SDGs poster

By Maria Paez 

Permaculture projects around the world are helping to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, 2015). The SDGs were developed in one of the most inclusive United Nations processes ever undertaken. Permaculture advocates for an economy that serves people and the planet, so we deviate from the SDG’s goal of Economic Growth (Goal 8), however, the other goals are valuable and we support them. By implementing permaculture principles and practices, the PAB contributes to these goals following the permaculture ethics:

Permaculture ethics

Earth Care

 

People Care

 

Fair Shares

 

Alignment to SDGs

Focuses on environmental sustainability, aligning with SDGs related to hunger, water, energy, climate action and biodiversity.

Addresses social sustainability, aligning with SDGs on poverty, health, education, gender equality, inclusion, decent work, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and strong institutions and communities.

Ensures equitable distribution of resources, aligning with SDGs on partnerships, responsible consumption and production, reduced inequalities and sustainable industry and infrastructure.

PAB's mission, vision and aims, include key areas such as promoting sustainability, community resilience and regenerative practices, which are important for achieving multiple SDGs related to education, sustainable cities, responsible consumption, biodiversity and partnerships for sustainable development. The table below lists permaculture ethics, SDGs, permaculture actions and makes reference to PAB’s aims and specific projects, programmes and initiatives aligned to each SDG:

PAB’s aims:
 

  1. Make permaculture accessible
  2. Increase and diversify permaculture and regenerative learning opportunities
  3. Grow permaculture networks
  4. Share and develop permaculture practices and livelihoods
  5. Work with others to tackle climate change, the biodiversity crisis  and social injustice
  6. Build an effective, socially responsible and sustainable organisation.
     

Earth Care

PAB's work linked to SDGs
PAB’s aims & initiatives
SDG2

 

Promote permaculture gardens and food forests to improve food security and nutrition.

 

 

 

Aims: 1, 4 & 5
Resources: 

SDG6

 

Promote implementation of rainwater harvesting and greywater systems to improve water quality and availability.

 

 

Aim 5
Resources: 

SDG7

 

As a holistic system, permaculture promotes renewable energy integration, energy efficiency, and community-led initiatives to support clean and sustainable energy.

 

 

Aim: 5
Resources:

SDG13

Promote climate-resilient permaculture practices to strengthen community resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards.

Aims: 4, 5 & 6
Climate action resources & initiatives:

SD14

Promote implementation of sustainable practices to all ecosystems including sustainable aquaculture and coastal permaculture to protect marine and coastal ecosystems.

Aim: 5
Resources:

SDG15

Promote agroforestry and biodiversity conservation to combat desertification and restore degraded land and soil.

Aims: 1-5
Resources:

 

SDG12

Promote zero waste practices and sustainable consumption to reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. Permaculture practice advocates for sustainable use of resources.

Aims: 1-6
Resources:

 

People Care

SDG1

Implement community-driven sustainable agriculture projects to ensure equal rights to economic resources.

Aim: 5
Resources:

SDG3

Promote development of medicinal gardens and nutritious diets to reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from pollution and contamination.

Aims: 5 & 6
Resources:

SDG4

Promote education programmes and workshops to ensure learners acquire knowledge and skills for sustainable development.

Aims: 1 - 6

SDG5

Empower women and men through permaculture training and leadership opportunities to ensure full and effective participation in leadership.

Aim: 5
Resources:

SDG8

Offer and promote creation of green jobs through permaculture organisation, initiatives, networks to promote productive activities, decent job creation and innovation.

Aims: 3, 4 & 6
Resources:

SDG10

Create inclusive permaculture projects that engage marginalised communities to empower and promote social, economic, and political inclusion.

Aims: 3, 4 & 5
Resources: 

SDG11

Develop urban permaculture initiatives and community gardens to enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanisation and participatory human settlement planning.

Aims: 1-6
Resources:

SDG16

Develop community governance models based on permaculture ethics to ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making.

Aims: 3-6
Resources: 

Fair Shares

SDG17

Form alliances with global permaculture networks and other organisations to encourage effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships.
 

Aims: 3-6

SDG12

Promote zero waste practices and sustainable consumption to reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse.
 

Aims: 1-6
Resources:

SDG10

Create inclusive permaculture projects that engage marginalised communities to empower and promote social, economic and political inclusion.

Aims: 3-6
Resources: 

SDG9

Innovate sustainable building techniques using local materials to upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries for increased resource-use efficiency.

Aims: 3-6
Resources:

Note
*Goal 8, Decent work and economic growth: PAB diverges from the traditional definition of economic growth, which is often seen as unlimited - a concept that is incompatible with a planet where resources are finite. The model with unlimited economic growth leads to imbalances in resource distribution creating significant disparities, social issues and environmental depletion and damage.

Permaculture offers a different path, where nature is not something to be exploited but respected and nurtured. It envisions a world where people and resources coexist in harmony, where human beings, their thoughts, attention, and time are valued far beyond mere commodities.

Other materials on permaculture and SDGs