Issue No. 34: Why is Animal Welfare Important for Sustainable Consumption and Production?

The 2030 Agenda envisages a development model “in which humanity lives in harmony with nature and … other living species are protected.” Yet while the relationship between animal welfare, environmental well-being, and human development is increasingly researched and evidenced, there remains very little recognition of this relationship and the crucial role animal welfare plays in sustainable development for people and planet in United Nations discussions on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly for SDG 12, Sustainable Consumption and Production, which links to all other SDGs. It is high time that this was remedied, and animal welfare embraced throughout the United Nations system.