GOAL OF THE MONTH – Responsible Consumption and Production 

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Where We Are

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. 

Countries have made progress in meeting obligations to combat environmental degradation and report on sustainability issues. However, more efforts are still needed especially to tackle unstable consumption and products of products, food waste and the rapid growth of global e-waste.  

Achieving Goal 12 – ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns – requires fostering circular economy models, sustainable production practices and responsible consumption. These approaches can take advantage of opportunities at every stage of production to reduce resource and fossil fuel use, drive innovation, conserve energy and mitigate emissions. Progress largely depends on robust regulatory frameworks, financial incentives and public awareness campaigns. 

SDG 12 in Numbers

  • Globally, an estimated 1 billion meals of edible food are wasted every day, equivalent to 1.3 meals per person impacted by hunger per day, considering that 783 million people faced hunger in 2022. 
  • Each year, food loss and waste generate 8 to 10 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, costing over $1 trillion and straining land resources and biodiversity.  
  • By 2030, e-waste generation is projected to increase to 10 kilograms per capita per year (or 82 million metric tons in total). If all countries boost their collection rates to 60 per cent, 54 million metric tons of e-waste would be managed in an environmentally sound manner. This would also prevent 34,000 kilograms of mercury emissions and 209 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent emissions in 2030. 
  • From 2019 to 2023, 62 Member States and the European Union reported 516 policy instruments to accelerate the transition to sustainable consumption and production patterns. Half the policies are national road maps or strategies; 30 per cent are legal instruments; and 14 per cent are voluntary instruments. New policies in 2023 integrated sustainable consumption and production patterns into high-impact sectors.  

“Governments must build circular economies that address resource depletion and invest in modern waste-management programmes anchored in reuse, remanufacturing, and recovery.”  

– António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, 20 March, 2024 

 

In Focus

11-22 | UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29) 

This year’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November 2024.  With global temperatures hitting record highs, and extreme weather events affecting people around the globe, COP29 will bring together leaders from governments, business and civil society to advance concrete solutions to the defining issue of our time. 

A key focus of this year’s Conference will be on finance, as trillions of dollars are required for countries to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect lives and livelihoods from the worsening impacts of climate change. The conference will also be a key moment for countries to present their updated national climate action plans under the Paris agreement, which are due in 2025. Find out more about COP 29. 

The road to COP29 

 In the lead up to COP29, the United Nations will issue a series of key reports on climate impacts and solutions: 

Explore climate-related news stories here.  

Setting a new goal for climate finance 

To ensure the world meets its climate goals, financing to support climate action in developing countries must be stepped up. 

At COP21, governments decided to set a New Collective Quantified Goal on climate finance prior to 2025, amounting to at least $100 billion per year and taking into account the needs and priorities of developing countries. This new goal is meant to be adopted at the upcoming COP29. This new goal would support low-carbon, climate-resilient solutions in energy, transport and agriculture for instance, and should enable developing countries to step up their climate ambitions in the next round of national climate plans, which are due in 2025.  

Additional details on climate finance and justice can be found here. 

Climate mis and-disinformation 

We have the knowledge and the solutions to tackle the climate crisis, but mis- and disinformation are major obstacles towards progress. Deceptive or misleading content distorts the truth, creates confusion, and can lead to delays in action or even harmful action. Resources to combat climate mis- and disinformation with reliable, science-based facts:  

In an SDG Media Zone discussion, Winning the Climate Story: Communicating Hope and Solutions, UN Under-Secretary-General Melissa Fleming spoke with experts on the crucial need to work together to combat climate mis- and disinformation. Watch the full discussion here and check out other climate-related discussions held during the SDG Media Zone here. 

Highlights

25 – 1 December | Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution 

The fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) is scheduled to take place from 25 November to 1 December in Busan, Republic of Korea. The committee has been working on developing an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution on land and water. The goal is to complete negotiations on this new instrument by the end of 2024. 

At the recent Biodiversity Conference (COP16), UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the harmful impact of increasing levels of plastic pollution on human health and the planet, urging the need for global action and an agreement by the end of this year. Learn more on the INC negotiations here.  

Find out about the links between plastics and climate change.

