How the dairy industry can help meet Sustainable Development Goals
At Dairy UK’s ‘Weighing up the Facts? Does Dairy Deliver’ conference, chief executive Dr Judith Bryans explained the critical role of the dairy industry in meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
She highlighted how the billion strong dairy community feeds six billion people with nutritious foods, as well as promoting gender equality, livelihoods and stronger national economies.
Dr Judith Bryans said: “Can we help deliver many of the Sustainable Development Goals? Yes. The dairy industry provides livelihoods, lifts people out of poverty, promotes gender equality globally, contributes to our environment, and of course is essential for a healthy and balanced diet.”
Addressing the environmental sustainability of the dairy industry, Dr Bryans pointed to the success of the sector in improving its efficiency and its greenhouse gas emissions over the last decade, citing an 11% decrease in emissions intensity the sector had achieved over the last ten years.
Dr Bryans added: “We’re not perfect, but as an industry we continually push ourselves to improve. Of course there’s more to the story of sustainability than just emissions, but by improving our efficiency and our footprint we are undoubtedly part of the solution to feeding a growing global population with healthy nutritious foods.”
