scholarly journals Importing food damages domestic environment: Evidence from global soybean trade

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (21) ◽  
pp. 5415-5419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Sun ◽  
Harold Mooney ◽  
Wenbin Wu ◽  
Huajun Tang ◽  
Yuxin Tong ◽  
...  

Protecting the environment and enhancing food security are among the world’s Sustainable Development Goals and greatest challenges. International food trade is an important mechanism to enhance food security worldwide. Nonetheless, it is widely concluded that in international food trade importing countries gain environmental benefits, while exporting countries suffer environmental problems by using land and other resources to produce food for exports. Our study shows that international food trade can also lead to environmental pollution in importing countries. At the global level, our metaanalysis indicates that there was increased nitrogen (N) pollution after much farmland for domestically cultivated N-fixing soybeans in importing countries was converted to grow high N-demanding crops (wheat, corn, rice, and vegetables). The findings were further verified by an intensive study at the regional level in China, the largest soybean-importing country, where the conversion of soybean lands to corn fields and rice paddies has also led to N pollution. Our study provides a sharp contrast to the conventional wisdom that only exports contribute substantially to environmental woes. Our results suggest the need to evaluate environmental consequences of international trade of all other major goods and products in all importing countries, which have significant implications for fundamental rethinking in global policy-making and debates on environmental responsibilities among consumers, producers, and traders across the world.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bosede Ngozi Adeleye ◽  
Emmanuel Nketiah ◽  
Mavis Adjei

This study aligns with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8, and 13 to evaluate the causal relationship between carbon emissions and economic growth in Ghana from 1960 to 2018. Using a battery of econometric techniques, findings indicate, among others, that economic growth is a positive predictor of carbon emissions. Inferences from these estimations point to a growth-led emissions nexus in Ghana. The causal analysis further provides evidence, though weak, that economic growth Granger-cause carbon emissions. Hence, policymakers should encourage coal gasification in Ghana, offering better environmental benefits at a lower cost to address the atmospheric build-up of carbon dioxide.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca R. Hernandez ◽  
Sarah M. Jordaan ◽  
Ben Kaldunski ◽  
Naresh Kumar

Energy development improves quality of life for humans, but also incurs environmental consequences. A global energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy may mitigate climate change but may also undermine the capacity to achieve some or all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this study, we use an innovation systems approach to construct a comprehensive roadmap for solar and wind energy to anticipate and improve impacts of a transition to a low carbon future in a manner ensuring climate goals and SDGs are mutually reinforcing. Our multidisciplinary approach began with an assessment of public investments in renewable energy followed by a 2-day research prioritization workshop. Fifty-eight expert workshop participants identified six research themes that proactively address the environmental sustainability of renewable energy. Next, we identified linkages between the six research themes and all 17 SDGs. Finally, we conducted a scientiometric analysis to analyze the research maturity of these themes. The results of these efforts elucidated the limits of existing knowledge of renewable energy-SDG interactions, informing the development of a research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RD3) roadmap to a renewable energy future aligned with both climate goals and SDGs. The RD3 roadmap has been designed to systematically develop solutions for diverse actors and organizations. Overall, our findings confer a broad vision for a sustainable transition to renewables to minimize unintended environmental consequences while supporting interoperability among actors particularly poised to influence its magnitude and direction.


2021 ◽  
Vol 905 (1) ◽  
pp. 012064
Author(s):  
M N Mu’afa ◽  
S Marwanti ◽  
W Rahayu

