Analyzing Responsible Consumption and Production in South Africa

This essay examines South Africa's approach to Sustainable Development Goal 12, focusing on responsible consumption and production. It begins by broadly describing SDG 12 and its context within South Africa, highlighting the nation's mixed economy and challenges related to resource consumption, inequality, and environmental sustainability. The essay then explores the relationship between SDG 12 and the green economy, emphasizing the interconnectedness of sustainable development and environmental protection. It identifies and analyzes policies implemented by South Africa to support SDG 12, such as legislation, consumer awareness campaigns, and initiatives promoting renewable energy and sustainable procurement. Furthermore, the essay employs the nexus approach to demonstrate the interconnections between SDG 12 and other SDGs, such as those related to poverty, climate action, and food security. The analysis incorporates insights from various academic articles to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing South Africa in achieving responsible consumption and production by 2030. The essay highlights the need for integrated policies, consumer behavior changes, and industrial support to foster sustainable development and create a greener economy. The essay also discusses the application of the nexus approach to determine the relationship between the chosen and other developmental goals and assesses the role of gender mainstreaming on the identified goal.

Running head: RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION IN SOUTH AFRICA
Responsible Consumption and Production in South Africa
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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Introduction
The main aim of the United Nation (UN) is to maintain international security and peace.
Thus, the intergovernmental organization achieves international cooperation through establishing
friendly relations among countries of the world. In addition, it also harmonizes the actions taken
by the countries around the world for a specific agenda (Bekun, Emir and Sarkodie 2019). In
2015, the UN suggested the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development for the member states of
the intergovernmental organization. It offers a shared blueprint for prosperity and peace for the
planet and people, which will be implemented in present as well as future. All the member states
of the UN adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which consists of 17
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Therefore, all member states including developed and
developing countries need to take initiatives regarding sustainable development goals to make
the 2030 agenda successful. One such member states of the UN is South Africa, which adopted
the 2030 agenda.
It is the second largest country of the Africa and a mixed economy. Despite having
relatively high Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in comparison with other countries of
the Africa, it has a high income inequality along with relatively high unemployment and poverty.
The 17 sustainable development goals include no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-
being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean
energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, required
inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production,
climate action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice and strong institutions and
partnerships for the goals (Waibel et al. 2017). This paper taken into consideration one of the
developmental agenda of the UN such as responsible consumption and production and examines

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the initiatives adopted by the South Africa in order to achieve that sustainable developmental
goal. Furthermore, it also emphasizes on the role of responsible consumption and production on
the economy of South Africa and it will help the country to retain the concept of the green
economy (McEwan, Hughes and Bek 2015). Here, the application of the nexus approach will
help to determine the relationship between the chosen and other developmental goals. This paper
assesses the role of the gender mainstreaming on the identified goal. To complete the paper
valuable insights from some articles have been incorporated.
The article on Another look at the relationship between energy and consumption, carbon
dioxide emissions, and economic growth in South Africa has been incorporated to investigate
how energy consumption leads to carbon dioxide emission and effects the economic growth in
South Africa (Bekun, Emir. and Sarkodie 2019). Here, the included article on Sustainable
consumption and production in food supply chain: A conceptual framework helps to understand
the application of sustainable production and consumption in the food supply chain (Govindan
2018). The article on Governance arrangements for the future food system: Addressing
complexity in South Africa has been incorporated to examine the food security related issues in
the country (Pereira and Drimie 2016). The article on Food security in South Africa: key policy
issues for the medium term has been included to assess the key policy issues in case of food
security in South Africa (De Klerk et al. 2015). Here, the selected article to analyse the
sustainable development goal is, A systematic study of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)
interactions (Pradhan et al. 2017). The article on Green economy and related concepts: An
overview has been incorporated to understand the role green economy on the responsible
consumption and production (Loiseau et al. 2016). The article on Cross-sectoral strategies in
global sustainability governance: towards a nexus approach has been included to analyse the

