54. Veterinarians as key intermediaries in sustainability discourse(s)

Abstract

The veterinarians’ potential role as stakeholders in the multifaceted sustainability discourse has hardly been carved out so far. We present different scientific angles to approach urgent questions regarding the intertwinement of the veterinary profession and the goals for sustainable development by the UN. We address the following aspects regarding six of the 17 goals: Being involved in farm animal husbandry, a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, veterinarians are able to contribute to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13, ‘Climate Action’ and SDG 12, ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’. As advocates for animals, veterinarians might feel responsible for SDG 15 ‘Life on Land’ as many non-domesticated animals will suffer from the consequences of global warming. As stakeholders in One Health endeavours, veterinarians are additionally involved in SDG 2, ‘Zero Hunger’ and SDG 3, ‘Good Health and Wellbeing’. Furthermore, demands due to different SDGs might put additional strain on veterinarians’ mental health. Finally, regarding SDG 4, ‘Quality Education’ we address important gaps regarding sustainability and One Health in veterinary curricula. Based on the listed connections with facets of sustainability we discuss the (potential) role of veterinarians in the sustainability discourse and suggest opportunities for future empirical research.