RCC 2

WHAT IS GOAL 12 -
RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION & PRODUCTION?

Goal 12 is about ensuring sustainable
consumption and production patterns, which
is key to sustain the livelihoods of current and
future generations.
Our planet is running out of resources, but

populations are continuing to grow. If the
global population reaches 9.8 billion by 2050,
the equivalent of almost three planets will be
required to provide the natural resources
needed to sustain current lifestyles.
We need to change our consumption habits,

and shifting our energy supplies to more
sustainable ones are one of the main changes
we must make if we are going to reduce our
consumption levels. However, global crises data, as well as investments in technologies,
triggered a resurgence in fossil fuel subsidies, infrastructure, education and monitoring. A
nearly doubling from 2020 to 2021. staggering 931 million tons of food is wasted
a year, despite a huge number of the global
We are seeing promising changes in population going hungry.
industries, including the trend towards
sustainability reporting being on the rise, WHY DO WE NEED TO CHANGE THE WAY WE
almost tripling the amount of published CONSUME?
sustainability over just a few years, showing
increased levels of commitment and Economic and social progress over the last
awareness that sustainability should be at the century has been accompanied by
core of business practices. environmental degradation that is
endangering the very systems on which our
Food waste is another sign of over future development and very survival depend.
consumption, and tackling food loss is urgent
and requires dedicated policies, informed by A successful transition will mean
improvements in resource efficiency,
consideration of the entire life cycle of
economic activities, and active engagement
in multilateral environmental agreements.
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WHAT IS GOAL 12 -
RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION & PRODUCTION?
WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE? social impacts of products and services is
needed, both of product life cycles and how
There are many aspects of consumption that these are affected by use within lifestyles.
with simple changes can have a big impact on
society as a whole. Innovation and design solutions can both
enable and inspire individuals to lead more
Governments need to implement and enforce sustainable lifestyles, reducing impacts and
policies and regulations that include improving well-being.
measures such as setting targets for reducing
waste generation, promoting circular HOW CAN I HELP AS A CONSUMER?
economy practices, and supporting
sustainable procurement policies. There are two main ways to help:
1. Reducing your waste and 2. Being
Transitioning to a circular economy involves thoughtful about what you buy and choosing
designing products for longevity, repairability, a sustainable option whenever possible.
and recyclability. It also involves promoting
practices such as reusing, refurbishing, and Ensure you don’t throw away food, and reduce
recycling products to minimize waste and your consumption of plastic—one of the main
resource depletion. pollutants of the ocean. Carrying a reusable
bag, refusing to use plastic straws, and
Individuals can also adopt more sustainable recycling plastic bottles are good ways to do
lifestyles – this can involve consuming less, your part every day.
choosing products with lower environmental
impacts, and reducing the carbon footprint of Making informed purchases also helps. By
day-to-day activities. buying from sustainable and local sources
you can make a difference as well as
HOW CAN I HELP AS A BUSINESS? exercising pressure on businesses to adopt
sustainable practices.
It’s in businesses’ interest to find new
solutions that enable sustainable To take action, visit: www.un.org/en/actnow
consumption and production patterns. A
better understanding of environmental and To find out more about Goal #12 and other
Sustainable Development Goals, visit:
https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment
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Department of Global Communications | August 2023

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WHAT IS GOAL 12 -

RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION & PRODUCTION?

Our planet is running out of resources, but

We need to change our consumption habits,

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