In today’s world, usage of resources sustainably is utmost important. In a situation where people below poverty line live on a meagre wage of $2.15 dollars, it is important that we know how to “reduce, reuse, recycle” our resources. SDG 12 or Sustainable Development Goal 12 deals with reduction of waste production and ensures sustainable consumption and production patterns for the society. Each stage of production or manufacturing presents an opportunity to reduce resource and fossil fuel use, foster innovation, conserve energy, cut emissions, and advocate for a circular economy approach.
The question may arise that why achieving this goal is important? 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 is one of the main changes we must make if we are going to reduce our consumption levels. However, global crises triggered a resurgence in fossil fuel subsidies, nearly doubling from 2020 to 2021.
Goal 12 targets:-
Target 12.1: From 2019 to 2023, one-third of member states (63 countries) have reported 516 policy instruments related to sustainable consumption and production.
Target 12.2: From 2015 to 2022, Domestic Material Consumption (DMC) increased by 5.8%, and Material Footprint (MF) rose by 6.8%. Regional disparities between DMC and MF continue to grow, particularly between regions where MF is higher than DMC (Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, Europe and Northern America, Northern Africa and Western Asia) and those where MF is lower than DMC (Central and Southern Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, Oceania), showing different patterns of material consumption and their corresponding environmental impact.
Target 12.3: In 2022, 19% of global food was wasted, totalling 1.05 billion tonnes, with household waste accounting for 60%. This waste generates significant greenhouse gas emissions, costing over $1 trillion annually, while 783 million people suffer from hunger. Addressing this issue is crucial for halving food waste by 2030, yet only 9 out of 193 countries have included food waste in their Nationally Determined Contributions as of 2022. Meanwhile, the percentage of food lost globally after harvest on farm, transport, storage, wholesale, and processing levels is estimated at 13.2% in 2021.
Target 12.4: Number of parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste, and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement:
Targets 12.4 and 12.5: In 2022, e-waste generation rose to 7.8 kg per capita from 6.2 kg per capita in 2015, but only 1.7 kg per capita was properly managed. Mismanaged e-waste leads to resource loss, increased use of virgin resources, and environmental hazards, underscoring the urgency for improved and environmentally sound management.
Target 12.6: In 2021-2022, 73% of companies included in the sample published sustainability reports, with the number of companies tripling since 2016. This growth was observed in all regions in 2022.
Target 12.c: Fossil fuel subsidies hit a record high of $1.53 trillion in 2022, reversing the declining trend observed from 2012 to 2020. The post-COVID energy price surge inflated these subsidies, prompting some governments to introduce new support measures. Consequently, public funding for oil, coal, and gas production and consumption more than doubled from 2021 to 2022 and tripled since 2015, impeding progress towards net-zero transition.
What is a circular economy?
A circular economy, sometimes known as circularity or CE, is a model of resource production and consumption in any economy that emphasises extending the life of current materials and products through sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, and refurbishing them. In order to address global issues including pollution, waste, biodiversity loss, and climate change, the concept emphasises the model’s three guiding principles being implemented design-based. To shift towards a circular economy, three key concepts need to be followed: minimising waste and pollution, extending the life of products and resources, and restoring natural systems.In contrast to the conventional linear economy, CE is specified.
Circular economy and its relation with SDG 12:
Circular economies, or CEs, are seen to offer potential solutions to issues including the rising demand for resources worldwide, price fluctuation for raw materials, as well as rising consumption and population
globally.(Alonso-Almeida and Rodriguez-Anton,2019). The circular economy (CE) is a transformative concept aimed at transitioning from the traditional “take-make-dispose” linear economy to a more sustainable model. It emphasises minimising waste, enhancing resource efficiency, and promoting the recycling and reuse of materials. This model is designed to achieve long-term environmental, economic, and social benefits. CE directly supports several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as those related to responsible consumption, production (SDG 12), and poverty eradication (SDG 1). (Khalid, A. M., Sharma, S., & Dubey, A. K,2018, August).One critical area where CE is particularly important is in addressing the issue of plastic waste management. Plastic waste (PW) has become one of the fastest-growing segments of municipal waste globally, with serious environmental consequences. As highlighted by Hossain et al. (2022), only about 9% of plastic waste is recycled, with the vast majority ending up in landfills or the natural environment. The circular economy offers solutions by promoting the reuse of plastics and improving recycling technologies (Hossain, R., Islam, M. T., Shanker, R., Khan, D., Locock, K. E. S., Ghose, A., … & Sahajwalla, V ,2022).Furthermore, the CE model helps tackle the depletion of natural resources by advocating for closed-loop systems. The report by the Finnish Environment Institute (2018) stresses that businesses adopting circular practices can reduce their dependency on raw materials, lower production costs, and contribute to sustainability. In essence, CE can drive innovation while mitigating environmental damage by reducing resource extraction and waste generation.
However, structural adjustments to laws, rules, and business models are necessary for the effective use of CE. For example, as the Finnish report discusses, policies that promote sustainable patterns of production and consumption must be incorporated into the regulatory framework in order to support these behaviors.Additionally, companies have a crucial role to play in hastening the adoption of CE by investing in cutting-edge recycling technology and reimagining goods to be more robust and recyclable.(Gasper, D., Shah, A., & Tankha, S ,2019).
In conclusion, the circular economy is essential for sustainable development, as it not only addresses environmental concerns but also opens up economic opportunities, reduces poverty, and fosters social equity. By embedding CE principles into production and consumption processes, nations and businesses can align their practices with the SDGs and create a more resilient and sustainable future.
References:-
- Gasper, D., Shah, A., & Tankha, S. (2019). The framing of sustainable consumption and production in SDG 12. Global Policy, 10, 83-95.
- Hossain, R., Islam, M. T., Shanker, R., Khan, D., Locock, K. E. S., Ghose, A., … & Sahajwalla, V. (2022). Plastic waste management in India: Challenges, opportunities, and roadmap for circular economy. Sustainability, 14(8), 4425.
- Khalid, A. M., Sharma, S., & Dubey, A. K. (2018, August). Developing an indicator set for measuring sustainable development in India. In Natural Resources Forum (Vol. 42, No. 3, pp. 185-200). Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Rodriguez-Anton, J. M., Rubio-Andrada, L., Celemín-Pedroche, M. S., & Alonso-Almeida, M. D. M. (2019). Analysis of the relations between circular economy and sustainable development goals. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 26(8), 708-720.