Abstract Goal 2 of the Sustainable Development Goals is Zero Hunger or ensure food security in the world. This study aims to determine households’ food security in Sragen District using descriptive and analytical methods with survey techniques. The research was conducted in Gemolong Sub-district, Sragen District. The determination of village samples is done deliberately (purposive) considering the largest rainfed rice fields. The data analysis used is the analysis of energy consumption and household food security. The results showed that the energy consumption of farmers’ households amounted to 6,041 kcal/day with an energy sufficiency value of 5,368 kcal/day, then obtained energy consumption level of 113% and classified in the category of high level because energy consumption level ≥ 100%. Household food security conditions showed that 53.33% were food resistant households and 46.67% were food vulnerable. Increasing production and household income by optimizing drill wells to ensure water availability or procurement of seeds resistant to rainfed rice fields can address vulnerable food situations.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Doelman ◽  
Tom Kram ◽  
Benjamin Bodirsky ◽  
Isabelle Weindle ◽  
Elke Stehfest

<p>The human population has substantially grown and become wealthier over the last decades. These developments have led to major increases in the use of key natural resources such as food, energy and water causing increased pressure on the environment throughout the world. As these trends are projected to continue into the foreseeable future, a crucial question is how the provision of resources as well as the quality of the environment can be managed sustainably.</p><p>Environmental quality and resource provision are intricately linked. For example, food production depends on availability of water, land suitable for agriculture, and favourable climatic circumstances. In turn, food production causes climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions, and affects biodiversity through conversion of natural vegetation to agriculture and through the effects of excessive fertilizer and use of pesticides. There are many examples of the complex interlinkages between different production systems and environmental issues. To handle this complexity the nexus concept has been introduced which recognizes that different sectors are inherently interconnected and must be investigated in an integrated, holistic manner.</p><p>Until now, the nexus literature predominantly exists of local studies or qualitative descriptions. This study present the first qualitative, multi-model nexus study at the global scale, based on scenarios simultaneously developed with the MAgPIE land use model and the IMAGE integrated assessment model. The goal is to quantify synergies and trade-offs between different sectors of the water-land-energy-food-climate nexus in the context of sustainable development goals (SDGs). Each scenario is designed to substantially improve one of the nexus sectors water, land, energy, food or climate. A number of indicators that capture important aspects of both the nexus sectors and related SDGs is selected to assess whether these scenarios provide synergies or trade-offs with other nexus sectors, and to quantify the effects. Additionally a scenario is developed that aims to optimize policy action across nexus sectors providing an example of a holistic approach that achieves multiple sustainable development goals.</p><p>The results of this study highlight many synergies and trade-offs. For example, an important trade-off exists between climate change policy and food security targets: large-scale implementation of bio-energy and afforestation to achieve stringent climate targets negatively impacts food security. An interesting synergy exists between the food, water and climate sectors: promoting healthy diets reduces water use, improves water quality and increases the uptake of carbon by forests.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-92
Author(s):  
Tat'yana P. LISKOVETSKAYA ◽  
Radima G. MAL'SAGOVA

Subject. This article discusses the issues related to information support for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and food security indicators. Objectives. The article aims to determine ways to improve Russia's food security policy. Methods. For the study, we used the methods of analysis and synthesis, and statistical techniques. Results. The article describes the stages of the SDGs information support system formation and determines areas to improve the country's food security. Conclusions. The article concludes that further ensuring and improving the country's food security requires taking into account current global influences, namely the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.


Sustainability and nutrition, Environmental impacts, nutrition policy, Sustainable development goals, Food security, Climate change and obesity


2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dörte Bemme ◽  
Laurence J Kirmayer

In recent years, efforts in Global Mental Health (GMH) have evolved alongside critical engagement with the field's claims and interventions. GMH has shifted its agenda and epistemological underpinnings, increased its evidence base, and joined other global policy platforms such as the Sustainable Development Goals. This editorial introduction to a thematic issue traces the recent shifts in the GMH agenda and discusses the changing construct of “mental health” as GMH moves away from a categorical biomedical model toward dimensional and transdiagnostic approaches and embraces digital technologies. We highlight persistent and emerging lines of inquiry and advocate for meaningful interdisciplinary engagement. Taken together, the articles in this special issue of Transcultural Psychiatry provide a snapshot of current interdisciplinary work in GMH that considers the socio-cultural and historical dimensions of mental health important and proposes reflexive development of interventions and implementation strategies.


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