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] The good news is that many textile experts believe that use of AI in textile mills will reduce waste and increase worker productivity enough so that the U.S. textile industry, including in North Carolina, will increase its competitiveness and boost its production and sales. Salisbury Post
• [New] Singapore now sources food from 187 countries and regions, up from 140 two decades ago, while also strengthening local production as a buffer against disruption. ST
• [New] The global drive for electrification - which IRENA projects will account for 52% of final energy consumption by 2050-demands a smarter, more resilient grid, a feat achievable primarily through advanced digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. SolarQuarter
• [New] If we fail to integrate water considerations into global production strategies, we risk worsening both water crises and industrial vulnerabilities. EurekAlert!
• [New] Targeted interventions in hotspots such as India, Kazakhstan, and Turkey could reduce water conflicts by improving efficiency in material production. EurekAlert!
• [New] With growing population, urbanization and affluence, material production continues to expand worldwide, and the competition for freshwater will intensify. EurekAlert!
• [New] Shifting users' consumption habits could help to better align demand for electricity to its supply, which can help in lowering costs. ST
• [New] Most projects will need several years to achieve commercial production at scales that meaningfully reduce dependence on Chinese supplies. Discovery Alert
• [New] Plastic production has increased more than 200-fold since 1950 and is expected to almost triple again to more than a billion tonnes a year by 2060, driven largely by single-use plastics used for packaging and drink and food containers. The Guardian
• [New] Transitioning to plant-based diets could reduce global agricultural labour requirements by 5-28% by 2030, mainly due to decreased demand for livestock production. CNS Media
• [New] Food systems currently account for nearly 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, so reducing livestock production could ease pressure on ecosystems while freeing up land for reforestation and biodiversity recovery. VegNews
• [New] Globally, data center electricity consumption is expected to more than double between 2023 and 2028, with AI being the most significant driver, potentially accounting for nearly half of data center power consumption by the end of 2025. FinancialContent
• [New] AI data center capacity is projected to grow at a CAGR of 40.5% through 2027, with energy consumption growing at 44.7%, reaching 146.2 Terawatt-hours by 2027. FinancialContent
• [New] The energy consumption of modern AI systems is immense; data centers supporting AI operations are projected to consume 1,580 terawatt-hours per year by 2034, comparable to India's entire electricity consumption. FinancialContent
• [New] Major players like TSMC, Intel, and Samsung are leading the charge with ambitious net-zero goals and substantial investments, while startups are introducing disruptive innovations that promise to fundamentally reshape production. FinancialContent
• [New] The FAO's Blue Transformation initiative targets a 35% rise in production by 2030 through better governance and investment. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Municipal waste arisings could contribute 12 Mt per year of feedstock for bioenergy production. Circular Online
• [New] While numerous SAF production facilities have been announced, current production is less than 1% of the 400 billion liters required annually by 2050. Circular Online
• [New] As production capacity expands, the environmental benefits of SAF are expected to increase, enabling Europe to meet its climate commitments and set a global standard for sustainable aviation. eplaneai
• [New] Governments, through initiatives like the U.S. CHIPS Act, are actively fostering domestic semiconductor production to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, a lesson learned from recent global disruptions. FinancialContent
• [New] If approved by the FDA, Wegovy in a pill will be fully made in the US, with production already underway at Novo Nordisk's North Carolina manufacturing facilities. Cision PR Newswire
• [New] Posts on X highlight forecasts predicting OpenAI alone requiring 900,000 wafers per month of DRAM by 2029, a figure that dwarfs current production capacities. WebProNews

Last updated: 10 November 2025