Despite growing recognition of the importance of One Health, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development omits explicit reference to animal health and welfare. This report argues that this omission undermines policy coherence and overlooks critical interconnections between human, animal, and environmental health. Drawing on expert analysis across all 17 SDGs, we identify three complementary pathways for integration: strengthening animal welfare consideration in current SDG implementation, introducing new targets and indicators aligned with existing Goals, and establishing a dedicated Goal on animal health and welfare. As governments prepare for post-2030 deliberations, systematic integration of animal health and welfare offers opportunities to address root causes of health, environmental, and development challenges.

This chapter makes the general case for including animal welfare in local policymaking, with special focus on institutional and infrastructural change. We start by discussing the importance of animal welfare for the One Health framework, along with key questions about animal welfare. We then discuss general principles and policies that can guide cities in building multispecies urban infrastructure. For example, cities can implement bird-friendly building materials, improve road design and operation, provide guidance for incorporating animal shelter and habitat into green infrastructure, and shift their lawn maintenance practices. These and other policies have the potential to benefit humans, animals, and the environment alike.

If one thing is clear from science studies, it is that we see nature through the eyes of the societies in which we live and we construct these societies in response to our understandings of nature. The social Darwinism of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, for example, was informed by a (mis)understanding of Darwin’s theory of natural selection. Emphasizing the role of competition in the “struggle for existence,” it was used to rationalize racism, eugenics, and the extreme inequality of the Gilded Age. After being left for dead mid-century, this misguided framework is making an unfortunate comeback. The Call of the Honeyguide, by the distinguished biologist Rob Dunn, can be read as a kind of rejoinder. It is “a call to action for a more mutualistic, less lonely, future.”

Synergies between mitigating climate change and conserving biodiversity are often emphasized in public discourse and policy, as both goals are seen as mutually reinforcing. However, there can be trade-offs between these aims, particularly when actions benefiting one may inadvertently harm the other. Where such trade-offs are evident, cost-benefit analysis (CBA) has emerged as a dominant approach to resolving them. While CBA can be useful, it also has limitations, especially in addressing ethical and ecological complexities. We highlight these limitations and propose that creating environmental ethics committees using principles of collaborative governance would provide a practical, transparent mechanism for grappling with trade-offs at various levels.

This project aims to clarify the identities of several endangered pipevine plants (Aristolochia) that have long been misidentified. Using a combination of DNA analysis and close study of plant traits, the research will distinguish five previously unrecognized species that were mistakenly grouped with other plants in scientific studies. These pipevines are especially important because they serve as host plants for protected swallowtail butterflies but are rapidly declining due to habitat loss and illegal trade. By creating a clearer and more accurate classification, the project will support better research, stronger conservation strategies, and improved protection for both the plants and the butterflies that depend on them.

The assumption that cropland natural climate solutions (NCS) offer dual benefits for climate change mitigation and crop production remains largely untested. In this study, we model greenhouse gas emissions and crop yields from cropland NCS through the end of the century to evaluate their effectiveness. Our results show that favorable (win–win) outcomes were the exception rather than the norm. When avoiding crop losses, we observe only modest greenhouse gas mitigation, 4.4 Pg CO₂ equivalent, 95% confidence interval (4.2, 4.6) by 2050. These findings suggest that cropland soil will represent only a small fraction of overall food system decarbonization efforts moving forward.

This effort aims to comprehensively understand and analyze the effectiveness of different litigation strategies that have been deployed to address the harms caused by industrial animal agriculture. It seeks to create a robust database of past and ongoing cases, and to use that catalogue of cases to assess which strategies show the most promise—both in terms of their likelihood of legal success, as well as their ability to generate public awareness and improve conditions on the ground. These cases draw from a range of different issue areas, including animal law, environmental law, labor law, consumer protection law, antitrust law, and others.

Farmed and wild animals are among the most affected yet overlooked stakeholders in health and environmental policy, and cities are uniquely positioned to drive change as policy innovators and influencers. Despite this potential, urban animal welfare remains underdeveloped. This book shows how cities can improve outcomes for humans and nonhumans through tools such as procurement, infrastructure design, conflict management, emergency response, and public education. Blending rigorous analysis with accessible storytelling, it demonstrates how local policy can integrate animal welfare into mainstream governance.

We surveyed 1,000 U.S. pet owners on sustainability in pet food purchasing decisions. Results indicate sustainability features meaningfully influence product choice, though secondary to price and protein type. Across generations, respondents rate animal welfare as more important than environmental sustainability, yet substantial confusion exists regarding tradeoffs between the two. Willingness-to-pay estimates reveal strong premiums for welfare-oriented claims—particularly third-party certification—relative to environmental claims. These findings suggest animal welfare is the dominant sustainability dimension driving consumer value in pet food.

This comprehensive report will discuss how cities can effectively manage conflicts with wild animals in a way that simultaneously protects humans, animals, and the broader environment. Drawing on documented examples where non-lethal methods and preventive measures have proven successful across various urban contexts, this project will outline evidence-based strategies to mitigate human–wildlife tensions in densely populated urban environments without resorting to inhumane practices. By systematically integrating animal welfare considerations, public health priorities, and environmental sustainability principles, the report will provide practical guidance to help policymakers develop and implement humane, healthful, and environmentally sustainable conflict management policies that benefit all stakeholders.

This report is being prepared by CEAP and the Guarini Center of the NYU Law School, with support from the Brooks Institute for Animal Law and Policy.

While discussions of insect production emphasize sustainability, research on consumer attitudes toward livestock reveals that animal welfare concerns often equal or exceed environmental considerations in purchasing decisions. This paper examines trends in consumer attitudes toward farm animal welfare to anticipate challenges to the insect industry’s social license, applying those trends to black soldier fly production. As public awareness grows, welfare concerns will likely emerge as a determinant of industry acceptance. Proactively addressing the most emotionally salient welfare issues represents a strategic investment in maintaining consumer trust.