**2. Societal and environmental threats in rural areas**

Rural communities are facing several challenges in the context of climate change, land degradation, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and fragmentation of natural habitats, poverty, and geographical isolation. The rural population is more prone to extreme poverty, famine, social exclusion, and environmental injustice, particularly in developing countries from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Rural communities depend on local geographical conditions (climate, natural resources, landscape, and geographical barriers, socioeconomic conditions, demographic features) to develop agricultural, industrial, or tourism activities as economic development pathways. A traditional economy based on subsistence agriculture is still widespread across rural regions of the globe. This type of economy is volatile to natural hazards (extreme weather, flash floods, landslides, erosion, drought) and poor agricultural productivity which translates into famine, extreme poverty, land abandonment, and massive migration. Land use management is a key factor for future rural development perspectives and to find the optimal equilibrium between natural habitats, agricultural lands, and built-up areas. **Figure 1** reveals the emerging societal and environmental threats, sectoral approaches, and synergic effects that must be addressed at subnational levels by each country via regional and local authorities towards rural areas.


**11**

restrictions.

across each continent.

*Sustainable Rural Development under Agenda 2030 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90161*

ecological dysfunctionalities in southeastern Europe [5].

Rural areas must cope with social, demographic, economic, governance, and environmental challenges. As an example, extensive cattle ranches and emerging oil palm cultivation threaten biodiversity conservation and food security across tropical rural regions while increasing social inequalities and conflicts [4]. On the other hand, agricultural land abandonment (associated with traditional farming, low productivity, poor infrastructure, aging population, massive migration, land ownership change, political instability) has created several socioeconomic and

Poor agricultural productivity in the Global South is related to the low use of improved seed, use of inappropriate fertilizer, inadequate irrigation, and lack of incentives for farmers in the absence of remunerative markets [6]. Extreme poverty, hunger, and undernourishment and rural depopulation are critical issues to be solved across rural Africa besides the poor access to critical amenities (health/education services, sanitation, and water facilities, energy) [7]. Climate changes, land fragmentation, natural resource depletion, political instability, corruption, and

In this context, rural resilience and circular economy are key strategic directions

There are other activities which could be integrated resulting 6Rs policy such as the revaluation (of resources), redistribution (of income) and (improve) relations or 9Rs with another three Rs added such as resilience (adaptability), reassessment (scale value) and restructuring (of the economy) (source: https://www.activesus-

This new policy needs to be adopted by each EU country including rural areas of Eastern Europe. In countries like Romania, with over 2800 rural municipalities (communes) and other villages included in urban administrative areas, this transition from linear to circular economy could lead to new rural business opportunities based on responsible production and consumption of natural resources (organic farming, agritourism, local niche products, upcycling or creative reuse, etc.) while promoting local traditions and preserving the rural and natural landscapes. International cooperation is needed to successfully achieve the ambitious SDGs until 2030 at the global level. The development perspectives show some critical objectives which cannot be achieved without improvement of rural conditions

Poverty and poor infrastructure are the main drivers for underdevelopment and environmental degradation. Rural settlements must have access to basic public utilities to ensure a decent quality of life in areas without significant geographical

At the global level, there are huge rural-urban gaps regarding population access

to critical amenities such as drinking water, sanitation, electricity, and waste management services, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Rapid urbanization in developing countries feeds rural-urban migration where poor people have crowed in slum areas without access to urban main public services

to further develop rural economies and reduce socioeconomic inequalities and environmental injustice coupled with access to proper education. A linear economy based on "take-make-dispose" model feed by consumerism society is harmful for the environment and long-term sustainability of urban and rural areas. The EU is aware of the importance of shifting economic model from linear to an ambitious circular economy framework (https://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-economy/

index\_en.htm) based on the 3Rs principles such as "reduce-reuse-recycle."

tainability.com/sustainable-life/learnsustainability-the-3rs-6rs-and-9rs/).

**3. Rural population access to basic public utilities**

conflict areas will further threaten rural areas of developing countries.

