World Happiness Foundation Position on SDG 17: Global Unity and Collective Action
Fostering a Global Family United by Abundance and Purpose. At
World Happiness Foundation (WHF) Statement on Responsible Consumption & Production (SDG 12) – The World Happiness Foundation stands united in the global movement to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns for present and future generations. In line with our reframed vision of “Goal 12: Mindful Consumption & Regeneration,” we call for adopting mindful lifestyles that prioritize quality of life over quantity of stuff, and for shifting to circular, regenerative production that respects planetary boundaries – so that economic activity heals communities and nature instead of depleting them. Guided by our core ethos of abundance, interdependence, and shared well-being, we believe the time has come to fundamentally reimagine how humanity consumes and produces. This public statement lays out our vision: a world where economies operate in harmony with the planet, achieving prosperity without waste or exploitation – not through austerity or zero-sum sacrifice, but through innovation, compassion, and an abundance mindset. Rooted in principles of Fundamental Peace (freedom from fear and want), rising consciousness, and non-violence, we call for collaborative action by all stakeholders – governments, businesses, communities, and global citizens – to transform our culture of consumption. In alignment with the United Nations and countless community leaders, WHF is working to realize “10 billion free, conscious and happy people by 2050,” a bold goal demanding unprecedented cooperation across sectors. We affirm that shifting to mindful, regenerative consumption is not only an environmental necessity; it is foundational to a happier, more peaceful world.
For decades, mainstream economic models and consumer cultures have been rooted in a scarcity mindset – the notion that resources are finite, consumer demand must constantly grow, and one must compete to secure their share. This has fueled a race of extraction and accumulation, where success is often measured by how much we consume or own. The result is a throwaway culture that treats the Earth’s bounty as limits to push against, leading to pollution and anxiety that there is never “enough.” In truth, this scarcity paradigm – born of fear and zero-sum thinking – has not delivered lasting satisfaction: more stuff has not equated to more happiness. Instead, it has contributed to ecological crisis and inequality. Today, humanity stands at a tipping point: we extract over 92 billion tons of materials a year to feed our economies, more than triple the amount used in 1970. Yet only about 9% of those materials are reused or recycled, meaning the vast majority go to waste. This linear “take-make-waste” model is rapidly depleting the very resources on which we depend and has overshot what our planet can regenerate each year (as evidenced by Earth Overshoot Day falling in early August in recent years). Clearly, our challenge is not a lack of resources per se – it is how we think and how we value those resources.
The World Happiness Foundation proposes an abundance mindset to flip this narrative. An abundance approach replaces fear with trust and recognizes that fulfilling one community’s needs does not require depriving another. As Mahatma Gandhi wisely observed, “The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.” Embracing abundance means realizing that we already have or can create enough – enough food, materials, knowledge, and innovation – to ensure well-being for all, if we manage and share them wisely. This mindset encourages long-term, collaborative solutions over short-term exploitation. It means redefining prosperity not as endless consumption, but as the ability for all people to live in comfort, health, and purpose within the Earth’s limits. With an abundance mindset, we shift focus from extracting the most we can today to stewarding resources so they sustain tomorrow. We invest in sustainable design, renewable energy, and equitable distribution not out of mere duty or charity, but out of common sense: lifting up the most marginalized and using resources thoughtfully creates more stability and creativity for everyone. As WHF founder Luis Miguel Gallardo puts it, “A scarcity mindset creates limitations, whereas an abundance mindset allows us to think big and set bold goals.” By adopting this mindset globally, we can transform consumer society from a voracious beast into a regenerative ecosystem. We urge individuals, organizations, and governments to help shift the collective consciousness: away from the illusion of scarcity and ceaseless hoarding, and toward the truth that there is enough, and we are enough – enough creativity to solve problems, enough resources to meet needs, and enough goodwill to ensure everyone and nature can thrive together.
