Our Scans · (LF.12) Responsible Consumption and Production · Weekly Summary

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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] Low-emissions hydrogen production is still set to see robust growth to 2030, rising from less than 1% of the total today to around 4% by 2030. IEA
• [New] Based on projects with a final investment decision (FID), renewable and low-carbon hydrogen production can reach over 4 Mt by 2030, but they represent only 9% of all announced projects (up from 6% last year). IEA
• [New] Global electrolyzer capacity for green hydrogen production is set to increase 55-fold by 2030, reaching over 200 GW. Futurist Speaker on AI Leadership, Future of Work, Futu
• [New] Tyson expects to lose more than $600 million on beef production in 2025 after already reporting $720 million of red ink in beef over the past two years. Insurance Journal
• [New] By localising production, bound4blue will reduce lead times for its Model 2 and Model 3 eSAILs, while improving logistics efficiency for projects throughout Asia. MarineLink
• [New] Production in China will be handled through a network of outsourced industrial partners with strong naval and offshore manufacturing capabilities. MarineLink
• [New] Food companies that rely heavily on wheat as a primary ingredient such as major bakeries and pasta manufacturers like General Mills or Kellogg Company, could face increased production costs. Valley City Times-Record
• [New] Automation and AI will reduce production labour costs by 60-70% by 2035, making large-scale facilities economically viable. Futurist Speaker on AI Leadership, Future of Work, Futu
• [New] Asia is already warming at roughly twice the global average, with more frequent floods and storms, while parts of North America's Corn Belt could become less suitable for production. Forbes
• [New] Rare earth element supply chains demonstrate vulnerability to single-point failures, with most global production dependent on Chinese processing facilities that could be disrupted by various scenarios ranging from natural disasters to geopolitical tensions. Discovery Alert
• [New] Global demand for critical minerals will increase fourfold by 2040, with certain materials experiencing growth multiples of thirty times current consumption levels. Discovery Alert
• [New] Tesla's planned battery production capacity of 3 terawatt-hours annually by 2030 alone requires approximately 180,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide equivalent per year. Discovery Alert
• [New] Speculation among analysts: The next major Optimus version could debut in early 2026 (Tesla has teased the third-generation prototype), with production ramp-up by 2027. TESMAG
• [New] The U.S. lacks the infrastructure needed for large-scale domestic CRM production and development could take 5 to 10 years. Passle
• [New] The Freeport will boost UK production of clean energy and sustainable fuels, including offshore wind energy. GOV.UK
• [New] Houston Education and Pick-Up Center expected to open in December 2025.Production underway for new Rick Simpson Oil and distillate syringe products, with additional SKUs in active R&D. FLUENT Corp.
• [New] Beyond reducing power consumption, blockchain has significant potential to support sustainability. The Cool Down
• [New] While the fully hydrogen-powered unit is not slated to start production until 2040, the future of tanks has already arrived with autonomous robot tanks blowing up cars remotely. BGR
• [New] The creator economy in the US has cemented its place as a driving force in media consumption habits, with advertising spend projected to reach US$37bn by the end of this year. C21media
• [New] The downturn in global beef production is expected to run into 2026, with output projected to fall by about 3.1%. Just Food
• [New] Romania's real GDP growth is expected to remain low at 0.7% in 2025 and 1.1% in 2026, as the necessary fiscal consolidation dampens private and public consumption, in turn further affected by a surge in inflation. Economy and Finance

Last updated: 01 December 2025