Day 14: The SDGs consultation and the Goal 12 "Responsible consumption and production"

The United Nations Development Programme along with the State Committee for Nature Protection and Land Resources have presented the Goal 12 “Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns” at the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) consultations.  The goal includes the following background, 

Achieving economic growth and sustainable development requires that we urgently reduce our ecological footprint by changing the way we produce and consume goods and resources. Agriculture is the biggest user of water worldwide, and irrigation now claims close to 70 percent of all freshwater appropriated for human use.

The efficient management of our shared natural resources, and the way we dispose of toxic waste and pollutants, are important targets to achieve this goal. Encouraging industries, businesses and consumers to recycle and reduce waste is equally important, as is supporting developing countries to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption by 2030.  

A large share of the world population is still consuming far too little to meet even their basic needs. Halving per capita global food waste at the retailer and consumer levels is also important for creating more efficient production and supply chains. This can help with food security and shift us towards a more resource efficient economy.”[1]

Representatives of about 10 national ministries and agencies discussed the proposed 11 targets to the Goal 12 and their relevance to Turkmenistan. Participants of today's consultation agreed to adopt ten of the global targets as is. One target was modified to the local context. Three of 13 indicators were accepted without modification. Three were changed to the local context, six require further clarification. Two national indicators have been developed. They are about adopting national legislation in the area of rational use of resources and developing national models of sustainable consumption in economic sectors of the country including water, food security, and energy.    

All participants emphasized the importance of process optimization in economic sectors to ensure rational production taking into account general public demand for consumption.