Chapter 6

Towards a Sustainable World

Overview
Sustainable development is defined as “development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The concept of
needs goes beyond simply material needs and includes values, relationships, freedom to think,
act, and participate, all amounting to sustainable living, morally, and spiritually.
The 1972 UN conference in Stockholm highlighted the concerns for preserving and enhancing
the environment and its biodiversity to ensure human rights to a healthy and productive world.
The developing countries argued that their priority was development, whereas the developed
countries made a case for environmental protection and conservation as the prime issue. The
1982 Nairobi Summit reviewed the progress in the decade since the Stockholm Conference and
called upon national governments to intensify efforts to protect the environment and stressed the
need for international cooperation. However, the tensions between Western Governments and the
Soviet Union marred progress and commitment toward a Nairobi action plan.
This lesson will enlighten the minds of the students towards the development goals by the
United Nation and some pressing issues on food security. They will later come up with an
activity which will test their practical skills especially today as we face the Covid 19 Pandemic.
More readings at https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-andplanetary- sciences/sustainable-
development

General Objectives:
At the end of this chapter, the students are expected to:
1. Have a broad understanding on the Sustainable Development Goals;
2. Analyze the pressing issues in their own locality with regard to Food Security.
 LESSON 1
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD SECURITY

Pre-discussion
Sustainable development is commonly defined as “development that meets the needs of
the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”
(WCED, 1987: 43). It is, as presented in Chapter 3, generally conceived as resting on three
pillars: economic development, social development and environmental protection. Looking more
closely into the term “sustainable”, it is defined as something that is “able to be upheld or
defended” (New Oxford American Dictionary, 2005). The first part of this definition indicates
that sustainable development is the development that can be maintained over time, while the
second part indicates that sustainable development is the development that can be safeguarded
from the impact of negative events and processes.
Read more at https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-
planetarysciences/sustainable-development

What to expect?
Objectives:
1. Differentiate stability from sustainability;
2. Articulate Models of global sustainable development;
3. Define global food security; and
4. Critique existing models of global food security.

