Could global norms enable definition of sustainable farming systems in a transformative international trade system?

Abstract

This paper aims to support differentiation between sustainable and unsustainable agricultural production, with a view to enabling a transformative agricultural trade system by incentivizing sustainable agricultural production. We argue that transformative governance of corresponding global trade flows will need to provide support to the weaker participants in production systems, above all small-scale farmers in the global South, in order to support their food security and a path out of poverty as well as global environmental goals. The present article seeks to provide an overview of internationally agreed norms that can serve as basis for differentiation between sustainable and unsustainable agricultural systems. Such common objectives and benchmarks could then be used in multilateral and binational trade agreements. We propose a list of objectives, criteria, and benchmarks that could contribute to formulation of new trade agreements that strengthen producers who are currently marginalized in international trade flows. While acknowledging that sustainability cannot be easily measured and defined for all site-specific conditions, we posit that it is nevertheless possible to identify such common objectives and benchmarks, based on internationally agreed norms.

Environmental Contaminants of Emerging Concern: Occurrence and Remediation

“…Recently, decabromodiphenyl ether and perfluorooctanoic acid are included in the list in 2022. Sustainable methods of farming system gained importance recently and call for regulations and international cooperations is advocated for achieving UN sustainability goals, human health and help the loss of biodiversity without the compromising economic growth of the people [71].…”

The Role of Environmental Communication in Advancing Sustainability in Fisheries and Aquaculture: A Case Study of Latvia

“…The three domains or pillars of sustainability are economic sustainability, the ability of people to continue to earn a living from an activity; social sustainability, which is based on public acceptance of a particular activity; and environmental sustainability, the ability to engage in an activity without harming the environment while not compromising the extraction of necessary resources so that they can be used [26]. At the same time, it is imperative to comprehend that the three components of sustainability are intricately linked and indivisible [26,28]. Nevertheless, the increasing global demand for fish and other aquatic goods poses a challenge to achieving a balance between these three domains [26,29].…”