Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Unsustainable consumption and production are the root causes of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, pollution, and waste. Humanity’s relentless resource extraction causes a devastating impact on the natural world, propelling the climate crisis, destroying nature, and raising pollution levels.
Goal 12 and the environment
The global economy is only 8.6 per cent circular. Much of humanity’s production is unsustainable and becomes waste, aggravating all aspects of the triple planetary crisis. Yet more than 650 million people live in extreme poverty and lack access to basic human needs, including food and shelter. Bridging the gap between surplus production and inefficient consumption is thus a key element of achieving sustainable development.
To realize this ambition, humanity must reduce natural resource extraction and transition towards the sustainable use of renewable resources and energy. Minimizing and reducing waste is integral in every industry, including food, textiles, electronics and construction. Plastic production has surged over the past 50 years and is expected to double over the next 20 years. Electronic waste is the fastest-growing waste stream, and the amount produced could also double by 2050 without urgent action.
Nature provides a range of goods and services necessary to address human needs, generate income, support job creation, and reduce inequality. Humanity must alter how it extracts materials and produces and consumes products. Only then can humans live in harmony with nature.
UNEP’s work on Goal 12
All stakeholders must come together to improve resource efficiency, reduce pollution and waste, and embrace circularity. The plastic pollution scourge is laying waste to the planet. Humanity produces over 430 million tonnes of plastic a year, two-thirds of which are short-lived products that soon become waste. The plastic pollution crisis stems mainly from the current linear plastic economy: produce, use and discard. Tackling plastic pollution effectively requires an approach that addresses all stages of plastic’s life cycle, from product design to production and consumption to waste management, reducing pollution and waste at each stage.
For over two decades, UNEP has played a leading role in promoting sustainable production and consumption and championing circularity. Decoupling environmental degradation from economic growth is one of the world’s greatest challenges. UNEP hosts several initiatives focused on enabling environmental sustainability without harming economic growth. UNEP is also leading ongoing negotiations to end plastic pollution. All of these actions are paramount to bolstering policymaking and voluntary efforts globally.
Global Opportunities for Sustainable Development Goals (GOforSDGs)
GO4SDGs aims to accelerate the progress necessary to meet the 2030 Agenda, especially for SDG 12 (sustainable consumption and production) and SDG 8 (decent work and green economies). The initiative builds partnerships to connect global initiatives with regional needs and solutions, with a focus on implementing action by supporting governments (to strengthen policy coherence), small and medium-sized enterprises (access to financing innovation and circularity), and youth (to empower them to embrace sustainable lifestyles).
The hub is a one-stop-shop for governments, businesses, civil society and the public to track progress on the achievement of Goal 12 of the 2030 Agenda and is linked to UNEP’s One Planet Initiative for Sustainable Consumption and Production. The Hub offers direct access to transparent data, impactful solutions, guidance and official reporting all in one place and facilitates the sharing of progress, knowledge and solutions for sustainable consumption and production.
The network is a global community of practitioners, policymakers and experts, including governments, businesses, civil society, academia and international organisations, that implements the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production and works towards achieving SDG 12: ensuring sustainable patterns of consumption and production.
The Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook
Published by UNEP and UN Climate Change, provides a shared vision, principles and guidance on aligning consumer-facing communication across the global fashion industry with sustainability targets.
Sustainability and Circularity in the Textile Value Chain - A Global Roadmap
The report outlines what each stakeholder group can do individually and collectively to reach the shared destination of a circular textile sector.
The Food Waste Index Report presents comprehensive data on the scale and impact of food waste globally. It aims to support progress on SDG 12.3, which is to halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains.
