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Consumer Organizations and Promotion of Sustainable Energy Consumption: Comparative Product Quality testing and its Impact

Panel: Panel 3: Dynamics of Consumption (social and cultural perspectives, actors and their interactions)

Authors:
Ralph Wahnschafft, Energy Resources Section, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pasific (UN-ESCAP)
Kwisun Huh, Dept. of Environmental Science & Engineering, Hanguk University of Foreign Studies

Abstract

The paper provides an overview on consumer organizations in OECD and high income developing countries, in particular with regard to their consumer information activities. It focuses on a review of comparative product testing of selected electrical home appliances and on test reports in consumer interest magazines. The paper analyzes the relative weights allocated to the different product quality criteria, including energy efficiency. Based on the above the paper reflects on the role that consumer organizations can play in the promotion of "green consumerism" and sustainable energy consumption, in particular with regard to the residential sector.

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