Shaping Nature-Friendly Consumption

Recommendations for selected Products to Protect Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Worldwide

The focus of the ifeu's work is to further develop the scientific information base on the impact of European consumption on those ecosystems in the Global South that are most affected by biodiversity loss. This will be developed on the basis of the three products soya, palm oil and shrimp. In addition to the direct impacts on biodiversity, possible synergy effects between climate and biodiversity protection will be identified.

On this basis, the IÖW compiles and evaluates instruments and recommendations for action to promote ecologically sound consumption. International experts and political decision-makers are involved in this process, and there is close cooperation with the working group ‘Biodiversity & Consumption’ (formerly ‘Biodiversity Communication’) of the Consumer Information Programme in the One Planet Network of the United Nations Environment Programme.

The project results are prepared in different formats for various target groups, communicated effectively to the public and fed into relevant policy processes. A first policy brief with recommendations for action for political decision-makers to promote ecologically sound food consumption was already published in August 2020, with more to follow.