Assessment of the regulatory framework of the Republic of Moldova for impacting sustainable consumption and production under European integration

Abstract

According to the National Development Strategy (NDS) “European Moldova 2030,” the implementation of sustainable development is a priority for the Republic of Moldova. The establishment of the country’s strategic development direction reflects the government’s priorities and commitments, as well as the level of awareness regarding citizens’ needs, sustainable development, and European integration. This research examines the Republic of Moldova’s progress and the level of awareness and integration of sustainability into national policies, starting from the analysis of international agreements to which our country is a signatory to the analysis of legislation that regulates the process of implementing sustainability and contributes to increasing responsible consumption and production in the business environment. The study reveals that significant steps have been taken in this area and that the foundations regulating responsible consumption and production have been established. However, for accurate impact measurement, more monitoring data are needed. Not all SDG 12 targets have measurable indicators, such as the food loss and waste index. The available indicators show progress in the elimination of hazardous waste, a decrease in the volume of production and consumption waste generated, an increase in the capacity of renewable energy generation facilities, and a reduction in the consumption of natural resources per capita, decreases the intensity of CO2 emissions per unit of GDP. For a better understanding of the level of improvement in responsible consumption, it is recommended to encourage companies, especially large and transnational ones, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycles.