Sustainable Development Goals 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

 

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

A rising global population mixed with irresponsible resource usage is causing chaos in our world, hastening climate change, destroying ecosystems, and increasing pollution levels. Approximately 14% of the world's food is lost in the supply chain before reaching the retail level. Every minute, 1 million plastic drinking bottles are purchased throughout the world, and 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are discarded. Between 2000 and 2017, the global material footprint rose by 70%. However, today is a once-in-a-generation chance to establish a COVID-19 recovery strategy that will help us build sustainable and resilient economies and society. It's past time to completely embrace decoupling economic growth from environmental deterioration, carbon reduction, resource efficiency improvements, and the promotion of sustainable lifestyles.

Electric waste is not being disposed of correctly despite increasing rapidly in number 

The global production of electronic and electrical equipment waste (e-waste) reached 53.6 million metric tonnes in 2019, up more than 20% from 2014. In 2019, each individual created around 7.3 kilos of e-waste, with just 1.7 kilogrammes recognised as being treated in an ecologically friendly manner. Poisonous chemicals are discharged into the land and water as a result of improper e-waste disposal, endangering both the environment and human health. Rare and precious raw resources such as gold, platinum, cobalt, and rare earth elements are lost as a result. E-waste might hold up to 7% of the world's gold at any given time.

E-waste production is predicted to increase by 0.16 kilogrammes per capita every year, reaching 9.0 kilogrammes per capita in 2030 which is a total of 74.4 million metric tonnes. However, in the last decade, the r annual growth rate of e-waste recycling was just 0.05 kilos per capita. To achieve the recycling of all e-waste by 2030, it will need to be at least ten times higher.