264
10 Sustainability
fishing quotas, we could reduce the pressure on these fisheries and allow them to
rebound and recover for future prosperity.
Changing our land management strategies is also crucial for tackling the
environmental impact within this industry. Palm oil is widespread throughout the
international food industry, having become very popular on account of its lower
production costs. On average, an individual consumes 17 pounds of palm oil
per year. This staggeringly high use, along with the high yield of oil palms,
has encouraged its wider cultivation, leading to the clearing of large tracts of
forests, particularly in Malaysia and Indonesia. These oil palm monocultures lead
to significant losses in natural habitat and deforestation that has resulted in severe
repercussions on local wildlife. These include the Sumatran orangutan and the
Sumatran tiger, both of which are now listed as critically endangered as a result
of habitat loss.
Given the high yields of these plantations, we must develop more sustainable
practices for their cultivations. Many have suggested simply avoiding purchasing
products that contain palm oil. However, research suggests that switching to other
types of oil, such as vegetable oil, could lead to even worse environmental consequences, as they provide lower yields and would require even greater cultivation
sizes for the same quantity. Instead, we should seek to implement policies for
greater sustainability in our land usage, such as those set out by the Roundtable
on Sustainable Palm Oil, an organization that operates to make sustainable palm
oil the norm. They introduce policies that ensure no deforestation occurs, no peat
development, and no overexploitation. These can be achieved by incentivizing
farmers to stop using slash and burn techniques to clear their land, thereby reducing
overall GHG emissions and land access for its conservation value and carbon
stock. By incorporating these strategies into the wider framework of agricultural
sustainability, we can strive for a reduced environmental impact and a greater
efficiency of our land usage.
How can vertical farming be a solution to the decline in the size of arable
lands?
10.4.2.4 Water
Water is the basis for all life on Earth and there is an ever-increasing pressure
on its resources. Our exponential population growth and ongoing economic and
technological expansion have resulted in a continued and increasing need for
water resources. Many important aquifers are over-pumped, which has led to a
significant widespread decline in groundwater levels. Several major rivers around
the globe, such as the Yellow River in China and the western US Colorado River,
now no longer reach the sea most years (Wang et al. 2013a,b). Over half the
10 Sustainability
fishing quotas, we could reduce the pressure on these fisheries and allow them to
rebound and recover for future prosperity.
Changing our land management strategies is also crucial for tackling the
environmental impact within this industry. Palm oil is widespread throughout the
international food industry, having become very popular on account of its lower
production costs. On average, an individual consumes 17 pounds of palm oil
per year. This staggeringly high use, along with the high yield of oil palms,
has encouraged its wider cultivation, leading to the clearing of large tracts of
forests, particularly in Malaysia and Indonesia. These oil palm monocultures lead
to significant losses in natural habitat and deforestation that has resulted in severe
repercussions on local wildlife. These include the Sumatran orangutan and the
Sumatran tiger, both of which are now listed as critically endangered as a result
of habitat loss.
Given the high yields of these plantations, we must develop more sustainable
practices for their cultivations. Many have suggested simply avoiding purchasing
products that contain palm oil. However, research suggests that switching to other
types of oil, such as vegetable oil, could lead to even worse environmental consequences, as they provide lower yields and would require even greater cultivation
sizes for the same quantity. Instead, we should seek to implement policies for
greater sustainability in our land usage, such as those set out by the Roundtable
on Sustainable Palm Oil, an organization that operates to make sustainable palm
oil the norm. They introduce policies that ensure no deforestation occurs, no peat
development, and no overexploitation. These can be achieved by incentivizing
farmers to stop using slash and burn techniques to clear their land, thereby reducing
overall GHG emissions and land access for its conservation value and carbon
stock. By incorporating these strategies into the wider framework of agricultural
sustainability, we can strive for a reduced environmental impact and a greater
efficiency of our land usage.
How can vertical farming be a solution to the decline in the size of arable
lands?
10.4.2.4 Water
Water is the basis for all life on Earth and there is an ever-increasing pressure
on its resources. Our exponential population growth and ongoing economic and
technological expansion have resulted in a continued and increasing need for
water resources. Many important aquifers are over-pumped, which has led to a
significant widespread decline in groundwater levels. Several major rivers around
the globe, such as the Yellow River in China and the western US Colorado River,
now no longer reach the sea most years (Wang et al. 2013a,b). Over half the