Upcoming International Days

2 | International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists 

The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists reminds us that we have to protect those who provide us with news so they can do their essential job without fear. This day emphasizes the value of holding people responsible for harming journalists in order to make it safer for them to carry out their duties. This year, the International Day commemorations will take place from 6-7 November 2024 at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia under the theme of Safety of Journalists in Crises and Emergencies. Further details on how to engage can be found here.                             

5 | World Tsunami Awareness Day 

Tsunamis, though not frequent, can wipe out entire communities in just minutes. World Tsunami Awareness Day focuses on how important early warning systems are in protecting lives and stresses the need for countries to be ready. To achieve the goal of the Sendai Framework of reducing global disaster risks and losses, the theme of World Tsunami Awareness Day 2024 will focus on the 20th anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami by passing its lessons to a new generation of children and youth. Campaign details and assets can be found here.   

6 | International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict 

From polluted freshwater sources to torched crops and poisoned soils, the environment has often remained the unpublicized victim of war and conflict. Therefore, action to protect the environment is an integral part of conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding strategies. Achieving durable peace is not possible if the natural resources that sustain livelihoods and ecosystems are destroyed. Additional details on the International Day can be found here. 

15 | International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime 

The UN will mark the first International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime on 15 November to raise awareness on the urgent need to counter the rising threat of organized crime, which undermines peace, security and progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Today, criminal networks are exploiting global vulnerabilities on a vast scale—from human trafficking to environmental destruction and cybercrime. More information can be found here.  

19 | World Toilet Day 

World Toilet Day is about inspiring action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and reach the 3.5 billion people still living without safely managed sanitation. Sanitation is one of the most urgent worldwide concerns to address since the lack of access to toilets greatly increases the dangers of water contamination and health problems. This year’s theme will focus on ‘Sanitation for Peace’, to highlight the urgent action needed to improve and safeguard people’s access to sanitation to build a fairer, more peaceful world. Additional details on this year’s campaign can be found here.  

 

20 | World Children’s Day 

A safe and caring environment is vital for every child to develop, learn, and achieve their full potential. Taking place each year on 20 November, World Children’s Day marks the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959 as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1989. This year, World Children’s Day calls on adults to listen to the future. By listening to children, we can fulfil their right to self-expression, understand their ideas for a better world and include their priorities in our actions today. Additional details on campaigns and activations can be found here. 

 

21 | World Television Day 

World Television Day on 21 November provides an important opportunity to recognize how television shapes our understanding of the world through news, entertainment, and cultural exchange. Despite the rise of digital platforms, television continues to unite millions of viewers, sparking meaningful conversations about our shared future. Additional details on the International Day can be found here.    

 

25 | International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women 

Violence against women and girls largely remains unreported due to the impunity of silence and stigma surrounding. Each year, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women highlights the crucial need to end violence against women and girls as essential to leave no one behind. The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that runs from 25 to 10 December. Learn more here for this year’s theme and engagement opportunities with the campaign.  

 

ACTNOW for our Common Future 

ActNow is the United Nations campaign to inspire people to act for the Sustainable Development Goals. The Goals can improve life for all of us. Cleaner air. Safer cities. Equality. Better jobs. These issues matter to everyone. But progress is too slow. We have to act, urgently, to accelerate changes that add up to better lives on a healthier planet. Join the campaign to learn — and do — more for #OurCommonFuture. Visit ActNow. 

 New! ActNow Challenge 

In parallel with the UN conferences on biodiversity, climate change and desertification at the end of this year, join the ActNow challenge to take action to protect the environment. Every step taken, from lowering carbon footprints to preserving natural ecosystems, makes the world healthier and more resilient. This challenge serves as a reminder that the ability to effect change begins with every one of us. Together, we can send a strong message that the survival of our planet depends on decisive action – most of all by world leaders. Visit ActNow for more details.  

Awake at Night Podcast

As the UN Biodiversity Conference in Colombia ends today, listen to the latest special episode for the podcast Awake at Night where UN Goodwill Ambassador Edward Norton speaks about his inspiring work to protect our planet and his tireless commitment to Climate Action. Check out the special edition episode here -> https://bit.ly/4dZOVIo 

Discover all the episodes and previous seasons here -> https://pod.link/1429922419 

SDG EDITORIAL CALENDAR 2024