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 global supply chains rebalance, AI becomes embedded in production, and sustainability gains boardroom priority, machining leaders must rethink how they plan, program and optimize their operations. Automation.com
• [New] Australia is investing AU$ 1.1 billion in low-carbon fuels, while Japan combines a 10% SAF target by 2030 with subsidies and industrial policy to scale domestic production. ASUENE | The enterprise climate cloud platform | Carbon
• [New] The EU's Sustainable Transport Investment Plan aims to mobilize €2.9 billion by 2027 to scale production, supported by mechanisms such as e-SAF auctions and potential ETS support. ASUENE | The enterprise climate cloud platform | Carbon
• [New] By 2026, next-gen electrolyzers are projected to slash overall hydrogen production costs by as much as 25% versus today's benchmarks, especially when powered by abundant solar or wind energy in off-grid or weak-grid locations. Farmonaut
• [New] Australia's ambitions to be a green hydrogen export hub will generate substantial demand for production and port infrastructure silencers. IndexBox Inc.
• [New] Labour shortages, geopolitical risks and logistics disruptions have accelerated reshoring - bringing production closer to home markets. Automation.com
• [New] Regional manufacturing reshoring accelerates during extended disruption periods as companies reassess the total cost of global supply chain complexity versus local production resilience. Discovery Alert
• [New] Export controls, supply chain fragility, and energy consumption are the three biggest risks shaping the AI accelerator landscape through 2026 and beyond. Articsledge
• [New] SK Group's chairman, at NVIDIA's GTC conference in March, put it plainly: HBM supply shortages could persist until 2030, with current demand deficits exceeding 20%, and new production capacity takes four to five years to build. / USA FinExtra
• [New] New HBM production lines are expected to reach full operational capacity only in 2027. / India XTB.com
• [New] The threat to Australia's fuel security from a reliance on imports highlights the importance of accelerating local production of biofuels to support the heavy transport sector. Leaders call for sustainable aviation fuel mandate
• [New] Against a growing global demand for plastics, bio-plastics and bio-degradable plastics are projected to hardly reach a share of 1% of the global production capacity by 2030. Joint Research Centre
• [New] By shifting construction activities from unpredictable building sites to factory-based production systems, modular construction is helping the industry transition from a project-based model to a manufacturing-style approach, which may redefine global construction practices over the next decade. Core Insights
• [New] Experts in the field of supply chain management emphasize that the trend of bringing production closer to markets does not necessarily mean that global supply chains will disappear. BizInsider: Business | AI | Franchise | Strategy | OE |
• [New] National cereal production is expected to exceed 8 million metric tons in the 2025/2026 season, nearly 80% more than the 4.4 million metric tons estimated for 2024/2025. Ecofin Agency
• [New] Indian fertilizer manufacturers have already cut urea output as high LNG costs raise production expenses - threatening India's monsoon planting season and rice and wheat export volumes. CNS Media
• [New] Repeated disruptions to global fertiliser supply chains strengthen the strategic case for expanding production capacity within Africa. African Business
• [New] The concentration of panel production capacity in Asia means that any regional disruption immediately impacts European inventory levels and lead times. Market Data Forecast
• [New] Flexibility will become the most valuable business asset in 2026, where stakeholders must align marketing strategies with evolving consumer behaviour rather than hoping for a dramatic revitalization of consumption. IWC
• [New] The Platinum Group Metals supply chain is highly concentrated geographically, creating persistent exposure to production disruptions and geopolitical risks. Persistence Market Research
• [New] PEM technologies are expected to support substantial growth in platinum demand across the hydrogen production and heavy-duty mobility sectors. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Even with prices at distressed levels across multiple product categories, American milk production is forecast to keep expanding. The Bullvine | The Dairy Information You Want To Know W

Last updated: 23 March 2026