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A National Academies Symposium: Science, Innovation, and Partnerships for Sustainability Solutions
May 16-18, 2012
Washington, DC
View a list of Sustainability-related meetings at The National Academies
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Past Meetings:
Sustainability Linkages in the Federal Government
April 11-12, 2012
Omaha, NE
Sustainability Linkages in the Federal Government
February 6-8, 2012
Seattle, WA
Pathways to Urban Sustainability: A Focus on the Houston Metropolitan Region
January 18-19, 2012
Houston, TX
Fostering Sustainability Considerations into Public and Private Sector Procurement Tools
December 7-8, 2011
Washington, DC
Roundtable on Science and Technology for Sustainability
November 16-17, 2011
Washington, DC
Sustainability and the U.S. EPA Report Launch
September 15, 2011
Washington, DC
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Contact Us
Science and Technology for Sustainability (STS)
The National Academies
500 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
Tel: (202) 334-2694
Fax: (202) 334-3094
E-mail: Sustainability@nas.edu
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Certification of Sustainable Products and Services: A Workshop
New Release:
 Certifiably Sustainable?: The Role of Third-Party Certification Systems: Report of a Workshop (2010)
Consumption of goods and services represents a growing share of economic activity globally. In the United States, consumption accounts for more than two-thirds of gross domestic product. This trend of increasing consumption has brought with it negative consequences for the environment and human well-being. Global demand for energy, food, and all manner of goods is on the rise, putting strains on the natural and human capital required to produce them. Extractive industries and production processes are prominent causes of species endangerment. Modern economies are underpinned by substantial energy consumption, a primary contributor to the current climate crisis. Expanding international trade has led to many economic opportunities, but has also contributed to unfair labor practices and wealth disparities. In order to take a step in learning from this field of practice, the National Academies' Science and Technology for Sustainability Program held a workshop to illuminate the decision making process of those who purchase and produce certified goods and services. It was also intended to help clarify the scope and limitations of the scientific knowledge that might contribute to the economic success of certified products. The workshop, summarized in this volume, involved presentations and discussions with approximately 40 invited experts from academia, business, government, and nongovernmental organizations.
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A steering committee organized a weeklong public workshop in January 2009 aimed at understanding the situation of those making key decisions to purchase and produce certified goods and services, and to clarify the scope and limitations of the scientific knowledge that might contribute to the economic success of certified products. The workshop began with a ground-clearing discussion of certification practices and panel discussions including NGOs active in certification and advocacy, scholars of the field, and people from business with substantial experience with certification and its corporate and public politics. The workshop involved presentations and discussions with invited experts from academia, business, government, and NGO sectors.
Certification of Sustainable Products and Services: A Workshop
Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center
100 Academy Dr.
Irvine, California
January 18-22, 2009
[Meeting Information]
Meeting Agenda:
Workshop on Certification of Sustainable Products and Services (PDF 27KB)
Participants List (PDF 17KB)
Workshop Presentations:
Certification's Growth, Opportunities, and Limitations
Sustainable Businesses in the Global Era (PDF 518 KB)
Ben Cashore, Yale University
Obstacles, Impacts, and Unintended Consequences
Are Ethical and Fair Trade Schemes Working for Poor Producers, or do we need a New 'Good for Development' Label? (PDF 331 KB)
Jodie Keane, Overseas Development Institute
Supply Chains and Lifecycle Analyses
Supply Chains and Lifecycle Analysis (PDF 28 KB)
Richard Jackson, University of California, Los Angeles
Committee Membership InformationThe committee listed below was established by the U.S. National Academies. The project's steering committee reviews all proposals and oversees the organization of the workshops. - Leslie Carothers (Co-Chair)
President, Environmental Law Institute
- Harold Schmitz (Co-Chair)
Chief Science Officer, Mars Inc.
- William C. Clark
Harvey Brooks Professor of International Science, Public Policy and Human Development, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
- Richard J. Jackson
Professor, University of California, Berkeley
- Pamela A. Matson
Naramore Dean of the School of Earth Sciences, Goldman Professor of Environmental Science, Stanford University
Staff
Certification of Sustainable Products and Services is supported by the David and Lucille Packard Foundation.
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