A decade for action
UNEP and the Yield Lab Institute are stepping up to this challenge, and seizing the opportunity provided by the Decade of Action to play a central role in shaping more balanced, equitable and sustainable agri-food systems for all.
The scientific community has pointed out that the world is facing three major environmental challenges: climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution – largely driven by human activity through population pressure and policies and practices which drive unsustainable consumption and production. This is putting us at risk of irreversibly changing our relationship with the natural world and how we benefit from it.
While overwhelming evidence exists for this, the scale and pace of a global response to these three challenges is not where it should be. Collectively, we are off-track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, especially the environment-related ones, that will enable us to achieve the aspirations of Agenda 2030.
That’s why world leaders, at the SDG Summit in September 2019, called for a Decade of Action, pledging to mobilize financing, enhance national implementation and strengthen institutions to achieve the Goals by the target date of 2030.
Accelerated efforts are needed to boost sustainable solutions to the biggest challenges we face. The Decade of Action asks for transformative economic, social and environmental solutions. We will need inspiration and creativity at global, local and individual levels – from national and local governments, civil society, the private sector, academia and youth. A transformative recovery from COVID-19 should reduce the risk of future crises and re-launch the Decade of Action.