Lesson Outline
The term sustainable development is a well-used one and is probably familiar to many
within and beyond academia, certainly in the more developed parts of the world. It is a term that
we come across in arenas ranging from doorstep recycling initiatives to media explanations of
global security issues. Within human geography, it informs research extending from social
exclusion within cities of the United Kingdom to outcomes of environmental transformations in
rural Africa. Indeed, some consider that there is none
so relevant a discipline as geography to contribute to the sustainable development debates given
its ability to marry the science of the environment with an understanding of economic, political,
and cultural change, that is, development. The pursuit of sustainable development is now stated
as a principal policy goal of organizations and institutions across all scales of public life and the
field of academic and practical enquiry around sustainable development is a diverse and
expanding one.
It is generally acknowledged that the report of the World Commission on Environment
and Development (also known as the Brundtland Commission) published in 1987 did much to
bring the term ‘sustainable development’ into the popular consciousness and onto public
agendas. This commission, established by the United Nations (UN), comprised people drawn
from member states of both the more developed and less developed worlds and was charged with
identifying the long-term environmental strategies for the international community. Its definition
of sustainable development, as “development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” has become the most
widely cited expression of the term. The fundamental notion that development today should not
be at the expense of that in the future has found widespread allegiance.
As the term sustainable development reaches both further into daily lives and becomes
bound up with ever-larger movements of the modern world, academics and practitioners are
increasingly aware of the need to reflect critically on the fundamental principles encapsulated
within the term as it evolves. In addition, close examination is needed of what is trying to be
achieved and how, in the name of sustainable development, to encompass the multiple and often
competing agendas being pursued and to interpret changes within dynamic local and global
contexts. To that end, this review accords substantial detail to the origins and development of the
notion of sustainable development and how the complex interdependencies of economic, social,
and environmental development processes and their outcomes are being revealed in the pursuit
of sustainable development.
Moreover, the concept of sustainable development has gained some degree of notoriety
including for its ‘slippery nature’ (the multiple definitions that it has), its ambiguities (the
various interpretations that flow from those definitions), and its
fundamentally oxymoronic character (the suggested opposition between the two encapsulated
terms). This review details a number of frameworks that have been forwarded for handling the
diversity and dynamism associated with the notion and points to the principal ongoing divisions
within the field of enquiry. For some, the way in which the notion of sustainable development
has been redefined so many times and in relation to so many aspects of society–environment
relationships undermines its usefulness. For others, it is the contestations over the direction of
social and economic development into the future (the discord of modern politics) that are the
substance of sustainable development and as such, the utility of the idea lies precisely in the
debate and compromise that it challenges researchers and practitioners to engage in. Two
particular literatures, those of environmentalism and of development, are considered to be
particularly important in understanding the origins of sustainable development. The first use of
the term ‘sustainable development’ is acknowledged to have been within the World Conservation
Strategy of 1980 that was drawn up by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and
Natural Resources. For the first time, development was forwarded as a means for achieving
conservation bringing the two literatures closer together. However, the 1980s are also understood
to have been an era of ‘impasse’ within both the theory and practice of development. Past
theories were upturned and seemed to offer little in terms of explaining the current experiences
of development and underdevelopment (let alone into the future). It was also a period when the
failures of ‘development’ on the ground were increasingly evident including the environmental
impacts of the mounting debt crisis and of the solutions implemented to solve it. In the
globalized era of the early years of the twenty-first century, environmentalism is considered to be
thriving, particularly as it has adapted to changing scientific evidence and has been informed by
the ideas of related social movements such as ecofeminism. Whilst it can be considered that
discourses remain dominated by environmental sustainability concerns, the work of geographers
is proving important in placing human needs and rights more centrally into these agendas. In
turn, development studies (and development geography) is considered to have moved beyond its
impasse to be characterized by lively debate within which environmental, social, and economic
sustainability are a central concern. Whilst this review provides evidence of the
substantial work of geographers, particularly in uncovering the nexus of poverty– environment
relationships, there is continued concern as to 129 how far this work is impacting on the
literature and practices of sustainable development. One way in which sustainable development
can now be considered a concept that has come of age is through its position as a primary policy
goal of many of the major institutions of the world, including the UN and the World Bank (WB).
In particular, finding new approaches to poverty alleviation is currently considered to be on a
new and superior roll. This review analyses how this consensus has development and considers
how the policy prescriptions that flow from it intersect with local and global environmental
agendas. Discussions of the idea and practices of sustainable development are centrally
concerned with the future of the Earth and its inhabitants’ relationships, and policy challenges
that are the long-standing traditional concerns of geographers. This review considers the
contribution of human geography in exposing the inherently political and conflictual endeavor
that is sustainable development, in particular through the work within political ecology. In 2012,
the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development met to discuss and develop a set of
goals to work toward; they grew out of the Millennium Development Goals that claimed success
in reducing global poverty while acknowledging there was still much more to do. The
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) eventually came up with a list of 17 items that included
amongst other things: -the end of poverty and hunger -better standards of education and
healthcare, particularly as -it pertains to water quality and better sanitation -to achieve gender
equality130 -sustainable economic growth while promoting jobs and stronger economies -
sustainability to include health of the land, air, and sea Finally, it acknowledged the concept of
nature having certain rights, that people have stewardship of the world, and the importance of
putting people at the forefront of solving these global issues. Thus, sustainable development
recognizes that growth must be both inclusive and environmentally sound to reduce poverty and
build shared prosperity for today’s population and to continue to meet the needs of future
generations. It is efficient with resources and carefully planned to deliver both immediate and
long-term benefits for people, the planet, and prosperity. The three pillars of sustainable
development–economic growth, environmental stewardship, and social inclusion (Fig. 2.1)—
carry across all sectors of development, from cities facing rapid
urbanization to agriculture, infrastructure, energy development and use, water availability, and
transportation. Food Security Definition At the 1996 FAO Rome World Food Summit, food
security was defined as a condition that exists when “all people, at all times have physical and
economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food
preferences for an active and healthy life” Therefore, the key dimensions of the household food
security construct are as follows: physical availability of food, economic and physical access to
food, and adequate food utilization that is a function of the ability of the body to process and use
