Reducing poverty and achieving sustained development must be done in conjunction with a healthy planet. The Millennium Development Goals recognize that environmental sustainability is part of global economic and social well-being. Unfortunately exploitation of natural resources such as forests, land, water, and fisheries-often by the powerful few-have caused alarming changes in our natural world in recent decades, often harming the most vulnerable people in the world who depend on natural resources for their livelihood.

Turkey's vulnerable ecosystem has been placed under increasing stress by high population growth, rising incomes and energy consumption. In Turkey, as elsewhere in the world, environmental problems such as water shortages, land degradation, lack of clean and affordable energy resources severely hinder efforts to achieve sustainable development. In addition to these problems climate change poses a threat to the achievement of the MDGs and related national poverty eradication and sustainable development objectives.

Another kind of consumption is possible, however. This is the subject of Sustainable consumption in a time of crisis,  a meeting hosted on 15 March by the European Environment Agency (EEA); and organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the Danish Consumer Council. The event marks International Consumer Day.

“Continuing with current consumption patterns in Europe is not an option,” EEA Executive Director Jacqueline McGlade said. “As both population and purchasing power swell worldwide,  resources will be ever more overused and constrained. Europe must take the lead in exploring a new model of consumption which does not compromise the needs of others or of future generations, nor damage the environment.”

The meeting will look at ways the economy can be adjusted to drive sustainable forms of consumption. It will consider how the recession in Europe creates opportunities and constraints for policy makers hoping to boost the ‘green economy’. The meeting is particularly timely, as green economy is one of the priority discussion points of the landmark sustainable development summit in Rio de Janeiro in June this year.