Sustainable consumption and production as climate change mitigation strategy for China

China’s greenhouse gas emissions currently stem mainly from sources related to industrial production and electricity generation. With accelerating speed of urbanisation and economic policies which aim to increase domestic consumption, over the next decade a major share of China’s emissions will be resulting from consumption related activities. This paper will discuss the current status of consumption in China and options of the integrated approach of sustainable consumption and production (SCP) for reducing emissions from the three consumption demand areas housing, mobility and food. In this context it discusses consumption trends and the growth of the global consumer class in China, the circular economy approach, and the potential of current government stimulus spending and policies to create sustainable urban infrastructures and consumption patterns from the outset