Aman Kumar

2K20/EC/023
EN 412 : Environmental and Sunstainabilty Development
Level of Consumption
(In terms of Food and Energy Consumption)

Sustainable consumption is the use of products and services in ways that minimize impacts on
the environment. Sustainable consumption is done in a way that the needs are met for present
humans but also future generations. Sustainable consumption is often paralleled with sustainable
production; consumption refers to use and disposal (or recycling) not just by individuals and
households, but also by governments, businesses, and other organizations. Sustainable
consumption is closely related to sustainable production and sustainable lifestyles. "A
sustainable lifestyle minimizes ecological impacts while enabling a flourishing life for
individuals, households, communities, and beyond. It is the product of individual and collective
decisions about aspirations and satisfying needs and adopting practices, which are in turn
conditioned, facilitated, and constrained by societal norms, political institutions, public policies,
infrastructures, markets, and culture."
The United Nations includes analyses of efficiency, infrastructure, waste, access to basic
services, green and decent jobs, and a better quality of life for all within the concept of
sustainable consumption. Sustainable consumption shares several common features and is
closely linked to sustainable production and sustainable development. Sustainable consumption,
as part of sustainable development, is part of the worldwide struggle against sustainability
challenges such as climate change, resource depletion, famines, and environmental pollution.
Sustainable development, as well as sustainable consumption, rely on certain premises such as:
● Effective use of resources, and minimization of waste and pollution
● Use of renewable resources within their capacity for renewal
● The reuse and upcycling of product life cycles so that consumer items are utilized to
the maximum potential
● Intergenerational and intragenerational equity

Studies found that systemic change for the "decarbonization" of humanity's economic structures
or root-cause system changes above politics is required to substantially impact global warming.
Such changes may result in more sustainable lifestyles, along with associated products, services,
and expenditures, being structurally supported and becoming sufficiently prevalent and effective
in terms of collective greenhouse gas emission reductions.
Nevertheless, ethical consumerism usually only refers to individual choices, and not the
consumption behavior and/or import and consumption policies by the decision-making of
nation-states. These have however been compared for road vehicles, CO2 emissions (albeit
without considering emissions embedded in imports), and meat consumption per capita as well
as by overconsumption.
Aman Kumar
2K20/EC/023
EN 412 : Environmental and Sunstainabilty Development

Life-cycle assessment of GHG emissions for food

Life-cycle assessments could assess the comparative sustainability and overall environmental
impacts of products – including (but not limited to): "raw materials, extraction, processing, and
transport; manufacturing; delivery and installation; customer use; and end of life (such as
disposal or recycling)".

Food consumption
The environmental impacts of meat production (and dairy) are large: raising animals for human
consumption accounts for approximately 40% of the total amount of agricultural output in
industrialized countries. Grazing occupies 26% of the Earth's ice-free terrestrial surface, and feed
crop production uses about one-third of all arable land. A global food emissions database shows
that food systems are responsible for one-third of the global anthropogenic GHG emissions.
Aman Kumar
2K20/EC/023
EN 412 : Environmental and Sunstainabilty Development
Moreover, there can be competition for resources, such as land, between growing crops for
human consumption and growing crops for animals, also referred to as "food vs. feed" .

Per capita annual meat consumption by region

Therefore, sustainable consumption also includes food consumption – shifting to more

sustainable diets.
Novel foods such as under-development cultured meat and dairy, existing small-scale microbial
foods, and ground-up insects are shown to have the potential to reduce environmental impacts by
over 80% in a study. Many studies such as a 2019 IPCC report and a 2022 review about meat and
sustainability of food systems, animal welfare, and healthy nutrition concluded that meat
consumption has to be reduced substantially for sustainable consumption. The review names
broad potential measures such as "restrictions or fiscal mechanisms". In June 2023, science
advisors in the European Commission's Scientific Advice Mechanism concluded that "our diets
need to shift towards more plant-based ingredients, rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and
pulses. Our diets should be limited in red meat, processed meat, salt, added sugar, and high-fat
animal products, while fish and seafood should be sourced from sustainably managed stocks".
A considerable proportion of consumers of food produced by the food system may be
non-livestock animals such as pet dogs: the global dog population is estimated to be 900 million,
of which around 20% are regarded as owned pets. Sustainable consumption may also involve
their feed. Beyond the reduction of meat consumption, the composition of livestock feed and fish
feed may also be subject to sustainable consumption shifts.