Solving the challenges of unsustainable consumption and production requires more than technological fixes – it demands a paradigm shift in how we define progress and prosperity. Happytalism is the World Happiness Foundation’s proposed paradigm to guide this shift from scarcity to abundance, aligning economic life with well-being for people and planet. At its heart, Happytalism reframes development itself: rather than measuring success by Gross Domestic Product (which rises with more extraction and consumption), we measure it by the holistic well-being, freedom, and happiness of all members of society and the Earth. This philosophy holds that true prosperity is not the sheer volume of goods produced, but the quality of life and balance with nature that our economic activities create. Happytalism asks a simple but profound question of every policy, business practice, and product: Does this increase freedom, consciousness, and happiness for all, including future generations? If not, it falls short as a solution.
Under Happytalism, the ultimate goal of society is Fundamental Peace, envisioned as a triad of freedom, consciousness, and happiness for all people. In practical terms, this means an economy where no one’s well-being is sacrificed for another’s gain and where the health of the planet is treated as inseparable from human flourishing. Notably, this paradigm aligns with the intent of the UN Sustainable Development Goals but also expands beyond them – it encourages us not just to mitigate harm, but to actively create positives. For example, where SDG 12 calls for “ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns,” we reimagine this as “Mindful Consumption & Regeneration” – building an economy where every product and process is designed to improve lives and restore the environment. In a Happytalist approach, we move from simply minimizing negatives (less waste, less pollution) to maximizing positives: more circular systems, more regeneration of ecosystems, and more meaningful value for communities. This mirrors what we have championed for other goals: just as our position on SDG 8 emphasizes replacing the mantra of unlimited economic growth with a well-being economy measured by metrics like Gross National Happiness, our vision for SDG 12 dares to replace the throwaway, profit-at-all-costs model with a regenerative economy measured by its contributions to happiness, health, and harmony with nature. In essence, Happytalism calls us to redesign our production and consumption systems from the ground up: to put people’s happiness and our planet’s vitality at the center of every decision. By adopting this new paradigm, humanity can channel its vast creativity and resources into innovations that meet human needs while enhancing the world around us, rather than depleting it. A striking example: research shows that transitioning to a circular economy could generate $4.5 trillion in additional economic output by 2030 – a testament that doing good for the planet can go hand-in-hand with abundance and prosperity. Happytalism thus transforms sustainable development from a constraint into an opportunity: an opportunity to create industries, jobs, and lifestyles that elevate our collective well-being and ensure that no one and nothing is left behind or expendable in the pursuit of progress.
Our vision for responsible consumption and production is inextricably linked with justice and peace, extending the principle of non-violence to how we treat both people and the planet. WHF recognizes that the current patterns of overconsumption and resource exploitation amount to a form of structural violence – an injustice embedded in our systems that harms vulnerable communities and future generations, even if no harm is intended directly. Consider that the material footprint per capita in high-income countries is 10 times that of low-income countries. The pollution and waste from the wealthy world’s consumer goods often disproportionately impact poorer communities – from landfills and e-waste dumps in developing countries, to the front-line neighborhoods suffering from factory emissions. Likewise, climate change – driven by unsustainable production and energy use – strikes hardest at those who have contributed least to the problem. When a child’s drinking water is polluted by industrial runoff, or a subsistence farmer’s crops fail due to a changing climate, it is not merely an environmental issue but a violation of their right to a healthy life. In the words of Pope Francis, our Earth (our common home) is like a sister we have mistreated; indeed, to abuse the planet is to ultimately visit violence upon ourselves and each other.
Achieving SDG 12 is therefore an act of peacemaking at the deepest level. It means healing the divide between human activity and the natural world, and in doing so, preventing conflict and suffering. By transitioning from exploitation to regeneration, we address root causes of strife: scarcity and inequity. Imagine a world where communities are not fighting over dwindling resources because resources are managed sustainably and shared fairly; where no group lives in the shadow of another’s waste; where economic power is not built on extracting wealth from the powerless. This is a world moving toward what WHF calls Fundamental Peace – a state where people are free from fear and want, and live with mutual respect and joy. To build this peace, we advocate restorative practices that heal communities and ecosystems rather than extract and discard. This includes investing in environmental cleanup and regeneration in areas long harmed by pollution, supporting workers as industries shift to greener methods, and ensuring that indigenous and marginalized voices are heard in managing natural resources. We echo the insight that “peace is not only the absence of violence, it is the presence of justice.” True sustainability means environmental justice: everyone has access to clean air, water, and food, and no one’s well-being is sacrificed for another’s comfort. By viewing unsustainable consumption as intolerable as any other form of violence, we galvanize a moral imperative to change. In a truly peaceful world, we will see economies that give back to nature – for example, manufacturing that actively restores forests or replenishes oceans as it produces goods – and societies that value moderation and gratitude over greed. In sum, to achieve SDG 12 is to take a giant step toward a form of peace that encompasses humans and the Earth alike, crafting a world that refuses to tolerate the abuse of people or planet in the name of “progress.”