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importance of the nexus approach in the context of sustainable development goal (Boas,
Biermann and Kanie 2016). The article on Gender mainstreaming in local economic
development processes: a South African perspective has been added to get a compressive
concept on gender mainstreaming in terms of responsible consumption and production in South
Africa (Vyas-Doorgapersad 2017).
Literature Review
One of the vital goals under the 2030 sustainable development goals is responsible
consumption and production. It aims to ensure sustainable patterns of consumption and
production. It mainly suggests to make fundamental changes in the way production and
consumption of the goods and services happen in the society. It is recommended to avoid
unsustainable patterns of consumption and production through strengthening technological,
scientific and innovative capacity of the developing countries with the help of mobilization from
all sources (Za.undp.org 2020). The assistance in the field of technical and financial segment will
help the developing countries to reach its goal. To fulfill the goal of the sustainable patterns of
production and consumption the countries should be assisted by the international organizations,
government, individuals, business sectors and other non-actors. Therefore, the contribution of
these bodies will help to transform the unsustainable patters of production and consumption into
the sustainable patterns production and consumption. Moreover, the UN encouraged to adopt a
framework of programmes on sustainable production and consumption for 10 years.
Though, it is encouraged for participation by all countries, it is strongly advised by the
UN to take the lead by the developing countries. It will take into consideration the strengths of
the developing nations to achieve the goals as well as sustainable development
(Sustainabledevelopment.un.org. 2020). The use of the goods and services to meet the basic

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needs will help to achieve the sustainable patterns of production and consumption. Thus, there
should be minimization of use of toxic materials and natural resources along with the emissions
of pollutants and waste over the life cycle of the goods and services (Henders, Persson and
Kastner 2015). It will maintain the needs of the future generation by preventing over extraction
of the natural resources. Additionally, the role of the sustainable production and consumption is
inevitable in the sustainable development. Hence, the sustainable development fosters the social
and economic development with the help of one of the three essential requirements overreaching
objectives. These are management of natural resources, sustainable consumption and production
and eradication of poverty. Therefore, the global sustainable development can be obtained
through bringing fundamental changes in the way societies consume and produce (Kiron et al.
2015). The economy of the South Africa is resource intensive in nature, which makes responsible
consumption and production relevant in the context of South Africa.
The historical dominance of the activities under the primary sectors such as mineral
processing, synthetic fuel production, miming and metal smelting and low cost of the coal allows
the country to be energy intensive (Ingrao et al. 2016). As a result, there was a dramatic growth
in the consumption of the natural resources in the South Africa. The available water resources of
the country is drastically consumed by the manufacturing, industrial and agriculture processes. In
addition, the quality of the surfaces water resources plummeted because of pollution generating
from economic activities such as domestic use (Govindan 2018). Thus, it resulted in indirect and
direct threats to functioning of the ecology and humans. It is also equally essential to prevent the
wastage of foods to restore more efficient supply chains and production and it will maintain the
food security in the country. The problems of over consumption and production spread in every
sectors of the economy and hampered all the natural resources (Porter et al. 2017). It became

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necessary for all member countries of the UN coupled with the South Africa to take global
collaborative initiatives in this regard to combat the menace of the unsuitable patterns of
production and consumption.
Moreover, the receptiveness of the business, citizens and governments to change the
unsustainable patterns of production and consumption scaled up due to the increasing cost of
managing and treating waste and scarcity of resources in South Africa together with growing
global attention on sustainable patterns of production and consumption (Nedumaran et al. 2015).
To promote the responsible consumption and production, a framework is developed by the South
Africa to make necessary progress in this regard. The key focus areas of the government of the
country include participating in the development of the framework of programmes for 10 years
and transition from the unsustainable patterns of production and consumption to sustainable
production and consumption (De Klerk et al. 2015). The government of South Africa took major
initiatives in form of developing legislation and policy, increasing consumer awareness and
protection, enabling environments for renewable energy, encouraging measures to save energy,
establishing mechanisms for sustainable procurement and funding and cleaner production
piloting and implementing through industry (Tschirley et al. 2015). Despite all these significant
steps towards achieving sustainable patterns of production and consumption, there remained
various challenges in front of the South Africa in bridging gap between the second and first
economies.
South Africa was also unable to improve the life of the poor population of the country as
well as eradicating poverty (Flatø, Muttarak and Pelser 2017). In order to, maximize the
application of the capacity, tools and funds dedicated for the responsible production and
consumption, it is required to implement stringent policy alignment. Hence, the process will be

