Blog
Posted on August 25, 2014
By Sam Wolff
It’s widely recognized that environmental issues can have detrimental effects on economies. These can, at times, be difficult to observe beyond statistics and researched predictions, but one current issue has already created significant and observable effects. This is the problem of overfishing.
The figures surrounding this issue are somewhat staggering. According to the UN, 17% of fish stocks worldwide are overexploited. 52% are fully exploited, and 7% are depleted. This leaves the world with an estimated 20% of worldwide fish stocks that are not yet at or above harvesting capacity. Furthermore, 90% of large fish stocks have been depleted, due to the targeting of fish at the top of the food chain for their size. The unintended effect of this practice has led to imbalances within marine ecosystems. Because of the disproportional depletion of larger fish, their prey (smaller fish) are becoming more abundant. Ecosystems struggle to adapt to such rapid change, and the ending result can be a cascading effect in which many species, not just those being fished, are harmed1.
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Posted on August 18, 2014
By Sam Wolff
Jonathan Scanlon, Senior Advocacy Advisor for Oxfam America, was the featured speaker at Global Washington’s August Executive Director Roundtable. As befits his title, advocacy – ways to partner, calls for help and how to bring attention to the situations that need it in this world – was the theme.
Oxfam, the worldwide development organization, was founded in 1942 in Britain. Short for the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, the small organization campaigned for food supplies to be sent through an Allied naval blockade to starving women and children in enemy-occupied Greece during the Second World War. The Allied High Command eventually agreed – under the condition that Oxfam help organize the effort in order to best administer the food aid. Thereafter, the advocacy group continued its work and grew into an effective and expansive relief organization.
One lesson to be drawn from this early experience was that by working with governments, ordinary citizens can have more impact than they can by going at it alone. Creating change in governments and legislation is far more attainable than one might imagine.
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Posted on August 11, 2014
By Michelle McMillan
Establishing a food-secure world is one of the major challenges at the forefront of international development as the pressures of population growth, climate change and urbanization have steadily increased. The World Health Organization maintains that food security exists “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.” This includes both physical and economic access to food that meets dietary needs. Food security remains a highly complex issue, linking health, the environment, economic development and trade.
The world’s population is expected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050. Many governments have begun to remodel their approach to ensuring access to food and are developing programs that highlight the importance of strengthening supply chains and eliminating food waste. Nutrition has also become a focus of the global development agenda as both malnutrition and obesity cause serious health problems in addition to economic ones. The challenge of food security comes with a number of controversial issues, such as genetically modified crops, land grabbing, corruption and conflict.
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