My Passions

 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

THE 17 SUSTAINABLE GOALS 

Sustainable development - My Passion

Sustainable development has always been my passion for a long time, especially in the human development sector. I believe that the human race cannot survive without protecting the environment and it is absolutely necessary for us to understand and help in the development of the ones less fortunate than us.

We are responsible for our actions and their impact on nature. We have to collectively work together to sustain the earth's natural resources and to try and make this world a better place to live for all.

This operose goal can not be achieved overnight and we humans collectively as a species have to work together to achieve these goals if we want our species to last on the earth - we simply cannot continue to dwindle the earth's various resources as well as let waste to our inestimable human resources which can - if trained properly- could help in the development of reaching the sustainability of our environment. 

These SDGs should not be considered as simple ideals to be charted on a map and never implemented as they require immediate actions and the implementation of these goals should be an immediate action.

All of us should also implement these sustainable goals in our lives if we want to change we should work hard towards it and for achieving it we must try and take matters into our own hands. We should also understand that every goal no matter how small it might be makes an impact. We could never know that a small step might very well change the future of all in humanity itself unless we take it ( quoting "a small step for man a big step for humanity"). If you want to make change research, learn, and try to do stuff you can at the level you can because if you consider that - whatever you do will never make an impact then it surely never will. Understand that if you are not the person who takes the innitaive someone else might but by then it just could be too late. Our time on this beautiful planet will never repeat itself we should cherish these moments and the beauty and we have to preserve them for future generations so that they do not miss out on the joys of living on our planet. It is downright unfair for our generations to utilize natural resources unjustly and not practice the judicious use of our resources leaving little to nothing for the generations after us having them to deal with our mistakes and errors. 

It does not only cripple the future generations but also as - we are already seeing the myriad effects of our exploitation - the crippling resources are also crippling the economic development and topics such as global warming and ozone layer depletion are not just subjects to be taken lightly - we are changing our future and we are to decide which path we would be leading it towards. 

Now to implement these sustainable goals you should know about them thus-

WHAT ARE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS?

Sustainable development goals are goals provided by the UN. These are 17 goals that are to be achieved through common cooperation among countries and political leaders (and with individual efforts at the lowest level).

These goals aim to achieve sustainable development in the 21st century. These goals should be achieved without harming the environment and by keeping the needs of future generations in mind.

These goals also aim to take up topics such as education, gender equality, poverty, hunger, improving nutrition, etc.

WHAT ARE THE 17 SUSTAINABLE GOALS?

1. No Poverty - Eradicating poverty, especially in the lesser developed sections of our society has now become an even bigger goal as societies are now being affected by the adverse effects of climate change. Regardless there is hope and only with complete co-operation and sustained efforts can we achieve these goals. The UN states that - " The SDGs are a bold commitment to finish what we started and end poverty in all forms and dimensions by 2030. This involves targeting the most vulnerable, increasing basic resources and services, and supporting communities affected by conflict and climate-related disasters."

2. Zero Hunger - The number of malnourished people though has dropped in the last decade has not been stopped entirely - this is the case, especially in countries like India with a booming population but their human resources have not been put to use and that has led to a rise in unemployment leading to poverty and hunger. This has been supplemented by various government schemes but the benefits of these schemes have not yet reached the people in most need of it.

3. Good Health And Well-Being - Although impressive steps have been taken in this aspect it is still yet not enough to ensure good health and well-being in society. Concerns such as obesity, cancer, AIDS, etc still persist and with the coming up of the covid -19 pandemic, the health sector has received a huge setback.

4. Quality Education - Even though progress is being made in many regions progress receives a major setback in developing countries such as India (where one of the biggest problems is the lack of educational awareness). Due to high levels of poverty in developing countries, and armed conflict (such as the Taliban) there has been a major decrease in the number of students and their gross enrolment ratio. This is a highly worrying trend and may cripple the goals to r achieved for education.

5. Gender equality - In countries such as India the progress in gender equality though has been made - still amounts to a minimum and the problem of gender equality still seems to persist in the world. This can be reflected in the wages as well the attitude of society towards women and the backward traditions that stop the advancement of society in gender equality.