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successful through development of the strategy under the sustainable production and
consumption. Furthermore, the government also required to encourage the consumers to change
their behaviour towards consumption, which will enable to promote sustainable development.
The change in behaviour of the consumers should be applied irrespective of class and gender. To
make the polices adopted under the sustainable production and consumption effective, the
government of South Africa should take concerted efforts at local, regional and national level
(Zhuo, Mekonnen and Hoekstra 2016). However, the industries of the country need assistance to
implement the strategies related to the reduction in use of the resources and promotion in reuse,
recycling and minimizing of waste. The overall environmental impact of the business operation
can be improved by encouraging the industries and businesses. Another important aspect should
be take into account by the government of the country that to follow the enactment of legislation
aimed at consumer awareness and protection, the general environmental awareness levels should
be grow in near future (Esso and Keho 2016). It will help the country to reach the 2030
sustainable development goal. Therefore, to realize one of the most vital goal under the 17
sustainable development goal, South Africa should incorporate more integrated approach, which
will restore the responsible consumption and production by 2030.
Content
Green economy
The economy that attains sustainable development without degrading the environment
and scales down the ecological scarcities and environmental risks, is known as green economy.
Moreover, there is a close relationship between the green economy and ecological economics
(Lederer, Wallbott and Bauer 2018). Therefore, the concept of the green economy is based on
both being fair and efficient. It can said that the green economy ensures country and global level

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equity dimensions through social inclusion, low-carbon and resource efficiency. Here, the
concepts of the green economy and identified development goal like responsible consumption
and production are interconnected. Both aims to attain sustainable development by reducing the
environmental degradation and ecological scarcities (Loiseau et al. 2016). A fundamental
changes in the patterns of production and consumption is required to establish the green
economy. The responsible consumption and production should be associated with the fulfilling
of basic demands such as energy, mobility, housing and food, which will help in conversation of
natural resources. As the behaviour of the consumers changes towards the patterns of
consumption and production, it minimizes the over-extraction of the resources.
Thus, it eliminates the risk of the depletion of natural resources together with
environmental issues. As a result, it will help to restore the concept of the green economy
through responsible consumption and production (Malik and Lan 2016). Therefore, the
integration and implementation of the economic and environmental policies will lead to the
responsible consumption and production pattern and establishes the green economy. As the
process of human development shoot up, it created a burden on the environment due to higher
demand and over consumption and production. Hence, it generated an inequality in every sphere
of the world. In order to live within the planetary boundaries it is essential to create a balance
between the socio-economic system, which will in turn surge the resource efficiency by
minimizing harmful waste and emissions. There are two inter-connected developmental
outcomes of the green economy for the economy of South Africa. These includes the transition
of the whole economy towards the cleaner sectors and industries and growing economic
activities in green industry sector (Norval and Howarth 2016). Additionally, it will create huge
opportunities in terms of employment, competitiveness and investment. The interdependence

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between social protection, economic growth and natural ecosystem can be addressed based on
the path of sustainable development through green economy.
Hence, the government of South Africa adopted implementable and practical action plan
to build a low-carbon, pro-employment and resource efficient growth path with the help of the
concept of the green economy, where consumption and production will be sustainable
(Amoateng et al. 2015). Furthermore, to strengthen the concept of the green economy in the
context of South Africa, effective and efficient planning is required for the consumption and
production, consumption and distribution of the goods and services. It will fulfil the aspiration of
the country to be economically prosperous, sustainable and self-reliant nation state. Additionally,
it will also able to safeguard the limited natural resources and utilize it for the well-being of the
people. Therefore, green economy together with responsible production will ensure ecosystem
resilience and well-being of the people. On the contrary, there are some limitations of the
concept of green economy. One of the pivotal limitations is price mechanisms to protect the
environment (Littlewood and Holt 2018). The annual cost associated with the green the global
economy was estimated at 1.05 trillion US dollars to 2.59 trillion US dollars as per the report of
green economy by the UNEP in 2011. Thus, it is believed that the price mechanisms to establish
the concept of the green economy may influenced by the corporate control, which in turn may
result in exploitation of the environment.
Policies for the responsible consumption and production
South Africa is bestowed with its abundance of natural resources, especially large
mineral deposits. Thus, the natural reserves helped the country significantly in the economic
growth and development (Pradhan et al. 2017). The country also highly benefitted from the
growth in industrialization. Therefore, one of the largest country of the Africa brought

