When most people think of sustainability, they think very much from an environmental perspective. However, there are many interconnected issues and trade-offs which make a production system more or less sustainable. These are sometimes described as the four pillars of sustainability: Social, Human, Economic, and Environmental.

Figure 4: Sustainability must also address social development issues (Source: Masakazu Shibata, UNESCO)

Socio-economic issues are often interwoven with environmental issues where people’s livelihood are inextricably linked to the health of ecosystems in which they live. Sustainable, equitable livelihoods for people often mean that they live more in harmony with their environment. Likewise, a polluted and degenerated environment can lead to poor health, nutrition, and livelihood outcomes for local populations. However, as we live in food systems underpinned by global supply chains, sometimes our environmental impact is “out-sourced” along with our raw material and labour sourcing. This could lead to exacerbating socio-economic injustices or environmental impacts in other countries, which are often out of the sight and minds of consumers. However, responsible sourcing of sustainable products can also lead to real gains in prospects of people’s livelihoods in developing countries and there is a difficult balance to strike.

Figure 5: Thresher shark fins inside a nylon bag discovered by Hong Kong authorities. (Source: HK Customs)

Increasingly, the health and welfare of animals that are produced for food is also part of the sustainability narrative as we seek, healthy and nutritious food. Put all of these aspects together and we adopt a “One Health” approach that encompasses healthy lives, healthy environments, and healthy animals in sustainable food systems.