March 2005: A roundtable on sustainable consumption and production has ended with ideas and recommendations on the role business should play, and on North-South linkages and collaboration. The Nordic Roundtable on Business Relations and Sustainable Consumption and Production in a North/South Perspective took place in Oslo, Norway from 9-10 March 2005.

The event considered a range of relevant topics, including international cooperation on sustainable consumption and production, the role of business and industry, EU activities, the promotion of green suppliers, the role of governments in developing countries, and the potential role of investments from Nordic countries in the South. Delegates also considered global consumption trends, and challenges, opportunities and recommendations for further work. Based on the discussions at the roundtable, the Nordic Ad Hoc Group on Sustainable Consumption and Production, which organized the meeting, will finalize a report that will be presented during the thirteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-13) in April 2005. The report will also be considered at the second international meeting of the “Marrakech Process” on sustainable consumption and production, scheduled to take place in Costa Rica in September 2005. The Roundtable is therefore expected to contribute to the formulation of UN policies, as well as to EU and Nordic policy making. The IISD RS Sustainable Developments report.