Lasting transformation toward mindful consumption and regenerative production requires empowering minds and communities with new skills, values, and imagination. The World Happiness Foundation is contributing through a range of education, research, and innovation initiatives that foster the mindset and capabilities needed for a circular, sustainable economy. Central to our approach is elevating human consciousness – nurturing mindsets of stewardship, empathy, and possibility, especially among youth and educators who shape the future. One flagship effort is our “Teachers of Happiness” program, which has trained tens of thousands of teachers across Latin America, Spain, and other regions to become conscious catalysts of well-being in their schools and communities. Through curricula that integrate mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and environmental awareness, these educators plant the seeds of an abundance mindset in the next generation. They use tools like the ROUSER leadership model – emphasizing Regenerative thinking, Unity, Systems thinking, Empathy, and Resilience – to help students view the world through a lens of interdependence and care. By creating “Schools of Happiness” where children learn to live in harmony with themselves, each other, and nature, we break the cycle of materialism and scarcity mentality at its roots. A child raised to appreciate that their well-being is connected to the well-being of their community and environment will grow up to be an adult who consumes mindfully and innovates solutions for a better world.
Beyond schools, WHF invests in research and thought leadership to reshape the broader systems that drive consumption patterns. Through our Public Policy & Happiness forums and Well-Being Observatory, we support new economic paradigms and metrics that guide nations toward balanced, sustainable development. For instance, we champion measures like Gross National Happiness and the Happy Planet Index, which encourage policymakers to value sustainable well-being for all over narrow economic output. When governments adopt “happiness-based budgeting” or incorporate well-being and sustainability indices into decision-making, they naturally start reallocating resources toward public goods, green infrastructure, and social programs – the building blocks of a circular society. We have seen forward-thinking leaders use such metrics to justify policies for waste reduction, renewable energy, and eco-friendly urban design. These innovations guide resources away from the extractive status quo and toward community resilience, climate adaptation, and regenerative agriculture.
Crucially, we also focus on empowering innovators and professionals to drive change in every sector. Our World Happiness Academy and programs like the Chief Well-Being Officer certification are building a global network of advocates who integrate happiness and sustainability principles into workplaces, governments, and NGOs. When business and government leaders are educated in well-being economics, circular design, and empathetic leadership, they are better equipped to enact initiatives that reduce waste and elevate quality of life. Around the world, we collaborate on grassroots projects that illustrate how holistic well-being initiatives lead to sustainable consumption. For example, in Jaipur, India, WHF partnered with the social enterprise Jaipur Rugs on the “Threads of Happiness” initiative – a program that not only improved livelihoods for thousands of traditional weavers, but also integrated emotional well-being support, community leadership training, and educational opportunities into a rug-making business. This empowered artisans (many of them women in rural areas) to gain skills and confidence, resulting in stronger families and communities. Such projects show that when people feel seen, capable, and hopeful, they become champions of positive change – embracing practices like recycling, upcycling, and cooperative enterprise to improve their surroundings. Similarly, we support multi-disciplinary collaborations in education, healthcare, and urban planning, all aimed at fostering whole-person and whole-community well-being. By integrating sustainability education, social entrepreneurship, and mental well-being, we nurture the human capital and social innovation needed to achieve SDG 12 in a way that affirms dignity and shared prosperity. Each empowered teacher, conscious student, ethical entrepreneur, and enlightened policymaker adds to an ever-growing movement, proving that culture can change: from conspicuous consumption to conscientious living.
