SDGs and Farmed Animals - Why have we ignored them?

Introduction:

The Sustainable Development Goals or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all". The SDGs were set in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and are intended to be achieved by the year 2030.

(Source: Wikipedia)

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

So what are these 17 goals?

These goals are supposed to transform the earth as we know it.


GOAL 1: No Poverty                                                GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

GOAL 2: Zero Hunger                                              GOAL 10: Reduced Inequality

GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-being                    GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

GOAL 4: Quality Education                                     GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

GOAL 5: Gender Equality                                        GOAL 13: Climate Action

GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation                       GOAL 14: Life Below Water

GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy                   GOAL 15: Life on Land

GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth        GOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions

                                                                                   GOAL 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal
(Source: https://sdgs.un.org/goals)



What about farmed animals? 

Let us look at some statistics as to why it is crucial to have reduction and ban on animal farming, for us to reach some of these above goals.

It is a known fact that animal farming is the second largest contributor to greenhouse gases, second only to fossil fuels. It is also a primary cause for deforestation, water and air pollution and loss of biodiversity.

Before all the naysayers are up in arms and start shouting about how these figures are more relevant to the western world, let me point out the following facts:

Cattle count: IndiaVs US: 192.49 million to 94.4 million

Each year, a single cow will belch about 220 pounds of methane. Methane from cattle is shorter lived than carbon dioxide but 28 times more potent in warming the atmosphere.

(Source: https://www.ucdavis.edu/food/news/making-cattle-more-sustainable/)

So do the math - are we not adding substantially more methane to the atmosphere?  And these cattle may not be eaten as beef within India, but we top the list as the largest exporters of beef in the world! We also raise cows and buffaloes by the million to satiate our need for milk and milk products.  Even though lactose intolerance is a widely known fact, parents in India still force milk down the throats of reluctant children.  Why? Because their great-grannies, who did not understand how anyone could be allergic to milk told them that it is the healthiest!

Lets move on to water consumption - 

In as early as 2010, M.M. Mekonnen and A.Y. Hoekstra published a paper called "The green, blue and grey - Water footprint of farm animals and animal products" for UNESCO-IHE.

The table is self explanatory - with the exception of nuts and pulses, practically all animal products consume more water per kilogram of yield. 

Now for the health aspects of animal products - 

As I researched for this part of the article, I found plenty of material to substantiate the claim that animal products are detrimental to human health, but most of those articles were either a part off or written by animal welfare organizations.  Any link to those would immediately have the very same naysayers screaming again.  

"A new study adds to the evidence that eating red meat on a regular basis may shorten your lifespan. The findings suggest that meat eaters might help improve their health by substituting other healthy protein sources for some of the red meat they eat."

(Source:https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/risk-red-meat#)

This opinion is seconded by several others in the medical community such as Harvard Medical School (https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/whats-the-beef-with-red-meat) and Medical News Today (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326156#heart-disease-and-trimethylamine-n-oxide)

Unsanitary Conditions of animal farming:

Add to the general unhealthiness of meat, the dirtiest surroundings in which these animals are reared in South Asian countries and you have a sure recipe for sickness, viruses and epidemics.  If you don't believe me, just visit a poultry farm or a fish pond in your neighbourhood.  If you don't come away with a feeling of revulsion, I'll be surprised.  Our abattoirs are no better.  So regardless of what the health benefits of meat are, they are completely negated by the extremely unhealthy way in which animal farming happens in this part of the world.

The food for animals vs humans debate:

In January 2019, FAO put out a statement that said that a large percentage of the grains consumed by animals is not fit for human consumption. (https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/fao-sets-the-record-straight-86-of-livestock-feed-is-inedible-by-humans/). Wonder what could be the motivations of such a declaration! In contrast, this 2014 article in vox.com, based on a map released by National Geographic seems more relevant and less compromised. (https://www.vox.com/2014/8/21/6053187/cropland-map-food-fuel-animal-feed).

Now lets compare the above information and see which SDGs are unlikely to be met:

Goal 2 seems unlikely to be met since we are more interested in feeding animals which in turn can feed fewer richer people.

Goal 3 is partially dependent on Goal 2 but also independently, Goal 3 can be met if all people get healthy and clean food to eat. But who wants to eat vegetables??

Goal 6 is doomed! When you are hell bent on using up available water to grow unhealthy foods, I don't think it will be possible to save water at all, clean or otherwise.

Goals 14 and 15 are continuously in danger of being blown out of the discussion.  Otherwise, would it be possible for large fishing companies to pollute our seas and destroy marine life? And would cruelty to wildlife and farmed animals not make the cut?

A few Animal Protection Organizations (APOs) are lobbying with UN for animal welfare to be included in the SDGs but on the whole, this has not been completely taken up by advocacy groups working for farmed animals.

(https://worldanimal.net/world-animal-net-blog/item/439-sustainable-development-goals-and-animal-issues-preparing-for-the-un-s-high-level-political-forum)

The concept of SDGs is great and if we have the will, these goals can be met.  But if industry believes that profits come before sustainability, these goals are not worth the time and effort it took to frame them.  Wonder if anyone in the corridors of power is listening?