Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Sustainable consumption and production patterns enable efficient resource use and can reduce the impact of economic activities on the environment. To that end, this Goal focuses on decoupling economic growth from resource use, and ensuring that hazardous chemicals and wastes are managed in a way that minimizes their impact on human lives and the environment. 

•  Globally, the material footprint of human beings increased from 48.5 billion metric tons in 2000 to 69.3 billion metric tons in 2010. The material footprint per capita increased from 8 metric tons per person to 10 metric tons per person over the same period. 
•  In 2010, Australia and New Zealand had the highest material footprint per capita (35 metric tons per person), followed by europe and Northern America (20 metric tons per person); sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest (2.5 metric tons per person).
•  Eastern and South-eastern Asia accounted for 42 per cent of global domestic material consumption (DMC), reflecting rapid industrialization in the region. 
•  Almost all United Nations Member States are party to at least one global environmental agreement on chemicals and hazardous waste. However, between 2010 and 2014, only 51 per cent of Parties to the Stockholm Convention, 57 per cent of Parties to the Basel Convention, and 71 per cent of Parties to the rotterdam Convention fully met their reporting commitments under these agreements

TheSustainableDevelopmentGoalsReport2017