This chapter shows why making progress towards meeting Sustainable Development Goal 12, ‘ensuring sustainable consumption and production (SCP)’, requires a systems perspective and transformative change. Current trends are, unfortunately, inconsistent with the goals and, with respect to a number of indicators, will require sharp reversal if global sustainability is a determined objective. The chapter argues that current conditions are the result of an ineffectual policy mix, such as a reliance on efficiency improvements without the imposition of caps on absolute energy and material throughput, a reluctance to accept that certain goals are incompatible (increased resource flows and reduced ecological footprints) and inadequate understanding of the workings of complex systems (a perspective that assesses interactions between components when designing policy interventions). More realistic and purposeful progress towards achieving the intentions of SDG 12 will require consideration of these issues as well as a recognition of the social dimensions of sustainability, a focus on qualitative development over quantitative increase of gross domestic product and a reorientation of priorities that emphasizes well-being through various policy innovations.