Sustainable development is the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. It’s the concerted effort towards building an inclusive future for the people and the planet.
The 2030 agenda for sustainable development goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 objectives within a universal agreement to end poverty, protect all that makes the planet habitable, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity – presently and in the future. All member states of the United Nations formally adopted the goals in 2015.
What Does 2030 Agenda Really Mean?
The agenda was developed according to the five “Ps” – People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnerships. Some of the main agendas included:
- No poverty
- Sanitation and clean water
- Gender equality
- Good health and well-being
- Responsible consumption and production
- Quality education
- Zero hunger
- Clean and affordable energy
- Infrastructure, innovation and industry
- Partnerships for the goals
- Reducing inequality
- Decent work and economic growth
- Sustainable communities and cities
- Climate action
- Life on land
- Life below water
- Peace, justice and strong institutions
The level of awareness is described as the backbone of achievement. Without adequate awareness, it is difficult to attainment the sustainable development goals by 2030 as the public won’t be able to hold pertinent stakeholders accountable.
One part of the awareness strategy is to make people question the kind of life they wish to live. Then, allow them to make decisions on improving their lives and that of the next generation at the grass-root levels.
Keep in mind that the policy-makers’ understanding of the holistic nature and implications of sustainable development determines a nation’s commitment to sustainability at both local and national levels.
How Hemp is Helping Us Achieve the 2030 Agenda Goals
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development seeks to address industrial hemp policies and show the potential that hemp plant has (in appropriately regulated settings) to transform the earth by making it more sustainable.
Here’s how hemp can help with the agenda 2030 map:
Poverty Eradication
In difficult economic times, hemp is giving small-scale farmers new hope for a better life. While many new small-scale farmers are still settling down into the new-found industry, the future of hemp growing looks bright.
For instance, the hemp CBD market is projected to jump to more than $23 billion in the next five years. At the farm level, this translates more than $40,000 in revenue per acre – depending on the yield and quality. The increase in revenue will be largely attributed to the fact that hemp products will be easily available to the target audience.
With the increase in demand for hemp products, more and more farmers will transition to its cultivation, and this will help boost their living standards – while eradicating poverty in local communities.
End Hunger
Hemp is a sustainable and renewable resource capable of providing immense amounts of nutrients. They’re packed with proteins, essential fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, dietary fiber, and minerals. The human body is capable of surviving on hemp seeds alone.
They contain Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids which can help boost your immunity and maintain cholesterol levels for a healthier heart. Even better, they’re an exceptionally rich source of the two essential fatty acids linoleic acid and alpha-linoleic acid. The omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in hemp seed is also considered optimal for the human body.
And since the cultivation and production of hemp seeds aren’t capital and labor-intensive, the end products will be much more affordable to the world population. This will significantly help in the fight against world hunger.
Clothing
Hemp is more sustainable to grow and process compared to cotton. For starters, it requires less water. To produce two pounds of cotton fiber, farms use an excess of 20,000 liters of water. This amount of cotton can only make one t-shirt and a single pair of trousers. On the other hand, you only need 300-500 liters of water to produce a similar amount of hemp fiber.
Additionally, hemp requires less space because the plants are typically tall and thin. This means production per acre is higher since farmers can grow the crop densely without compromising on the yield. This is not to mention that hemp is naturally a hardy plant that doesn’t require the use of excess pesticides and herbicides that may pollute the environment.
Synthetic fabrics rely heavily on fossil fuels during production. Such energy-intensive production processes emit harmful greenhouse gases. Besides being eco-friendly, industrial hemp clothing has higher tensile strength than cotton, has anti-bacterial properties, and is mold resistant.
Climate Change
Hemp plants are an organic raw material that can offer alternatives to plastics, fuel, cotton fiber, and paper. Plastics take years to fully disintegrate. On the other hand, hemp bioplastics break down in six months or less.
What’s more, hemp cultivation is carbon negative. This means that the cultivation and production absorb more carbon than they release. Hemp also produces high-quality biomass (matter that returns to the soil for decomposition). Thus, rotating different cash crops with hemp can replenish the soil with added nutrients. The cultivation can remove toxins from the soil through bioremediation. This process eliminates radioactive elements and other toxins in the soil and strengthens the roots of plants.
Another way that hemp can help curb climate change is through the production of biofuel which can replace fossil fuels. The hemp biofuel is extracted from hemp seeds and can be used on any conventional diesel engine. According to research, the biodiesel has a 97% conversion rate, making it a good alternative to conventional fuel.
Just imagine a fleet of cars on the road all powered by fuel from a plant that leaves the soil better than it found – it doesn’t get any greener than that.
The Agenda for Sustainable Development with Hemp can be framed around the following 5 key areas that need to be focused on:
1. Environmental Sustainability: Hemp is a highly sustainable crop which requires less water and fewer pesticides than traditional crops like cotton. Therefore, the first key area of the agenda should focus on promoting the use of hemp as an environmentally sustainable crop. This can include promoting hemp farming, encouraging research and development of hemp-based products, and incentivizing the adoption of hemp-based materials in different industries.
2. Economic Development: The Agenda for Sustainable Development with Hemp should also promote economic development in the communities where hemp is grown. This can include providing training and technical assistance to farmers to improve crop yields and quality, promoting the development of value-added products and processing facilities, and encouraging the development of local markets for hemp-based products.
3. Social Sustainability: Hemp has the potential to create new jobs and industries, particularly in rural areas where economic opportunities may be limited. The Agenda for Sustainable Development with Hemp should prioritize promoting social sustainability by ensuring that the benefits of hemp production are shared fairly among all members of society, particularly marginalized groups like small farmers, indigenous communities, and women.
4. Health and Wellness: Hemp has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries and has been shown to have potential health benefits in areas like pain management, anxiety, and sleep disorders. The Agenda for Sustainable Development with Hemp should prioritize promoting research and development of hemp-based health and wellness products and supporting the development of a regulatory framework that ensures the safety and efficacy of these products.
5. Innovation: Finally, the Agenda for Sustainable Development with Hemp should prioritize promoting innovation in developing new hemp-based products and technologies. This can include funding research and development, supporting entrepreneurship and innovation hubs, and fostering collaboration between different sectors and stakeholders to drive innovation and create new opportunities for sustainable development with hemp.
Achieving a Sustainable Future with Hemp
The 2030 agenda for sustainable development is a feasible approach to curbing the world’s problems. It’s achievable if all the countries come together to contribute to the realization of the goals by adequately allocating necessary resources. All in all, the efforts should be encouraged to start from the grassroots levels.
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