Sustainable Development Goals for Society Vol. 2: Food security, energy, climate action and biodiversity

This book profiles various cases that are emerging in addressing global challenges in the context of SDGs for society in the era of climate change and covers case studies of projects being undertaken to tackle biodiversity, food security, climate change, energy and water security. The book is written by 37 authors, and will appeal to various stakeholders including academics working within the identified thematic areas, policy planners, development agencies, governments and United Nations agencies. The adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 ushered a new era in the global development agenda as the world transitioned from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The new era of SDGs that are all-inclusive, unlike the MDGs with the focus now being on ensuring human success that is predicated on environmental protection. The year 2020 marked five years post the adoption of the SDGs with increased calls for stock-taking of progress made amid strong calls for a decade of action to accelerate the delivery of the SDGs by 2030. These calls have been louder now given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which reset the global economy and increased intensity of extreme weather events across the world. Since climate change has emerged as one of the biggest threats to the achievement of the SDGs, there has been growing concerns on its impact on biodiversity loss and the extinction of some species. There are also concerns regarding increased food insecurity at the household level in some parts of the world, particularly in Asia and Africa. With the demand for climate change action on the increase, there have also been growing calls for the big carbon emitters to drastically cut their emissions and invest in clean energy to save the planet by following development pathways making emissions stay under the 1.5 C increase in temperature.

Godwell Nhamo is a Full Professor and Exxaro Chair in Business and Climate Change at the University of South Africa (UNISA), South Africa. He is a National Research Foundation (NRF) C-Rated researcher in the fields of Climate Change and Governance, Green Economy and Sustainable Development. He holds a PhD from Rhodes University (South Africa), an MSc from the University of Botswana (Botswana) and a BSc Honours from the University of Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe).

David Chikodzi is a Post-doctoral fellow in the Exxaro Chair in Business and Climate Change at the University of South Africa. He holds a PhD in Geography and Environment Science from the University of the Western Cape (South Africa). He also holds a Masters’ degree in Environmental Policy and Planning, as well as a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree in Geography from the University of Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe).

Kaitano Dube is an Ecotourism Management Lecturer at Vaal University of Technology (South Africa). He is a tourism geographer researching in the area of tourism climate change and sustainability. He holds a PhD and MSc from the University of South Africa (South Africa). He graduated with a BSc Hons from Midlands State University in Gweru (Zimbabwe).