahn2001@yahoo.com
Environmental planning in Vietnam
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol and Prof.dr.ir. C.S.A. van Koppen
Expected year of completion: 2010

12. Nguyen Thi Phuong Loan mailto: Loan.Nguyen@wur.nl
Environmental reform of textile industry: between cleaner production and end-of-pipe
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol and Prof.dr. W.H. Rulkens
Expected year of completion: 2010

13. Nijhuis, Jorrit mailto: Jorrit.Nijhuis@wur.nl
Access and provisioning in the eco-modernization of day-to-day-mobility
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. G. Spaargaren and Prof.dr.ir. J.T. Mommaas
Expected year of completion: 2010

14. Ombis, Leah mailto: Leah.Ombis@wur.nl
Development of sustainable plastic waste management strategy for Nairobi.
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol and Dr.ir. B.J.M. van Vliet
Expected year of completion: 2012

15. Oyoo, Richard mailto: Richard.Oyoo@wur.nl
Integrated modelling of the environmental flows of sanitation and waste at district and city levels in East African urban centres.
Supervisors: Prof.dr. R. Leemans and Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol
Expected year of completion: 2010

16. Pham Thi Anh mailto: anh2.pham@wur.nl
Environmental management of sea product processing industries in Vietnam
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol, Dr. S.R. Bush, Prof.dr. R. Leemans and Dr. C. Kroeze
Expected year of completion: 2010

17. Putman, Lenny mailto: Lenny.Putman@wur.nl
Access and provisioning in the eco-modernisation of social practices of Home Maintenance and Repair
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. G. Spaargaren and Prof.dr.ir. J.T. Mommaas
Expected year of completion: 2010

18. Sargant, Elizabeth mailto: Elizabeth.Sargant@wur.nl
Access and provision in the eco-modernization of social practices of food consumption
Supervisor: Prof.dr.ir. G. Spaargaren
Expected year of completion: 2010

19. Scheinberg, Anne mailto: ascheinberg@antenna.nl
Change and choice in the modernisation of urban environmental system.
Supervisor: Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol
Expected year of completion: 2010

20. Soer, Laila mailto: L.Soer@rd.bmdadvies.nl
Promoting SME eco-innovation from a regional perspective
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol and Prof.dr.ir. C.S.A. van Koppen
Expected year of completion: 2014

21. Solomon, Aisa mailto: Aisa.Solomon@wur.nl
Review the socio-technical systems for solid waste and excreta and wastewater collection, treatment and reuse at urban level used in East Africa.
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. G. Spaargaren and Prof.dr.ir. W.H. Rulkens
Expected year of completion: 2010

22. Son Thanh Tung mailto:
Integrating poverty reduction into environmental solutions in Hochiminh City
Supervisor: Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol
Expected year of completion: 2014

23. Tukahirwa, Judith mailto: Judith.Tukahirwa@wur.nl
The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations and Community Based Organizations in Public-Private arrangements in Urban Sanitation and Waste Management
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol and Dr.ir. P.J.M. Oosterveer
Expected year of completion: 2010

24. Wagemans, Frank mailto: FWagemans@hotmail.com
The influence of shareholders on corporate environmnetal management
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol and Prof.dr.ir. C.S.A. van Koppen
Expected year of completion: 2014

25. Wertheim, Sigrid Sigrid.Wertheim@wur.nl
Exploring the window of opportunity for sustainable fresh produce consumption in Vietnam. Beyond the western paradigms of consumption
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. G.Spaargaren and Dr.ir S.R. Vellema
Expected year of completion: 2012

26. Zhang, Yuan Zhang.Yuan@wur.nl
Eco-labeling and the greening of Chinese textile and clothing industry
Supervisors: Prof.dr.ir. A.P.J. Mol and Prof.dr.ir. C.S.A. van Koppen
Expected year of completion: 2010