OBJECTIVE:
“More than half of us live in cities. By 2050, two-thirds of all humanity—6.5 billion people—will be urban. Sustainable development cannot be achieved without significantly transforming the way we build and manage our urban spaces”.
“The rapid growth of cities—a result of rising populations and increasing migration—has led to a boom in mega-cities, especially in the developing world, and slums are becoming a more significant feature of urban life”.
“Making cities sustainable means creating career and business opportunities, safe and affordable housing, and building resilient societies and economies. It involves investment in public transport, creating green public spaces, and improving urban planning and management in participatory and inclusive ways”.
(Sustainable development goals: United Nations Development Programme: Goal 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities)
HOW ANIMAL EXPLOITATION UNDERMINES THIS GOAL
Unsustainable AG: The base resources used for the animal agriculture industry to operate far outstrips the value of the nutrients that can be obtained from its products (1). In urban settings, it is far more practical and sustainable to locally grow plant foods (including plant protein sources) than raise animals (2). Exploiting wildlife and breeding domestic animals en masse, has proven to be extremely detrimental to creating and sustaining peaceful, clean, and healthy communities (3-4).
Animal Agriculture Land use Dwarfs City Expansion: Half of the world’s habitable land is used for agriculture, including pastures for grazing and animal feed crops. Livestock account for 77% of global farming land. Only 7% of all land used for crops, is not intended as animal feed. Built-up land (i.e. villages, towns, cities, and infrastructure) only make up about 1% of the land used. Without animal agriculture, human living space and space for nature could expand exponentially (5).
Download the document below to read the full list of the latest citations of evidence as to how animal exploitation undermines the progress of SDG Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Further Reading:
Goal 11 : Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform (United Nations website)
“Nearly 90% of Land Animals Could Lose Habitat by 2050, Study Finds” – The study’s results “highlight the importance of proactive efforts to safeguard biodiversity by reducing demand for agricultural land,” Michael Clark, another lead author of the study said, By Emily Denny / Dec. 22, 2020 – https://www.ecowatch.com
“The Ongoing Collapse of the World’s Aquifers” – When humans over-exploit underground water supplies, the ground collapses like a huge empty water bottle. It’s called subsidence, and it could affect 1.6 billion people by 2040. MATT SIMONSCIENCE / 01.19.2021 – https://www.wired.com/story