The proof is in the pudding
If I had to pick one problem to fix first, it would be hunger.
In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 193 nations agreed on 17 goals that reflect humanity’s biggest challenges, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.
They gave themselves only 15 years to accomplish them.
There isn’t just one solution to any of these issues. It takes many responses, each tackling a slice of the overarching problem. Right now, no country is on track to accomplish all of the goals. But progress is being made through the hard work of governments, communities, businesses, academia and civil society.
In this issue and the two following, I’m going to explore three of the Sustainable Development Goals and how people around the world are working to achieve them. (The Solutions Story Tracker® also has this neat feature to filter for solutions that tackle a specific SDG).
If I had to pick one problem to fix first, it would be hunger. It’s hard to achieve anything else on an empty stomach. While the number of undernourished people had been falling for decades (with a high of 1.02 billion people in 1992 down to 780 million in 2014), it started to rise again in 2015. War and conflicts, climate catastrophes, and the decline in food production have contributed to food scarcity.
Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of undernourishment. It is also at the forefront of climate change. Increased levels of salt in the water, uneven rainfalls, and flooding have made farming an uncertain business in the southwestern part of the country. But farmers have found smart ways to adapt their businesses to make use of a new climate reality.
One-third of the food available for human consumption is lost or wasted. We don’t need more food — we need to make better use of what is available. In rural Idaho, residents and local farmers are working together to make sure produce is being used to its fullest. And the movement is spreading across the country.
In Kenya, farmers are working toward a more sustainable future that is independent of the volatility of global markets and can sustain the lingering threats of climate change. The pathway to resilience: memory and restoration of indigenous women’s farming knowledge and practices.
Next week, I’m going to explore how people are working to achieve Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. In the meantime, which global problem would you fix first?
Lisa Urlbauer
Curator of The Response
P.S. Thanks to everyone who participated in last week’s survey!
“On the frontline of climate change, Bangladesh adapts”
Jessore, Bangladesh
Sarah Marsch
The Guardian
[1,300 words]
Bangladeshis have found some innovative answers to floods and storms.
“A Wasteful Life: Rethinking Sustainability”
Kooskia, Idaho, United States
Sydney Brown
The Daily Evergreen
[1,000 words]
Buying locally supports local businesses and is often more sustainable.
“Indigenous women in Kenya rebuild resilience amidst an eco-cultural crisis”
Tharakaya, Kenya
Wangũi wa Kamonji
OpenGlobalRights
[1,300 words w/ multimedia elements]
Traditional practices and grains offer Kenya’s farmers a more sustainable future.
The Response is a weekly newsletter that reframes current news events, highlighting ways people are responding to crises and problems we see every day in the news. Why? Because we want to add perspectives to the conversations that go beyond the doom-and-gloom news cycle — giving you The Whole Story. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Then click here to sign up.
