The role of product labelling schemes in shaping more sustainable production and consumption systems

To facilitate more sustainable consumption different actors have introduced various labelling schemes providing information about a product’s environmental, social or other attributes. Based on case studies of existing labelling schemes this paper analyses how sustainability related product labels try to shape the production and consumption system by enabling political consumerism and facilitating a more sustainable modification of the supply chain. Labelling schemes are thereby understood as representing a new form of governance, which to be effective, needs the legitimisation from all actors that are essential for these processes. On the one hand this offers opportunities from empowering non-governmental actors and being dissolved from national boundaries; on the other hand it sets clear limitations for the instrument

Institutionalising the organic labelling scheme in China: a legitimacy perspective

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. Transitioning towards organic consumption and production has been widely promoted as a more sustainable alternative for urban and rural food systems. Our paper shows how a focus on legitimacy can shed light on current barriers to deeper institutionalisation of the organic labelling scheme in China. Based upon documentary analysis, personal observations and over 70 qualitative interviews we identify consequential concerns amongst China's small scale farmers, limited support by the Chinese central government, and procedural problems as the main barriers. We discuss strategies to overcome these barriers, for example tighter certification procedures or more participatory arrangements. Our work contributes to the legitimacy, product labelling and food safety literatures as well as bourgeoning discussions on how to facilitate more sustainable consumption and production in China

Scientists as policy actors: a study of the language of biofuel research

Theory suggests that the influence of science on policy will be greater when scientific discourse is aligned with the language and meaning of wider social concerns. Seeking to assess whether scientists may be guided by such propositions in a controversial environmental policy arena, we examine the language and content of public-facing, UK scientific research grant abstracts on biofuels for the period 2007-11, comparing these to stakeholder position statements and newspaper articles of the same period. We find that UK scientists have indeed broadly reflected societal concerns about biofuels during this period. However we also find that both science and society have paid less attention to procedural issues. We comment on the implications of the findings for the role of science in environmental policy development

Sustainability meta-labeling: Key Actors and Factors for a potential Institutionalisation

To facilitate more sustainable consumption different actors have introduced various labeling schemes providing information about a products environmental, social or other attributes. Many argue however that the multiplicity of existing schemes has caused confusion for both producers and consumers. To reduce this confusion there have been calls for a standardisation and unification of existing schemes into some form of sustainability meta labelling scheme. Based on case studies of existing labelling schemes this paper shows how labelling schemes aim to shape the production and consumption systems through two main processes: the facilitation of political consumerist demand for more sustainable products and the modification of the supply chain into a more sustainable direction. To be effective and retain their policy making authority they need to be legitimised by all actors essential for both processes which can be mainly achieved via including their interests in decision making processes. An institutionalisation of a sustainability meta label will need to address this need for stakeholder legitimisation. Any conclusion regarding the prospects for a potential institutionalisation will therefore need further investigation of the opinions of these actors. The constellation and power of these actors depends on the sector and the context, which will potentially not only cause difficulties for identifying them for further investigation but also for the institutionalisation of a meta label itself