SDG #12 is to “Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns”
Within SDG #12 are 11 targets, of which we here focus on Target 12.7:
Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities
Target 12.7 has one indicator:
Indicator 12.7.1: Number of countries implementing sustainable public procurement policies and action plans
High-income OECD countries spend an estimated 12% of GDP on public procurement in and 30% in developing countries. It’s thus important such government purchasing aligns with the SDGs.
Not only do governments need to consider what’s the best value for money when assessing what tenders. They also need to factor in sustainability and the costs of buying across a product's life cycle with a reduced environmental impact.
Few countries outside the OECD have data for this indicator as of 2022. The leader is the United States, which has a level of implementation of sustainable public procurement policies. Two high-income countries with low implementation of such plans are Spain and Czechia.
