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Consumption is the reason why anything gets produced. However, the present consumption and production patterns together are reason for all man made stress on natural environment. Consumerism may be the single greatest threat to environmental and social stability on the planet. If global society is to address the many environmental and other sustainability challenges that confront us in the twenty-first century, such as climate change and water resources, it will be necessary to make significant changes in our patterns of consumption, production, and distribution. Sustainable consumption is not necessarily about consuming less; it is about consuming better i.e. more efficiently, with less risk to our health and environment. Changing our course and finding alternative pathways though not easy; but is the only way to protect our planet. There is a growing realization that while changes in production and distribution are formidable, the proposed solutions may not succeed unless it is possible to persuade individuals and households to change their patterns of consumption to make them more sustainable. We need a renewed and positive focus on the connection between lifestyles, consumption and aspirations, cultures and social norms. Then we'll have the potential to mobilize and unlock people's consumption and lifestyles as real drivers for change and sustainable development.

The present volume consists of papers contributed by well-known experts that seek to explain the perspectives on sustainable consumption, highlight various issues underpinning sustainable consumption and provides solutions to atleast some of the problems if not all. The book will not only be useful to policy-makers but also to academicians, practitioners, students and all those who are interested in consumer welfare.