*Challenges of rural communities under agenda 2030 framework.*

**Figure 1.**

#### *Sustainable Rural Development under Agenda 2030 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90161*

*Sustainability Assessment at the 21st Century*

authorities towards rural areas.

urban areas.

landscapes (e.g., protected areas). Rural settlements also contribute to the cultural and patrimonial heritage of each region and country. Therefore, sustainable rural development is a complex issue (environment-economic-social nexus) which must be further addressed with the same attention by academics, international bodies, national and local authorities, professionals, and members of civil society as for

Rural communities are facing several challenges in the context of climate change, land degradation, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and fragmentation of natural habitats, poverty, and geographical isolation. The rural population is more prone to extreme poverty, famine, social exclusion, and environmental injustice, particularly in developing countries from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Rural communities depend on local geographical conditions (climate, natural resources, landscape, and geographical barriers, socioeconomic conditions, demographic features) to develop agricultural, industrial, or tourism activities as economic development pathways. A traditional economy based on subsistence agriculture is still widespread across rural regions of the globe. This type of economy is volatile to natural hazards (extreme weather, flash floods, landslides, erosion, drought) and poor agricultural productivity which translates into famine, extreme poverty, land abandonment, and massive migration. Land use management is a key factor for future rural development perspectives and to find the optimal equilibrium between natural habitats, agricultural lands, and built-up areas. **Figure 1** reveals the emerging societal and environmental threats, sectoral approaches, and synergic effects that must be addressed at subnational levels by each country via regional and local

**2. Societal and environmental threats in rural areas**

**10**

**Figure 1.**

*Challenges of rural communities under agenda 2030 framework.*

Rural areas must cope with social, demographic, economic, governance, and environmental challenges. As an example, extensive cattle ranches and emerging oil palm cultivation threaten biodiversity conservation and food security across tropical rural regions while increasing social inequalities and conflicts [4]. On the other hand, agricultural land abandonment (associated with traditional farming, low productivity, poor infrastructure, aging population, massive migration, land ownership change, political instability) has created several socioeconomic and ecological dysfunctionalities in southeastern Europe [5].

Poor agricultural productivity in the Global South is related to the low use of improved seed, use of inappropriate fertilizer, inadequate irrigation, and lack of incentives for farmers in the absence of remunerative markets [6]. Extreme poverty, hunger, and undernourishment and rural depopulation are critical issues to be solved across rural Africa besides the poor access to critical amenities (health/education services, sanitation, and water facilities, energy) [7]. Climate changes, land fragmentation, natural resource depletion, political instability, corruption, and conflict areas will further threaten rural areas of developing countries.

In this context, rural resilience and circular economy are key strategic directions to further develop rural economies and reduce socioeconomic inequalities and environmental injustice coupled with access to proper education. A linear economy based on "take-make-dispose" model feed by consumerism society is harmful for the environment and long-term sustainability of urban and rural areas. The EU is aware of the importance of shifting economic model from linear to an ambitious circular economy framework (https://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-economy/ index\_en.htm) based on the 3Rs principles such as "reduce-reuse-recycle."

There are other activities which could be integrated resulting 6Rs policy such as the revaluation (of resources), redistribution (of income) and (improve) relations or 9Rs with another three Rs added such as resilience (adaptability), reassessment (scale value) and restructuring (of the economy) (source: https://www.activesustainability.com/sustainable-life/learnsustainability-the-3rs-6rs-and-9rs/).

This new policy needs to be adopted by each EU country including rural areas of Eastern Europe. In countries like Romania, with over 2800 rural municipalities (communes) and other villages included in urban administrative areas, this transition from linear to circular economy could lead to new rural business opportunities based on responsible production and consumption of natural resources (organic farming, agritourism, local niche products, upcycling or creative reuse, etc.) while promoting local traditions and preserving the rural and natural landscapes. International cooperation is needed to successfully achieve the ambitious SDGs until 2030 at the global level. The development perspectives show some critical objectives which cannot be achieved without improvement of rural conditions across each continent.