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considerable transformation in form of economic development. However, it also faced several
challenges in terms of environmental and social factors. The growing exploitation of the natural
resources has resulted in a large ecological footprint. There also exists unemployment and
inequality in the country. Thus, to promote sustainable consumption and production, the
government of South Africa took several policies, which is beneficial for the overall growth of
the country (Nahman, Mahumani and De Lange 2016). The environmentally sustainable
consumption and production accompanied by economically sound and socially viable methods
will ensure the sustainable growth and development of the South Africa. In addition, the
responsible consumption and production will restore opportunities for the future generation to
access all natural resources.
The country adopted precautionary approach for the production of goods and services.
Another policy taken by the government in this regard is promoting waste minimization. The
national policy instruments of the South Africa such as Green Economy Accord and National
Development Plan 2030 also supported the vision of the South Africa along with sustainable
development goal of the UN (Pereira and Drimie 2016). One of the significant organization of
the South Africa is Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) that strengthen the
coordination, cooperation and capabilities required to implement for the transition of the country
into green economy. The contribution of the activities of PAGE is correlated with some
sustainable development goals. Thus, the activities of the PAGE for establishing green economy
will help to fulfil the target of the responsible consumption and production. Other than activities
related to the PAGE, the government of South Africa took policies for the effective management
of the irrigation system of the country (Franzen and Mader 2018). As a large portion of the
freshwater is used for the agricultural activities, which may cause severe shortages of water in

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near future. The government took policies to encourage the businesses, consumers and industries
to reduce and recycle waste, which will support the idea of the sustainable patterns of
consumption. Additionally, the government also planned for new way for disposal of the toxic
pollutants and waste. It will help to reduce the inequality prevails in the South African society.
The balanced approach towards the consumption and production will plunge the level of
food wastage. Thus, it will enable equal distribution of the food and other basic essentials
(Asongu, El Montasser and Toumi 2016). The government also initiated awareness-raising
programmes and capacity building on the importance of responsible patterns of consumption and
production. Hence, the policies of the government are aligned with the promotion of economic
and social development within the carrying capacity of the ecosystem. The initiatives of the
government is focused on some key sectors that are important for the economy and generates
environmental issues. Therefore, the policies related to the reform of these sectors will contribute
in the further development of the country by brining responsible consumption and production
and eliminating environmental degradation (Inchauste et al. 2015). Moreover, some policies also
undertook by the government in areas of learning, training and knowledge sharing to support the
capabilities to establish the concept of the responsible patterns of consumption and production in
every spheres of the economy.
Nexus approach
The meaning of the terms nexus is binding something together and the origination of the
word is from Latin. Though, the concept was applied previously, it gained considerable
prominence after the Bonn2011 Nexus Conference. The nexus approach is guided by the
governance across scales and sectors and principles of integrating management (Timko et al.
2018). It is believed that the security of energy, food and water can be improved with the help of

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nexus approach. In addition, the transformation to a green economy is also supported by the
approach. Therefore, the nexus approach is interlinked with the concept of green economy,
which will ensure greater coherence of policy and increase in resource efficiency (Evans, Welch
and Swaffield 2017). Hence, it can stated that the 12th goal of the sustainable development
responsible consumption and production is interconnected with the concept of nexus approach.
As of 2015, the adoption of the sustainable development goal made the requirement of the more
holistic and integrated approach inevitable for both global policy and resource management
(Boas, Biermann and Kanie 2016). The main agenda of the responsible consumption and
production is achieving sustainable development for the country South Africa as well as world.
Therefore, the systems thinking or nexus thinking will be more appropriated in this regard to
attain the goal of sustainable and stable future.
Hence, it can said that the nexus approach will not only help to accomplish the goal of
responsible consumption and production but also all the interdependent and interrelated
sustainable developments goals (Seekings and Nattrass 2015). The 17 main priorities including
gender inequality, hunger and poverty alleviation and environment protection and responsible
consumption and production creates complex net of synergies, trade-offs and interactions due to
their partially competing or overlapping goals. Therefore, the application of nexus approach will
focus on reduction of ecological footprint and environmental degradation by achieving all the
goals of the sustainable development. In South Africa, a wide range of socio-economic processes
like economic development, urbanization and industrialization and population growth have
contributed dramatically in the overall change in terms of exploitation, consumption and
procession of natural resources and land (Rauch, Dallasega and Matt 2016). As a result, the
ecological footprint increased and natural resources are degraded or modified in the country due