Energy consumption
Energy is at the heart of many of these Sustainable Development Goals – from expanding access
to electricity to improving clean cooking fuels, from reducing wasteful energy subsidies to
curbing deadly air pollution that each year prematurely kills millions around the world. One of
Aman Kumar
2K20/EC/023
EN 412 : Environmental and Sunstainabilty Development
these goals – commonly known as SDG 7 – aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable,
sustainable, and modern energy for all by the end of the next decade.
The adoption of energy-specific sustainable development goals was a milestone in moving the
world towards a more sustainable and equitable system. The energy sector must be at the heart of
efforts to lead the world on a more sustainable pathway. However, our data and analysis show
that the current and planned policies fall well short of achieving our critical energy-related
sustainable development objectives.
There has been tremendous progress in delivering universal electricity access in Asia and parts of
sub-Saharan Africa, with the number of people without access declining to 1.1 billion in 2016,
from 1.7 billion in 2000. However, based on current progress, more than 670 million people are
still projected to be without electricity access in 2030. Much work remains to be done in this
field.
The share of modern renewables in global final energy consumption has been growing steadily in
the past decades, reaching nearly 10% in 2015. However, to achieve a truly sustainable energy
system, this share needs to more than double to 21% by 2030. But while wind and solar
deployment has accelerated, thanks to falling costs and policy support in many parts of the
world, this goal is still out of reach under current policies.
But there is an urgent need for action on all fronts, especially on renewables and energy
efficiency, which are key for delivering on all three goals – energy access, climate mitigation,
and lower air pollution.

Comparison Between Developed, Developing, and Third World Countries

According to data from the World Bank, global consumption patterns show significant disparities
between different country groups. A pie chart shows that high-income countries account for the
largest share of global consumption, representing over 50% of total worldwide consumption.
This is in stark contrast to low-income countries, which make up less than 5% of global
consumption.

Developed Countries:
Developed nations, such as the United States, Western European countries, and Japan, tend to
have the highest levels of consumption, both in terms of food and energy. These countries have
affluent populations with access to a wide variety of consumer goods and resources. They often
have large carbon footprints due to their energy-intensive lifestyles, high meat consumption, and
significant waste generation. However, there is also a growing awareness and movement towards
more sustainable practices in these regions.
Aman Kumar
2K20/EC/023
EN 412 : Environmental and Sunstainabilty Development
Developing Countries:
In contrast, developing countries, such as China, India, and Brazil, are experiencing rapid
economic growth and industrialization. As a result, their consumption levels are steadily
increasing, driven by a growing middle class and urbanization. While these countries still have
significant populations living in poverty, their overall consumption, particularly of energy and
resource-intensive goods, is on the rise. This presents both challenges and opportunities in terms
of balancing development and environmental sustainability.

Third World Countries:

Third-world or least-developed countries, predominantly located in Africa and parts of Asia,
have the lowest levels of consumption, both in terms of food and energy. These regions often
face challenges related to poverty, lack of access to resources, and limited infrastructure.
Consequently, their per capita consumption is significantly lower than that of developed and
developing countries. However, these countries are also the most vulnerable to the impacts of
high consumption in other parts of the world, such as climate change and resource depletion.
Aman Kumar
2K20/EC/023
EN 412 : Environmental and Sunstainabilty Development

Statistical Data
Aman Kumar
2K20/EC/023
EN 412 : Environmental and Sunstainabilty Development
Aman Kumar
2K20/EC/023
EN 412 : Environmental and Sunstainabilty Development
Aman Kumar
2K20/EC/023
EN 412 : Environmental and Sunstainabilty Development
Aman Kumar
2K20/EC/023
EN 412 : Environmental and Sunstainabilty Development