Zero hunger in the context of sustainable development goals: A study on European countries

Abstract

This study examines hunger, malnutrition, and sustainable agriculture policies in European Union (EU) countries in a multidimensional manner within the framework of Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger). The aim of the research is to comparatively assess the food security, agricultural productivity, and environmental sustainability performance of EU countries based on Eurostat, FAO, and World Bank data for the period 2000–2024. Literature studies show that sustainable agriculture, nutritional quality and climate-friendly production policies are decisive in the success of SDG 2. Eurostat's “Goal 2 – Zero Hunger” indicators (obesity rate, agricultural income, R&D expenditure, organic farming area, ammonia emissions, and soil erosion risk) were used in the analysis. The findings show that despite an increase in organic farming rates and agricultural income in the EU, pesticide use, environmental emissions, and regional inequalities persist. The study emphasizes that SDG 2 requires not only increased production but also comprehensive policies based on the principles of equitable access to food, healthy nutrition, and environmental balance. In conclusion, the EU's experience offers important lessons for the creation of sustainable food systems on a global scale and points to the need to strengthen policy coherence.

Keywords

• Zero Hunger (SDG 2)
• Food Security
• Sustainable Agriculture
• European Union
• Environmental Sustainability

Ethical Statement

This study does not involve the collection of data from human participants and is based solely on publicly available and anonymized secondary data; therefore, ethical approval was not required. All procedures were conducted in accordance with scientific research and publication ethics.

Thanks

I would like to thank my advisor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. GÖZDE KOCA, for his scientific guidance and academic contributions throughout the conduct of this study.

Sürdürülebilir kalkınma amaçları bağlamında sıfır açlık: Avrupa ülkeleri üzerine bir inceleme

Abstract

Bu çalışma, Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Amacı 2 (Sıfır Açlık) çerçevesinde Avrupa Birliği (AB) ülkelerinde açlık, yetersiz beslenme ve sürdürülebilir tarım politikalarını çok boyutlu biçimde incelemektedir. Araştırmanın amacı, 2000–2024 dönemi arasında Eurostat, FAO ve Dünya Bankası verileri temelinde AB ülkelerinin gıda güvencesi, tarımsal verimlilik ve çevresel sürdürülebilirlik performanslarını karşılaştırmalı olarak değerlendirmektir. Literatür çalışmaları, sürdürülebilir tarım, beslenme kalitesi ve iklim dostu üretim politikalarının SKA 2'nin başarısında belirleyici olduğunu göstermektedir. Eurostat’ın “Goal 2 – Zero Hunger” göstergeleri (obezite oranı, tarımsal gelir, Ar-Ge harcamaları, organik tarım alanı, amonyak emisyonu ve toprak erozyonu riski) analiz kapsamında kullanılmıştır. Bulgular, AB’de organik tarım oranlarında artış ve tarımsal gelirlerde yükseliş görülmesine rağmen, pestisit kullanımı, çevresel emisyonlar ve bölgesel eşitsizliklerin sürdüğünü göstermektedir. Çalışma, SKA 2’nin yalnızca üretim artışına değil, aynı zamanda adil gıda erişimi, sağlıklı beslenme ve çevresel denge ilkelerine dayalı bütüncül politikalara ihtiyaç duyduğunu vurgulamaktadır. Sonuç olarak, AB’nin deneyimi, küresel ölçekte sürdürülebilir gıda sistemlerinin oluşturulmasına yönelik önemli dersler sunmakta ve politika uyumunun güçlendirilmesinin gerekliliğine işaret etmektedir.

Keywords

• Sıfır Açlık (SKA 2)
• Gıda Güvencesi
• Sürdürülebilir Tarım
• Avrupa Birliği
• Çevresel Sürdürülebilirlik

Ethical Statement

Bu çalışma, insan katılımcılardan veri toplamayı içermemekte olup tamamen kamuya açık ve anonim ikincil veriler kullanıldığı için etik kurul onayı gerektirmemektedir. Araştırma sürecinde bilimsel araştırma ve yayın etiği ilkelerine uyulmuştur.

Thanks

Bu çalışmanın yürütülmesi süresince sağlamış olduğu bilimsel yönlendirme ve akademik katkılarından dolayı danışmanım Doç. Dr. GÖZDE KOCA'ya teşekkür ederim.

References

1. Aleksandrowicz, L., Green, R., Joy, E. J. M., Smith, P., & Haines, A. (2016). The impacts of dietary change on greenhouse gas emissions, land use, water use, and health: A systematic review. PLoS ONE, 11(11), e0165797. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0165797
2. Atukunda, P., Mugonola, B., Nabugoomu, F., & Mwesigye, A. (2021). Unlocking the potential for achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 in Africa. Food & Nutrition Research, 65. http://dx.doi.org/10.29219/fnr.v65.7686
3. Black, R. E., Victora, C. G., Walker, S. P., & the Maternal and Child Nutrition Study Group. (2013). Maternal and child undernutrition and overweight in low-income and middle-income countries. The Lancet, 382(9890), 427-451. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60937-X
4. Carrillo-Alvarez, E. (2023). Perspective: Food and nutrition insecurity in Europe: Challenges and opportunities for dietitians. Advances in Nutrition, 14(5), 995–1004. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advnut.2023.07.008.
5. Ericksen, P. J. (2008). Conceptualizing food systems for global environmental change research. Global Environmental Change, 18(1), 234–245.
6. European Commission. (2023). EU Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Brussels: Eurostat. Eurostat. (2024). Sustainable Development Indicators – Goal 2: Zero Hunger. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/
7. FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, & WHO. (2023). The state of food security and nutrition in the world 2023: Urbanization, agrifood systems transformation and healthy diets across the rural–urban continuum. FAO. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc3017en
8. FAO. (2021). The State of Food and Agriculture 2021: Investing in Agriculture for a Better Future. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

9. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (1996). Rome Declaration on World Food Security and World Food Summit Plan of Action. World Food Summit, Rome, Italy, 13–17 November 1996.
10. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2001). The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2001. Rome: FAO.
11. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2009). Declaration of the World Summit on Food Security. Rome, Italy, 16–18 November 2009.
12. Hendriks, S., Soussana, J.-F., Cole, M., Kambugu, A., & Zilberman, D. (2023). Ensuring access to safe and nutritious food for all through the transformation of food systems. In J. von Braun, K. Afsana, L. O. Fresco, & M. H. A. Hassan (Eds.), Science and innovations for food systems transformation (pp. 31–58). Cham: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15703-5_3
13. Hiywotu, A. M. (2025). Advancing sustainable agriculture for Goal 2: Zero Hunger – A comprehensive overview of practices, policies, and technologies. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 49(7), 1027–1055. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2025.2451344
14. Lawrence, M., Homer-Dixon, T., Janzwood, S., Rockström, J., Renn, O., & Donges, J. F. (2024). Global polycrisis: The causal mechanisms of crisis entanglement. Global Sustainability, 7, e6. https://doi.org/10.1017/sus.2024.1
15. Lipper, L., Thornton, P., Campbell, B. M., Baedeker, T., Braimoh, A., Bwalya, M., Caron, P., Cattaneo, A., Garrity, D., Henry, K., Hottle, R., Jackson, L., Jarvis, A., Kossam, F., Mann, W., McCarthy, N., Meybeck, A., Neufeldt, H., Remington, T., . . . Torquebiau, E. F. (2014). Climate-smart agriculture for food security. Nature Climate Change, 4(12), 1068–1072. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2437
16. European Commission. (2020). The European Green Deal. Brussels: European Union
17. Loopstra, R. (2018). Interventions to address household food insecurity in high-income countries. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 77(3), 270-281.
18. OECD. (2008). Handbook on constructing composite indicators: Methodology and user guide. Paris: OECD Publishing.
19. Poore, J., & Nemecek, T. (2018). Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science, 360(6392), 987–992. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaq0216
20. Rakowski, J. J., Schaan, L. N., van Klink, R., Herzon, I., Arth, A., Hagedorn, G., Rode, J., Creutzig, F., & Pe’er, G. (2025). Characterizing the global polycrisis: A systematic review of recent literature. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 50, 159-183. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-111523-102238
21. Saccone, D., & Vallino, E. (2025). Global food security in a turbulent world: Reviewing the impacts of the pandemic, the war and climate change. Agricultural and Food Economics, 13(47). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40100-025-00388-0
22. Sachs, J. D., Lafortune, G., Kroll, C., Fuller, G., & Woelm, F. (2022). Sustainable Development Report 2022: From crisis to sustainable development. Cambridge University Press.
23. Sporchia, F., Antonelli, M., Aguilar-Martínez, A., Bach-Faig, A., Caro, D., Davis, K. F., Sonnino, R., & Galli, A. (2024). Zero hunger: future challenges and the way forward towards the achievement of sustainable development goal 2. Sustainable Earth Reviews, 7(10), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42055-024-00078-7
24. Tooze, A. (2022, 28 Ekim). Welcome to the world of the polycrisis. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/498398e7-11b1-494b-9cd3-6d669dc3de33
25. United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development. https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda
26. von Braun, J., Afsana, K., Fresco, L. O., & Hassan, M. H. A. (Ed.). (2023). Science and innovations for food systems transformation. Springer Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15703-5
27. Webb, P., Flynn, D. J., Kelly, N. M., & Thomas, S. M. (2021). The transition steps needed to transform our food systems. Food Systems Summit Brief prepared by Research Partners of the Scientific Group for the Food Systems Summit. United Nations.
28. Willett, W., Rockström, J., Loken, B., Springmann, M., Lang, T., Vermeulen, S., Garnett, T., Tilman, D., DeClerck, F., Wood, A., Jonell, M., Clark, M., Gordon, L. J., Fanzo, J., Hawkes, C., Zurayk, R., Rivera, J. A., De Vries, W., Sibanda, L. M., Afshin, A., . . . Murray, C. J. L. (2019). Food in the Anthropocene: The EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. The Lancet, 393(10170), 447–492. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31788-4
29. World Bank. (2023). Agriculture and Rural Development in Europe. World Bank Group.