Alliance for a Responsible, Plural and United World

World Citizens Assembly
Lille – December 2nd to 10th, 2001

Thematic group

Alternative production and consumption systems
in front of rare natural ressources and a fragile environment  

After having reminded the group of the general objectives of the workshop,  the morning was devoted to the presentation of the participants. They made a link with the college they had taken part in during the first two days and at same time presented their interest in relation to the subject.  Through collecting everyone's point of view they had  a deeper understanding of the subject. Industrial ecology, energy efficiency, renewable energies, food safety, defensible agriculture, development education , alliances between consumers and producers are  all part of the preoccupations and professional activities of the most of participants whether the come from India, China, Philippines, Northern Europe, Romania, Canada, Japan, Algeria or Uganda.

The workshop profited through the presence of personal resources who have elaborated the proposals booklets. Then in the afternoon  the main proposals and breakthroughs of the workshops on industrial ecology, energetic efficiency and food sovereignty were presented by Colin Francis (ICAST, Switzerland), Julie Hazemann (WISE Paris) and Pierre Vuarin (APM/FPH, Paris). These presentations showed that technological, economic and political alternatives exist for agricultural, industrial and services production systems (it had been underlined to what extent NTIC consumes energy...). It also had been underlined that it was not so much a technological but a  political and social problem. How to influence political and financial authorities? How equally to influence the western way of life which is a big consumer of energy.  The witnesses from southern countries came to remind us how much the global and local regulations of agriculture had had direct consequences on the population's eating habits and the farmers' incomes. Sometimes it creates dramatic consequences: famine, suicide among farmers.

Strategic posts

POST 1 : ENSURING FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND GOING TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS

POST 2 : PROMOTING INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY ( IE ) AS A STATEGY IN THE  NORTH-SOUTH INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION 

Governance
- Creating and and linking together national institutions for sustainable development including all the protagonists (public authorities, companies, universities, NGOs...).
- Stimulating the commitment of scientists and university members in the countries where the civil society is weak.

Economic and society
Promoting industrial ecology through financial means such as :
-	Fiscal intencives for companies using the principles of industrial ecology in the North
-	Low interest rate loans for companies using the principles of industrial ecology in the 	South
-	Better insurance services to support companies which reduce their ecological  risk concerning the production and the products.
-	Financial advantages for companies turning to environmental management systems
-	Agencies to guarantee export
-	Individual responsibility through pension funds for instance

Implementing fiscal instruments to reduce consumption of resources

Representation	

- Senitizing and training to the industrial ecology approach of businessmen in the South as well as in the North
- Pressure on companies by consumers, NGOs and trade unions to force them to adopt an environmental and social responsible behavior on assembly lines.