Preface to Transitioning to Responsible Consumption and Production

Developed in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were a call to change the world that we live in. The UN proposed a method of change that centred on global sustainability targets, reached through national actions, yet some would argue that the gap between sustainability goals and environmental reality is still growing within high consuming countries. Responsible Consumption and Production, the twelfth UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 12), calls for significant change in how we view both production and consumption norms—particularly among resource hungry nations. This special volume is focused on SDG 12, and highlights significant areas of change required in the transition toward responsible consumption and production worldwide. The volume offers seven perspectives on SDG 12, from around the world, and proposes methods for encouraging sustainability in both our consumption choices, and also in the production methods employed to service our consumption needs.