Personally, a proud alumnus of UP Los Baños, I have long wanted if possible for the United Nations (the UN) to reboot its “17 Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) adopted in the “UN Sustainable Development Summit” held in Sept 2015 (United Nations, sdgs.un.org). To me, “Sustainable” is “Questionable”!
(“Globe Hand” from freepik.com)
Here are the UN’s “17 Goals of Sustainable Development” (United Nations, un.org):
G1: No Poverty
G2: Zero Hunger
G3: Good Health and Well-being
G4: Quality Education
G5: Gender Equality
G6: Clean Water and Sanitation
G7: Affordable and Clean Energy
G8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
G9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
G10: Reduced Inequality
G11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
G12: Responsible Consumption and Production
G13: Climate Action
G14: Life Below Water
G15: Life on Land
G16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
G17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal[s].
All
17 are desirable for the world – each one a Mission to Accomplish the
Vision: “Sustainable Development.” However, if the Vision is unacceptable
– there go the Missions!
Intellectually,
I envision of revising the Vision into “Regenerative
Development.” Because: The term “sustainable” implies that it “can be improved
somehow while essentially maintaining the current relationships” – in essence, status quo. In contrast, the term
“regenerative” implies “rebirth, renewal” – essentially, change for the better. Why does not anyone want change for the
better!?
Noted: “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.”
For
“Climate Action,” the UN website mentions “sharply reduced” emissions of greenhouse
gases (GHGs), but does not mention Chemical Agriculture (CA) as a huge
source of GHGs. Why not? My calculated guess is that if they mentioned CA as a
producer of global enemy gases, the UN will be seen to be anti-capitalist!
(“Climate Change” from ausrawmilk.org)
Also
noteworthy, none of the 17 SDGs either mentions, implies or signifies
“Agriculture” – Why not? My guess is that “Chemical Agriculture” (CA) will come
out, and that is anti-capitalist too! Organic Agriculture (OA) will also come
out, and that is Definitely Murder!
Let us now take the case of OA as one of the Regenerative
Agriculture (RA) practices/principles. So, what does OA regenerate? I see these
2 entities generated/regenerated:
(1) Farmers are financially
enriched – arising from much lower overall cost of farming and, therefore,
much higher returns from farming.
(2) Environments are organically enriched
– natural soil enrichers are applied, therefore zero greenhouse
gases are generated.
Yes, OA is murderous! These are the 2 entities that OA
slowly but surely kills:
(1)
Farmer Poverty – I repeat:
OA reduces much the total cost of farming and increases much the net returns; that
is murder to those whose businesses rely on the manufacture and/or distribution
of chemical fertilizers and pesticides!
(2)
Climate
Change – OA renews the natural fertility of the soil and does not
generate greenhouse gases that generate Climate Change.
Today, as global development
goals ignore elimination of Farmer Poverty and Climate Change,
development is not sustainable!@517