Sustainable development matters for animals too: Governments have a responsibility to recognize that

Abstract

Abstract Animals matter for sustainable development, and sustainable development matters for animals. Yet animal welfare remains largely neglected in sustainable development governance. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development aims to protect species, biodiversity, and habitats, but not individual animals. This June, governments will convene for the UN Stockholm+50 Conference, which marks 50 years of international environmental decision making. At this conference, governments have an opportunity to recognize the importance of animal welfare for sustainable development, and to aspire to harm animals less and benefit them more as part of sustainable development governance. We call on governments to take these steps for the sake of human and non-human animals alike. One Health impact statement One Health is a promising framework for improving global health. Human, non-human, and environmental health are linked, and health policies should reflect these links. However, standard interpretations of One Health are anthropocentric, in that they tend to value non-human animals primarily for the sake of humans, which can lead to policies that harm and neglect non-humans unnecessarily. As a result, humans miss out on many opportunities to improve human and non-human lives at the same time. We call for strengthening One Health by recognizing the intrinsic value of animals and considering their interests when making policy decisions that affect them. We also call for supporting informational, financial, and regulatory policies that reduce exploitation of animals and increase assistance for animals in co-beneficial ways.