The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development covers 17 goals, the twelfth of which is “Responsible consumption and production,” namely: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Under this major goal, there are 17 targets, the 12.1 of which is “Implement the 10Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries.”

●Current Situation

About the World

A message of hope for global sustainable development

At present, the negative impact of unsustainable global production and consumption systems on climate, biodiversity and pollution is still on the rise. Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12) can become a driving factor for the global recovery from the pandemic, so that no one will be left behind, and we can realize the ambition of global sustainable development, and put us back on track in 2030. Therefore, adopting sustainable consumption and production models, that is, sustainable consumption and production supported by the circular economy approach and other sustainable policy models, can become the driving force for poverty alleviation and economic development. By 2060, the income of low-income and middle-income countries can increase by 8percentand 13percentrespectively, and the income of high-income countries can increase by 4percenton average. Greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by 90percent by 2060, thus helping to mitigate climate change. Positive impacts on biodiversity, health and pollutionare expected to result in a 25 percent reduction in resource extraction. The improved results will be based on the fact that rising consumption rates in emerging and developing economies are offset by declines in high-income countries. It can also provide an entry point for the global transition to a more equitable consumption pattern, benefiting all social classes. Sustained action on sustainable consumption and production sends a message of hope to stakeholders who want to take action to achieve global climate, biodiversity, pollution and well-being goals.

Source: un.org, Environmental Development Center of Ministry of Ecology and Environment

About China

China unswervingly follows the path of green consumption and production

Over the past 20 years or so, China's economy has grown at an average annual rate of about 8 percent, and its total economic volume has tripled. In the course of this development, we have taken some detours. For a long time, we have been following the traditional development mode of high input, high consumption, heavy pollution and low output, which has caused serious environmental problems. In order to protect the ecological environment, we need to pay more attention to promoting the formation of green production and consumption patterns. Green production refers to a comprehensive measure that takes energy saving, consumption reduction and pollution reduction as the goal, and takes management and technology as the means to implement pollution control in the whole process of industrial production and minimize the amount of pollutants. Green consumption, also known as sustainable consumption, is a general term for all kinds of consumption behaviors and consumption patterns that meet the standards of human health and environmental protection, starting from meeting the ecological needs, with the basic connotation of being beneficial to health and protecting the ecological environment. In recent years, we have taken some positive measures and achieved some initial results.

●Cases

About the World

The one planet, the one blue sky

Adopted in 2012 at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, the10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (10YFP) is a global commitment to accelerate the shift towards sustainable consumption and production in both developed and developing countries. Sustainable consumption and production has been included as a stand-alone goal (SDG 12) of the 2030 Sustainable Development agenda, and Target 12.1 calls for the implementation of the 10YFP. The One Planet network has formed to implement the commitment of the 10YFP. It is a multi-stakeholder partnership for sustainable development, generating collective impact through its six programs: Public Procurement, Buildings and Construction, Tourism, Food Systems, Consumer Information, and Lifestyles and Education.The One Planet network is an open partnership, and countries including all relevant stakeholders and organizations are invited to join and actively engage.  The strategic objective of the One Planet network over the period 2018-2022 is to be recognized as the lead mechanism to support and accelerate the shift to sustainable consumption and production patterns, becoming the leading implementation mechanism for Goal 12 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Achieving sustainable consumption and production will deliver not only SDG 12, but simultaneously contribute to the achievement of almost all of the other SDGs, directly or indirectly. While a stand-alone goal (SDG 12) has been included, SCP should be seen as an enabler for the implementation of a range of other goals and many of their targets. Actions and policies required to achieve the objective of SDG 12 aim to decouple economic growth from resource use and range of other impacts on the environment and their associated effects on poverty eradication and shared prosperity – this is the enabling effect of the shift to sustainable consumption and production patterns. In 2018, UN Environment and other partners developedGoodlife Goals. The Good Life Goals are a set of personal actions that people around the world can take to help support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They are lifestyle asks for individuals that are carefully aligned with the SDGs’ 169 targets and indicators.Due to the breadth of the One Planet network, counting already hundreds of organisations across all regions, a knowledge management platform has been set up as a go-to hub for SDG 12, where stakeholders can find and share information and connect with one another.