6. Clean Water And Sanitation - water scarcity affects more than 40% of counties and has begun to be looped by the adverse effects of global warming. There is an acute shortage of safe and clean drinking water in many countries( though this has begun to improve with efforts at the local level).

7. Affordable And  Clean Energy - This is one of the sectors which has fortunately decreased the number of nonrenewable sources of energy being used. Not only that in the past years this sector has had the most achievable goals in terms of suitability. The only setback for this sector is that the renewable forces of energy have yet to be developed to their full potential and in some cases, we still lack the technological know-how to do so.

8. Decent Work And Economic Growth - The last few decades had seen a huge increase in economic growth but this growth received a major blow from the covid-19 pandemic (most countries' the economy fell by a percent of about 14% in middle-income countries and about 10% in high-income countries). Employment for women is also a falling slope in the working sector.

9. Industries, Innovation, And Infrastructure - This should include investment in infrastructure and technology and the access of the following for combating environmental damage, etc. Proving access to the internet and bridging the digital divide are also key components.

10. Reduced Inequalities - Income inequalities are on the rise and the resources are being used to satisfy the greed of only a few individuals in society. Though the economic average is rising the average hides disparities among the rich ad the poor and economic development does not go hand in hand with social development.

11. Sustainable Cities And Communities - The rise in the population has led to a huge diaspora of people ending up in the cities through migration - this has consequently led to a rise in slums in the cities and fewer income opportunities. Making cities sustainable means making cities self-sufficient, having good infrastructure, transportation, more green spaces(such as parks), affordable housing, public transport, and urban planning and management in inclusive ways.  

12. Responsible Consumption And Production - In achieving economical growth and overall natural development we should also aim to reduce our ecological footprint. This can only be possible with the responsible consumption and production of resources. the resource development plans should match with the overall national development plans and laws should be made to use certain resources as per their carrying capacity. 

13. Climate Action - The greenhouse effects are at an all-time high and its consequences are being felt all over the world in all countries. Climate change will have irreversible consequences after reaching the threshold we are currently dangerously near to. Despite the natural activist shouting for immediate climate action, there are still countries where the climate actions have not been implemented and if so are to a minimal level. In many countries despite the implementation of climate action the countries have time and time again funded the development of counterintuitive projects which bring back any advances made by the climate change policies. 

14. Life Below Water - The world's oceans are entirely unique and diverse ecosystems and it should be our utmost priority to preserve and protect these diverse lands. There have been plastic and other wastes have been found in the oceans and it is disrupting the life of marine animals and endangering countless aquatic plants causing a complete shift in the ecosystem. About a billion people depend on marine resources for their livelihood and the disruption of so can cause not only the disruption in the marine ecosystem but also the ecosystem present on the land. Global warming has also had its effects spread to the marine systems causing disruption to coral reefs(with little to no effort by the government to preserve them except through publication campaigns) which are a Marine ecosystem in itself and the destruction of such can cause the extinction of many marine species( such as the reef sharks). Oceans are an essential part of the human environment and steps should be taken to preserve them for the same. 

 15. Life On Land - Human life depends on the earth as much as it does on the oceans. The earth provides us with natural resources and forest products and fossil fuels which are collectively very important for economical development and human development. the earth also provides us with land resources which are essential for many developmental activities but as the land resource of a non-renewable resource of finite magnitude we should use it judiciously with proper palnning.

16. Peace, Justice, And Strong Institutions - Sustainable development is not possible without peace, justice, and strong institutions. Armed conflicts, religious violence, and insecurity have an abrogating effect on economic growth and national security. Significant steps should be taken and laws must be made on the following topics for the same.

17. Partnership For Goals - 

 The SDGs and their subsequent implementation can only be realized through strong partnerships based on mutual interests, shared responsibilities, and global cooperation at a significant level. More emphasis should be made on improving technology and bringing about innovative as well creative ideas for sustainable development. 

I hope this helped you understand sustainable development I think I did write too much :'( 

but I really think sustainable development is the key to a better environment and better standard of living for all. 

Hope you like this :) 

then until next time...