Global Scans · 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] The horizontal hydroponic system is a game-changer for large-scale leafy green and herb production - and projected to become a mainstream configuration by 2026 in urban farm environments. Farmonaut
• [New] Thanks to process improvements and onsite production, costs are forecast to fall 20-35% by 2026, closing the gap with conventional fuels. Farmonaut
• [New] Washington's energy production is already on pace to see severe energy shortages by 2030. Everett Post
• [New] Canadian oil sands producers lead by Cenovus Energy Inc. plan to expand production next year despite an impending supply glut that threatens to deepen the slump in crude prices. Canadian Energy News, Top Headlines, Commentaries, Feat
• [New] Components of U.S. distillate consumption We expect growth in distillate consumption will be supplied mostly by biomass-based diesel fuels. EIA - Energy Information Administration
• [New] We forecast U.S. consumption of total distillate fuel oil - often marketed as diesel, which includes petroleum-based distillate fuel oil, renewable diesel, and biodiesel - to increase by around 2% in both 2026 and 2027, reaching record highs in 2027. EIA - Energy Information Administration
• [New] The green scenario projected about 502,000 jobs lost by 2030, largely tied to restructuring in heavy industry, where automation and cleaner production reduce labour needs. earth.com
• [New] A new assessment of announced projects and the likelihood they will become available by 2030, carried out in the 2025 edition of the IEA's Global Hydrogen Review, suggests that an additional 6 Mt of low-emissions hydrogen production has a strong potential to be operational by 2030. IEA
• [New] In 2026, more factories will adopt intelligent automation to streamline production, reduce human error, and increase throughput. Mayco
• [New] Global electricity consumption by data centers will more than double by 2030 (twice what was forecast only a year ago) with AI alone accounting for about 3% of global electricity demand by the end of the decade. Tony Blair Institute
• [New] While emerging and developing economies remain the main engines of electricity demand growth, consumption from advanced economies is also rising after 15 years of stagnation - contributing to a fifth of the total increase in power demand through 2030. IEA
• [New] In the Base Case scenario, global electricity consumption from data centers is projected to double by 2030, reaching around 945 TWh, which would represent just under 3% of total global electricity consumption by 2030. GlobeNewswire
• [New] As AI adoption continues to rise, data center electricity consumption is projected to nearly triple by 2035, reaching 1,300 TWh. Yahoo Finance
• [New] Europe aims to reach roughly 7 million tons of SAF consumption annually by 2030, equivalent to around 10% of its aviation fuel demand. Industry EMEA
• [New] Malaysia plans to begin SAF production in 2027 with an initial annual capacity of one million metric tons. Industry EMEA
• [New] Planned primary green steel production capacity for 2050 currently represents less than 2% of today's total global steel production. SEI
• [New] The global annual production of plastics rose to 400 million metric tons in 2022 and is projected to double by 2050 (a metric ton, or Mt, is 1,000 kilograms or about 2,200 pounds). The Revelator
• [New] Despite strong demand growth, production expansion is low: While US operators say they can expand capacity by around 15% under current conditions, they estimate growth could reach 23% or more if grid congestion, permitting delays, and regulatory uncertainty were alleviated. Womble Bond Dickinson
• [New] 2026 is the year that AI will scale in production. MSP Channel Insights
• [New] While the United States, China, and Europe will continue to dominate data center electricity consumption, emerging regions such as Southeast Asia are becoming key players in the global data center landscape. GlobeNewswire
• [New] Going for EAFs might make British production more resilient in some regards, because the UK has bountiful scrap metal. The Guardian
• [New] Recognising that future demand for critical minerals cannot be met by domestic production alone, the UK will aim to deliver diversification by developing international growth partnerships with resource-rich countries and technology partners to secure the long-term supply of critical minerals. JD Supra
• [New] Technology group Wartsila will invest approximately EUR 140 million to further expand its production capacity by 35% at its technology center, Sustainable Technology Hub in Vaasa, Finland and associated global supply chain. Wartsila.com

Last updated: 16 February 2026