Animal welfare and the United Nations’ sustainable development goals—broadening students’ perspectives

Abstract

The mutually beneficial relationships between improving animal welfare (AW) and achieving the United Nations (UN) sustainable development goals (SDGs) were further explored and compared to previous work. This was done in the context of a doctoral training course where students selected at least six SDGs and reasoned around their impact on AW and vice versa. Then, students rated the strength of the SDG—AW links. Lastly, students engaged in an assessment exercise. Students reported an overall mutually beneficial relationship between AW and all SDGs, yet with significant differences in strength for SDGs 4, 11, 10, 12 and 13 to that previously found by experts. Students considered SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production the most promising way to integrate AW targets. This study further supports the positive role of AW in the success of the UN’s strategy. Still, the magnitude of the anticipated impacts is modified by stakeholder, context and experience.

Keywords

sustainability; animal welfare; education for sustainable development (ESD); learning environment; critical thinking

Published in

Sustainability
2021, volume: 13, number: 6, article number: 3328

SLU Authors

• Olmos Antillon, Gabriela

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Tunon, Håkan

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• de Oliveira, Daiana

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Jones, Michael

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Wallenbeck, Anna

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Blokhuis, Harry

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Keeling, Linda

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Associated SLU-program

SLU Swedish Biodiversity Centre

Global goals (SDG)

SDG4 Quality education
SDG12 Responsible consumption and production

UKÄ Subject classification

Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Animal and Dairy Science
Learning

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063328

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/111073