Source: unep.org

Insights into sustainable consumption trends in the Asia-Pacific Region

On June 5, 2022, the 51st World Environment Day, Bain& Company released “Unpacking Asia-Pacific Consumers’ New Love Affair with Sustainability”. The survey of 16,000 consumers in the Asia-Pacific region shows that the interviewed consumers are very concerned about sustainable development. Among them, 90 percent of the respondents said they were willing to pay a premium for the sustainable characteristics of the product. However, due to the lack of relevant information on some products, or simply out of distrust of the brand's sustainable development statement, some consumers did not take action in the end, resulting in a “gap between words and deeds”. In addition, the convenience of purchasing sustainable products is another factor that prevents respondents from buying. In the next three years, 40 percent of the respondents are willing to increase their expenditure on sustainable products. In this regard, the brands can take measures such as providing sustainable substitutes, clearly transmitting the brand concept, and optimizing the information channels to reduce the “gap between words and deeds” of consumers, so as to win potential sales opportunities and valuable consumer recommendations.

Source: Ministry of Commerce of the PRC - Economic Guide for Sustainable Development

About China

The Yangtze River Delta demonstration area explores green consumption payment

In July 2022, the Executive Committee of the Yangtze River Delta Ecological and Green Integrated Development Demonstration Zone printed and distributed the pilot work arrangement of digital RMB in the demonstration zone in 2022, which proposed to focus on promoting the implementation of nine application scenarios such as cross-region credit medical treatment, characteristic digital village and characteristic financial services. In addition, the demonstration zone will continue to explore more green consumption payment scenarios for agricultural subsidies. It has implemented such scenarios as autumn grain purchase subsidies and targeted consumption, purchase and payment of agricultural insurance, cross-region ancient town tourism consumption, and cross-region business circle coordination in consumption.

Sources: cls.cn

Shenzhen explores the construction of a low-carbon city

Zhang Yalong, executive director of Shenzhen Institute of Sustainable Development, said that at present, nearly zero carbon emission has become the cut-out for enterprises to enter the “double carbon (carbon peaking and carbon neutrality)” circuit. The application of digital and intelligent technology in the traditional “double carbon” construction, combined with big data and cloud platforms, has the advantages of low cost, high efficiency and precision, and has become a new highlight in the “double carbon” track. After 10 years of green development exploration, Shenzhen International Low-carbon City with a total planning area of 53.4 square kilometers has initially formed a low-carbon industry cluster effect, and a number of excellent enterprises and innovation platforms have been gathered. The International Low-carbon Clean Technology Cooperation and Exchange Platform, the Shenzhen Emission Rights Exchange and carbon finance cooperation projects with financial institutions have settled down one after another, providing a carrier for the development of low-carbon industry., Technologies such as the comprehensive application of cloud computing, block chain, internet of things, and GIS have been promoted in the Shenzhen International Low-carbon City area to realize the spatial visualization of greenhouse gas emissions and the informatization of the preparation of greenhouse gas emission lists, providing more scientific and reasonable dynamic management and control tools for urban managers, and comprehensively improving the city's smart carbon operation capacity.

Wen Zhong, deputy director of Ecology Environment Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, said that Shenzhen as a leading demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics also undertakes the historical mission of leading the demonstration in the field of ecology and environment, and is taking the lead in creating a “beautiful China” model of harmonious coexistence between human and nature. Nan Zhaoxu, a local natural and historical researcher and ecologist in Shenzhen, recently promoted the establishment of a series of micro nature reserves with special scientific and ecological values in Shenzhen. Currently, the first batch of 20 micro nature reserves in Shenzhen have been planned, and some small nature reserves are in the communities. Yantian District has actively explored the humanistic and ecological way of carbon neutral community construction in terms of green energy, green transportation, green buildings and kitchen waste treatment through actions such as cleaning mountains and beaches, zero waste life and community building gardens.

Source: Economic Information Daily

●Background

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Initiated by the United Nations

On 1 January, 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 169 targets, of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.