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GEO-6 Regional Assessment for Latin America and the Caribbean


While SCP has to be mainstreamed across product and service sectors ranging from infrastructure to tourism, the food production sector provides a clear example of where sustainability gains can be made through streamlined SCP approaches. Responding to this challenge,


the


regional governments at the XIX Meeting of the Forum, of Ministers of Environment for LAC held in March 2014, called to promote sustainable food production, supply and distribution systems in order to guarantee food security. The objectives of SCP reforms are to satisfy the growing demand for food, in terms of quantity, quality and diversity, by an increase in productivity and production, while reducing the overall environmental impact of food production and consumption. This includes reducing food losses and food waste, taking into account the national context and policies. It is important to promote sustainable food production systems that implement resilient agricultural


practices


that increase productivity and production while ensuring biodiversity, water and soil conservation and protection, and climate change adaptation.


The promotion of sustainable lifestyles has also been identified as a regional priority. This should take into consideration the inclusion of the different approaches, visions, models and instruments to achieve sustainable development - such as ‘el buen vivir’ and ‘vivir bien’, respecting the indigenous traditional wisdom and knowledge, and living in harmony with nature (UNEP 2015a). Education is an important element to achieve a permanent change in the habits and behaviours of societies. Efforts to mainstream education for sustainable development and SCP are key to achieve sustainable lifestyles. Policies must particularly address youth, tomorrow’s decision makers and consumers, especially in the urban environment, who are defining future consumption patterns. Information is a deciding factor for consumers in their purchasing decisions. Countries therefore have to ramp up policy support for tools such as eco-labels, voluntary standards, marketing claims and life cycle approaches which provide information on the impacts of goods and services over their lifetime.


LAC is characterised by emerging economies where the social and economic policies are aligned to increasing economic growth. The aim is to improve the well-being of the population through interventions to reduce inequalities and poverty. Such development trajectory is highly advocated because LAC has one of the highest levels of inequality in the world (SDG 10) with a large percentage of the population living in poverty (SDG 1). In Latin America in 2012, one in five Latin Americans are classified as chronic poor, representing more than 130 million people (World Bank 2015). Poverty is being driven by factors such as monetary income, non- income elements and employment, in addition to external global factors such as market volatility, trade and resources consumption.


The economic growth in Latin America in the last decade has allowed over 70 million people to move out of poverty, but into a ‘vulnerable class’, meaning that any system fluctuations can trigger them back into poverty. The Caribbean region also has high level of inequality and poverty coupled with high rates of youth unemployment. However, like in Latin America the policy push toward poverty reduction is evident.


Since so much of the SCP effort is cross-sectoral, national and regional coordination requires frameworks designed to enhance inter-agency and intra agency communication and collaboration. Governments must also seek to engage the private sector in the implementation of SCP policies and initiatives, paying particular attention to the needs of SMEs. Other important strategies requiring further support and development are mainstreaming the SCP approach in the financial institutions to facilitate SCP related investments and projects; and strengthening partnerships with other stakeholders such as academia, NGOs, labour organizations and research centres.


3.2.10 Poverty and inequality in the context of the SDGs


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