Global Scans · Responsible Consumption and Production · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

• [New] As the global plastics consumption is expected to double by 2060 according to the OECD, policy and industry actions are necessary to reduce the negative environmental impacts from plastics, notably from plastic waste. The Joint Research Centre: EU Science Hub
• [New] Meat consumption will increase by 17% globally if the historical trend continues without change, 21% if all the current challenges to improve production systems are not met, or by only 3% if action is taken to become more sustainable and equitable. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Meat consumption is expected to increase by 14% until 2030, mainly due to the increase in population. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Beef production is expected to grow mainly in Sub-Saharan Africa and, to a lesser extent, in America, while it is expected to decrease in Europe and principally in India. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] With regards to pork, its production is expected to increase in China and Vietnam, after the outbreak of Asian Porcine Fever, and also in Russia. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] By 2050, the global population is projected to increase by 38.6%, driving a 33.3% rise in global meat consumption (Gu et al. 2023). PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] USDA's September World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates projects total 2025 turkey production will be 4.84 billion pounds, down 1.8 billion pounds, or 5%, from 2024 and down 11% from nearly 5.5 billion pounds in 2023. American Farm Bureau Federation
• [New] Energy consumption is another pressing matter, with AI-intensive spatial systems potentially rivaling urban power demands by 2030. Poniak Times
• [New] The modeled tariffs imposed by the FPFA are projected to increase US production and alter overall import volumes in covered sectors. Resources for the Future
• [New] The inherently high energy consumption of advanced node manufacturing, the projected surge in demand for AI chips, persistent water scarcity in regions with major fabs, and the complexity of managing Scope 3 emissions across intricate global supply chains will be continuous uphill battles. FinancialContent
• [New] The sheer energy consumption of AI remains a significant challenge, with data centers projected to account for a substantial percentage of global electricity consumption by 2030. FinancialContent
• [New] With global protein demand on the rise and food inflation persisting, speakers will warn against the risks of reducing domestic food production while encouraging land abandonment. The Northern Farmer
• [New] Local production will shorten supply chains, reduce costs, and enhance resilience against global disruptions. IANS News
• [New] The demand for freshwater will exceed supply by 40% by 2030, threatening more than half of global food production. Sada News Agency
• [New] The lack of undocumented and documented workers results in significant disruptions to production costs and threatening the stability of domestic food production and prices for U.S consumers. Fortune
• [New] Recent reports of production disruptions at major mines, including Tech Resources (Quebrada Blanca mine), Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (Grasberg mine), Codelco and Hudbay Minerals Inc. - have led to a sharp downward revision in the output guidance for the year. / China investing.com
• If we can process food closer to the farm gate, it will create jobs in rural India, reduce carbon emissions from transport, and keep production costs lower. The Indian Express
• Canadian lithium production is projected to grow by over 150% by 2025, powering next-generation electric vehicles worldwide. Farmonaut
• The localized engineering expertise, modular production capabilities, and export potential they generate could position Turkey as a key player in the global clean energy transition. Turkiye Today
• Turkey's potential to localize SMR manufacturing - by establishing domestic module production and component supply chains - could replicate the success of its defence and aerospace sectors. Turkiye Today
• Raw material price fluctuations, exacerbated by global supply disruptions, raise production costs by 10-15%, reducing competitiveness against low-cost imports. Persistence Market Research
• The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory projects data center energy consumption will rise to 6.7% to 12% of total US electricity demand by 2028. Asia Times

Last updated: 13 October 2025