nutrients as well as of the dietary quality and the safety of the foods consumed. Because of the
central role that food security plays in human development, it is recognized as a universal human
right that is currently unmet for billions of individuals globally. 132 Causes of Food Insecurity
Household food insecurity (HFI) is the result of poverty, poor health of the household member or
members, and suboptimal livelihood and household management strategies. Food security is
closely related to, but not synonymous with, nutrition security and health. Nutrition security is
attained by individuals when the body tissues are exposed to optimal amounts of nutrients and
other essential substances. Nutrition security results from the combination of household food
security, health care access security, and access to other basic human needs including adequate
sanitation. Food security and the other determinants of nutrition security are linked with each
other For example, a household with limited economic access to food may decide to not seek
medical care for a child or to not purchase prescribed medications. For food security to be a
reality, households need to have unrestricted access to a healthy and nutritious diet. Access to
healthy diets, in turn, depends on having adequate economic resources and for foods to be readily
available in the country, region, and communities in which the households are located. National
food availability is a function of the balance between foods grown in the country plus foods
imported minus foods exported, spoiled, or fed to animals. Therefore, the maintenance of an
affordable and sustainable healthy food supply at the global level is paramount for achieving
household food security and nutrition security worldwide. For this reason, it is crucial to
understand and address climate change, agricultural commodity price policies, armed conflicts,
and ultimately, the health of our planet from a household food security perspective in the
context of the UN Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), which specifically call for ending hunger, achieving food security and improved
nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture globally. Consequences of Food Insecurity HFI
represents a strong biological and psychosocial stressor that may increase the risk of poor mental,
social, and psycho-emotional development of individuals across the life course through different
pathways. A biological 133 pathway involves the potential links between HFI, poorer dietary
intakes, nutritional status, and overall well- being. A case in point is a current study from the
United States that documents the very poor dietary quality of low-income individuals at risk of
food insecurity. Their diets were characterized by exceedingly low intakes of whole grains, fruit,
vegetables, and fish. This indeed is a dietary pattern that has been strongly linked to an increased
risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, chronic diseases such as diabetes, and premature death. A
psycho- emotional pathway involves the worry and anxiety; feeling of exclusion, deprivation,
and alienation; distress; and adverse family and social interactions among individuals
experiencing food insecurity. Poor child development HFI is indeed a powerful stressor that has
a direct and indirect impact on the psycho-emotional, social, behavioral, and intellectual
development of children, including problem internalization (e.g., depression) and externalization
(e.g., aggressive behaviors). Quantitative studies have shown that HFI affects child development
above and beyond the independent effects of typical poverty indicators, including household
income and parental education. The impact of HFI on child development is likely to be
influenced by nutritional indicators as well as by psycho-emotional factors affecting how the
family functions. Qualitative research studies have confirmed that HFI leads to strong psycho-
emotional responses, including being worried, sad, or angry. Infectious diseases HFI has been
associated with an increased risk of childhood malaria, diarrhea, upper respiratory infections, and
hospitalizations due to severe infectious diseases in countries as diverse as Brazil and Haiti,
perhaps as a result of inflammation as well as a depressed immune system. Stunting, Obesity,
and Chronic Diseases134 HFI has been associated with the double burden of malnutrition (i.e.,
the simultaneous presence of stunted children and obese mothers living in the same household) in
Brazil, Mexico, and other Latin American countries and world regions Furthermore, HFI has
been associated with serious noncommunicable diseases, including type 2 diabetes and
hypertension in Mexico, Ecuador, and other countries which
is likely to be connected to poor dietary quality and stress resulting from HFI. Poor mental health
among children, youth, and adults HFI has been associated with depression and suicidal thoughts
among youth in the United States and has been confirmed to be a major source of maternal
depression globally (Maternal depression, in turn, is a major risk factor for poor child
psychosocial, emotional, and behavioral development Suboptimal sleep patterns Poor sleep
negatively affects physical and mental health. HFI has been associated with suboptimal sleep
patterns among Mexican adults and lowincome Latinos with type 2 diabetes in the United States
and this relation is modified by stress and anxiety. Social disruption HFI has been identified as a
major source of social unrest and internal strive globally as shown by the massive riots and social
unrest resulting from the economic crisis and major food inflation observed in 2008. Indeed,
food shortages are so disruptive to societies that they are considered to be a major factor in the
disintegration of nations. Environmental sustainability According to the recent Lancet Series on
Planetary Health (29), the degradation and destruction of natural ecosystems has been identified
as a major threat to crop diversity and thus the stability of food systems globally. 135 Climate
change, in particular, has been identified as a major determinant of damage to or destruction of
ecosystems globally. Thus, maintaining environmental sustainability is an enormous challenge
for planetary and human health, making it crucial to take immediate actions. These actions
include “nonfood” (i.e., alternatives to fossil fuels), as well as “food-related” strategies (i.e.,
reducing the raising of cattle and consumption of meats, disseminating affordable sustainable
agriculture technologies). Because consumers drive demand and this, in turn, drives decisions by
industry, it is crucial for citizens to be educated on the importance of the individual lifestyle
choices on the future sustainability and food security of the planet (10) (see Figure 1 and the
section entitled “Education: planetary health 2.0” below). By the same token, it is crucial for
governments to implement sustainability policies that provide the conditions needed for
consumers to implement these decisions. In a nutshell, the new Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) include a significant number of interconnected objectives related to agriculture and food.
SDG 2 focuses explicitly on food by seeking to “end hunger, achieve food security and improved
nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture”, but multiple other goals relate to challenges in the
food system. SDG 1 focuses on poverty reduction, where
agriculture and food has a key role to play. Sustainable agriculture plays a central role in
achieving SDG 6 on water, SDG 12 on sustainable consumption and production, SDG 13 on
climate change adaptation and mitigation and SDG 15 on land use and ecosystems. Sustainable
management of fisheries also features prominently in SDG 14 on marine resource and oceans.
This part summarizes the main policy leverages to achieve sustainable and secure food systems
in line with these goals. A majority of the world’s poor lives in rural areas, where farming –
predominantly by smallholders – is the 136 central economic activity. Large increases in
agricultural investment will be needed both to raise incomes and increase the supply of food
sustainably. Most of the investment will need to come from the private sector, but governments
have an important role in establishing the framework conditions. Public investment, supported by
development aid, can also complement and attract private investment. Policies that support
agriculture’s enabling environment, but do not distort incentives or crowd out the private sector,
are likely to be more effective in the long term than specific subsidies to the agricultural sector.
Priority areas for public spending include research, innovation and rural infrastructure.