Transforming our global consumption and production patterns is not a task for any single entity – it requires nothing less than a systems revolution. Governments, businesses, civil society, communities, and individuals all have indispensable roles to play. The World Happiness Foundation emphasizes that collective action can unlock abundance and innovation where isolated efforts fall short. We have seen that each sector brings unique strengths to building a circular, regenerative economy: governments can enact visionary policies (like incentives for zero-waste manufacturing, bans on harmful plastics, or requirements for sustainable procurement); businesses can drive eco-design, invest in clean technologies, and reinvent supply chains to be waste-free; civil society groups and grassroots organizations contribute local knowledge, public awareness campaigns, and on-the-ground solutions; and global bodies like the UN can coordinate efforts, set international standards (such as for corporate sustainability reporting), and amplify successful models. WHF – with consultative status at the United Nations – actively encourages Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17), serving as a convener of dialogue between these stakeholders. We champion initiatives where, for example, cities commit to well-being budgets (aligning municipal spending with health, happiness, and sustainability outcomes), NGOs connect farmers with regenerative farming training and fair markets, tech companies share data and innovations to improve waste management and recycling, and educators integrate sustainable living skills into school curricula. When such feedback loops are created, progress in one area (say, a company designing products for easy recycling) is reinforced by progress in another (a community recycling program or a law mandating producer responsibility), creating a self-sustaining ecosystem of change.
A truly effective ecosystem, however, requires that each stakeholder embraces the abundance mindset. Instead of guarding turf or clinging to old, extractive models, all actors must collaborate in the faith that empowering others ultimately benefits all. We call on corporations to see that investing in the well-being of employees, communities, and nature is not charity – it creates more stable supply chains and markets in the long run. We call on governments to recognize that strict environmental protections and social supports do not hinder growth – they prevent crises and build human capital. We call on consumers to realize that mindful consumption is not a personal loss – it’s a gain in quality of life, freeing us from clutter and debt while restoring our environment. Every positive action reinforces another: when a company designs a product to last or be easily repaired, it enables consumers to buy less often and waste less; when citizens reduce food waste and compost, they support soil health which benefits farmers and local economies. In essence, sustainable consumption becomes a shared mission and a shared reward. By uniting around a common vision of well-being, we can overhaul the entrenched “take-make-dispose” systems and replace them with circular models that continually create value from what used to be discarded. It’s time to rethink the very notion of “waste” – in nature, the concept doesn’t exist, as one system’s outputs always nourish another. Our human systems can emulate this. We must champion innovative policies – from extended producer responsibility (making manufacturers take back and recycle products) to taxation on pollution and resource depletion (to shift incentives toward clean production) – and support business models based on services, sharing, and regeneration rather than one-off sales. The good news is that this transformation is already underway: a global treaty to curb plastic pollution is in negotiation, circular economy roadmaps are being adopted by nations and cities, and grassroots movements from repair cafés to zero-waste communities are blossoming. Each partnership and initiative adds a strand to the web of a new economy. Together, we can reshape the fundamentals of how we live and thrive, proving that human progress need not come at the planet’s expense, but can instead improve the state of the world for all beings.
Shifting to mindful consumption and a regenerative economy is not a one-time project or a box to check by 2030 – it is a long-term transformation of our values, habits, and systems. We must recognize that this is a continuous journey, one that will extend beyond the timeline of the SDGs and deeply into how future generations live. The goal is not merely to achieve certain targets (like X% recycling rate or Y% renewable energy) and declare victory, but to embed a new consciousness that continually strives for balance and improvement. As we redesign products and reinvent policies, we must also cultivate inner change: patience for the gradual nature of cultural shifts and persistence in the face of setbacks. There will be challenges – industries resistant to change, consumers accustomed to convenience, and unforeseen consequences of new technologies. But if we maintain a holistic view of well-being, we can navigate these challenges with wisdom.
Holistic well-being means understanding that human happiness is intertwined with planetary health. Studies have shown that societies with more sustainable consumption patterns often enjoy greater social cohesion and even higher life satisfaction, whereas rampant consumerism can erode mental health and community bonds. By pursuing SDG 12 in earnest, we aren’t just preventing environmental catastrophe – we are opening the door to a better quality of life. Cleaner air and water, safer products, less toxic waste in our communities, and more equitable access to resources all directly contribute to health and happiness. Moreover, a culture that values “enoughness” and sharing can reduce stress, loneliness, and the mental burden of keeping up in a materialistic rat race. Imagine cities where reuse and repair are convenient and celebrated, where neighbors share tools and grow food together, where local businesses flourish providing sustainable goods – these are not just environmentally sound practices, they are the fabric of thriving, happy communities. In the long run, moving from mindless consumption to mindful living can help humanity transcend the survival mindset and enter an era of shared thriving.
