Animal Welfare and The Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (1)
By Dr Ibikunle Faramade
According to the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development, sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
After the conclusion of the pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals by the United Nations in September 2015, the Organization, through the cooperation of Heads of States and Governments endorsed the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals.
There are seventeen global goals which are targeted for achievement by the year 2030. These goals are as follows;
Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Goals 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Goal 15: Protect, restore ad promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation and half biodiversity loss.
Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable Development.
These itemized goals, as ambitious as they are, did not give adequate attention and considerations to the crucial roles of animals in the ecosystem, human survival and stability of the environment. Since the launch of these lofty goals, also referred to as global goals, many experts, especially, in the field of animal ethology, animal welfare science, sustainability science, animal health, and environmental science have shown, very clearly, the intricate relationship between animal welfare and the achievement of the sustainable development goals.
The recognition of this interconnectedness has given rise to the development of a new concept called “One Welfare” which parallels “One Health” and the SDGs. The obvious relationship among these tripods are not currently well enunciated and this may affect the realization of the core objectives of the SDG by 2030.
This column has therefore devoted the second part of this article (next week) to explore the main features of animal welfare in connection with the achievement of the SDGs, especially in Nigeria.
For the SDGs not to go the way of the MDGs, (in terms of overall achievements of the goals and targets) concerted multidisciplinary, trans-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder efforts should be made as a matter of paradigm shift to the benefit of all.
Dr. Ibikunle Faramade is a veterinary pathologist, sustainable development practitioner and a lecturer at the Federal College of Animal Health & Production Technology, Apata. Ibadan. He’s the C.E.O of the Society for Animal Rights Protection, a non-profit and a non-governmental organization dedicated to the promotion of animal welfare, animal rights and prevention of cruelty to animals. animalrightsprotection2020@gmail.com , +2348028305284
