Our Scans · (LF.12) 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] Elon Musk aims to stay ahead with Optimus Gen 3's large-scale production, which could transform how factories operate worldwide. El Adelantado EN
• [New] Hyundai plans mass production of Atlas robots by 2028. El Adelantado EN
• [New] As outlined in Metafuels' recently published white paper, Clearing the Runway for SAF, global SAF production must increase by more than 150-fold by 2050 to meet projected aviation demand. Hydrogen Central
• [New] Global sustainable aviation fuel production must increase more than 150-fold by 2050 to meet projected aviation demand - a scale that bio-based fuels alone cannot deliver. Hydrogen Central
• [New] In 2026, consolidated copper production is expected to increase by 5% to 124,000 tonnes. GlobeNewswire
• [New] In British Columbia, 2026 copper production is expected to be 30,000 tonnes, representing a 26% increase from 2025, driven by the completion of the third ball mill to second SAG mill conversion in late 2025. GlobeNewswire
• [New] Zinc production for 2026 is expected to be 18,500 tonnes, representing a 5% increase from 2025, driven by higher production from the 1901 deposit. GlobeNewswire
• [New] In Manitoba, 2026 gold production is expected to be 200,000 ounces, an increase of 15% from 2025, reflecting normalized operations after unprecedented wildfires in 2025, continued strong mill throughput at New Britannia and strong gold grades at Lalor. GlobeNewswire
• [New] In Peru, 2026 copper production is expected to be 82,500 tonnes, a slight decrease of 3% from 2025 due to the depletion of Pampacancha, which has been largely offset by higher mill throughput and operating efficiencies. GlobeNewswire
• [New] In summary, over the next decade, 3D printing will evolve from an advanced manufacturing technology into a key infrastructure for the digital manufacturing era, providing more efficient, flexible, and sustainable production methods while playing a central role in global industrial upgrading. 3D Printing Industry
• [New] Over the next decade, additive manufacturing will evolve into a mainstream industrial production technology. 3D Printing Industry
• [New] The first autonomous AM gigafactories will emerge in Europe: shared, software-defined production platforms capable of manufacturing entirely different products for different companies at any time, with minimal human intervention. 3D Printing Industry
• [New] Digital twins will enable manufacturers to use additive manufacturing to reproduce fixtures, jigs, dental appliances, and production parts consistently across global sites without retooling. 3D Printing Industry
• [New] Over the next decade, AM will become less distinct as an industry and more embedded as a normal production capability inside broader manufacturing systems. 3D Printing Industry
• [New] Over the next 5 to 10 years, 3D printing will become a core component of the broader manufacturing stack, operating as an indispensable part of efficient production beyond prototyping and small batch production. 3D Printing Industry
• [New] Additive manufacturing will accelerate its mainstream adoption as a production technology in 2026, with polymer AM taking a central role in tooling, service parts, and an expanding range of end-use components. 3D Printing Industry
• [New] By 2026, more brands will treat additive manufacturing as a viable production method rather than a prototyping step. 3D Printing Industry
• [New] India's National Green Hydrogen Mission allocates Rs19,744 crore ($2.3 billion) to achieve 5 million tons of annual production by 2030. Market Data Forecast
• [New] Hydrogen currently accounts for less than 2% of global final energy consumption, but its potential is expanding rapidly under climate imperatives. Market Data Forecast
• [New] China's share in global PV manufacturing capacity is expected to increase significantly across modules, cells, wafers, and polysilicon production through 2030, with dominance in installations and cell production. Persistence Market Research
• [New] The emphasis on US based and Japan based fabs, plus the move into HBM4 production, adds geographic and product detail that goes beyond the original discussion of capacity and may change how geopolitical and execution risks are assessed. Yahoo Finance
• [New] Global electricity demand is forecast to increase at a brisk average annual rate of 3.6% over the 2026-2030 forecast period, supported by rising consumption from industry, electric vehicles, air conditioning and data centers. IEA
• [New] Consumption is projected to see a slight rise in 2026 based on new service connections. Township of South Stormont

Last updated: 23 February 2026