The World Happiness Foundation is in this for the long haul. We commit to continue learning, adapting, and expanding our programs until the day our economies become circular and our culture becomes one of gratitude and care. Our resolve is fueled by love, justice, and the unshakable belief that humanity can transform its story from one of depletion to one of regeneration. Each step – from a new eco-friendly innovation to a school initiative that changes kids’ hearts – is part of this epic journey. By keeping our eyes on holistic well-being as the true measure of success, we ensure that short-term fixes won’t derail the long-term vision. We seek nothing less than a civilization where the norm is harmony between humans and nature, and where progress is measured by how much life we enhance around us. This is the legacy we aim to build for the generations to come: a world where mindful consumption and production are second nature, and where happiness springs from a deep relationship with a flourishing planet.
This is a universal call – an invitation and challenge to all of humanity. We call on policymakers and governments to reshape agendas and budgets around well-being and sustainability, to enact policies that incentivize circular practices and guarantee access to basic needs without degrading nature. Introduce robust recycling and composting systems, support regenerative farmers and ethical businesses, and ban the most harmful forms of waste and pollution. We urge United Nations agencies and international partners to integrate the happiness and abundance mindset into development strategies – coordinate efforts to share green technologies and funds so that no region is left behind in the circular economy revolution. We appeal to the private sector and business leaders to recognize their role in a sustainable world: by investing in clean production, fair labor practices, and cradle-to-cradle product designs, businesses not only protect the planet but also create more resilient supply chains and markets. Embracing sustainable production is a win-win: it prevents future risks and taps into growing consumer demand for responsible products. We encourage grassroots organizations, educators, and community leaders to keep innovating locally – start tool libraries, organize community gardens and repair workshops, educate families about mindful consumption, and hold all of us accountable to the needs of our environment and the most vulnerable. And to global citizens – individuals and families in every nation – we say: you are powerful agents of change. By cultivating empathy and an abundance mindset in your daily life, by reducing food waste, refusing single-use plastics, choosing ethically made goods, sharing what you don’t need, and by raising your voice for corporate and political accountability, you help turn the tide. Every person has a role in this great transition, and every action, no matter how small, compounds into a global impact.
The World Happiness Foundation commits to action: we will continue to serve as a convener and catalyst in this movement. Through our global events, public policy forums, and campaigns like #TenBillionHappy, we will tirelessly advocate for a shift from the scarcity mentality to one of abundance and well-being in all SDGs, including sustainable consumption. We will expand our education and training programs that empower others to become “Rousers” – conscious catalysts of well-being – in their communities. We will support the growth of multi-stakeholder alliances and share success stories from around the world, so that a solution in one place can inspire hope and replication elsewhere. Our pledge is to amplify the voices of innovators and visionaries who are lighting the way toward a circular, regenerative future.
Today, we stand at a pivotal moment. Ensuring sustainable consumption and production is a solvable challenge in our lifetime – not through forced deprivation or competition over resources, but through co-creation of abundance. Let us all, across continents and cultures, unite in this common cause. Together, guided by the principles of Happytalism, we can ignite a new era in which economic activity no longer means environmental harm, and in which the 8 billion people on Earth (and the generations to come) can live in balance, free from want and free from the fear of ecological collapse. Let us turn our collective resolve into collective triumph, ensuring that SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production – is not just achieved as a statistic, but exceeded in spirit by a world that cherishes mindful living, vibrant communities, and a healthy planet.
With abundance in our hearts and action on our minds, we affirm our commitment to a future where everyone and everything can flourish. The journey from waste to regeneration, from scarcity to abundance, begins with each of us – and it begins today. We invite all stakeholders to join us in making this vision real. A world of abundance, a world of Happytalism, a world of mindful consumption and regeneration is within our grasp – and together, we will achieve it.
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Fostering a Global Family United by Abundance and Purpose. At
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