3 RIP SDG? Are UN Sustainable Development Goals Enough to Save Us?

Planet in Crisis

As we face an urgent ecological crisis, a group of experts discuss whether the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development goals are a help, or a hindrance, in rising to the challenge. According to the UN, "The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests."

Critics argue that the UN SDGs are not focused enough in tackling the singular issue of climate breakdown, and at worst, have created a business opportunity for many which has led to distraction and no real action. The central question is - are the SGDs dead, fit for purpose, or simply in need of an update. This was the third event in Scientists Warning Europe’s Road to COP27 series.

Panelists:

Ed Gemmell - Managing Director of Scientists Warning Europe,

Naomi Sheehan - Sustainable Development Scientist & Climate Advisor

Carter Dillard - Fair Start Movement Policy Advisor

Victoria Harvey - PhD researcher, Climate Change at University East Anglia

Steve Pipe - Author and former UK Entrepreneur of The Year

This is a recording of an online panel discussion held 15 November, 2022. See the video at: https://youtu.be/JLvQqSaaQLU

At COP26 Scientists Warning Europe launched a new paper, the 'Scientists Warnings into Action'. It expanded on the six stressors identified in the previous three warnings of Nature, Population, Economy, Food and Pollutants and Energy. This fourth great scientists Warning has already been signed by over 3,000 scientists and is currently collecting more signatures by graduates in any science.

LINKS:

Fair Start Movementhttps://fairstartmovement.org/

Justice as a Fair Start in Life – by Carter Dillardhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62140570-justice-as-a-fair-start-in-life

Climahttps://climauk.com/

Our Time to Rise – by Steve Pipehttps://www.ourtimetorise.global/

Scientists Warning Europe presents and promotes science endorsed solutions which will lead to a just transition for our World to a sustainable and equitable future. Learn more, sign up for updates, and support our work at https://www.scientistswarningeurope.org.uk

This podcast series is made possible through the generous help of the GrowthBusters podcast about limits to growth.

MORE INFO:

World Scientists’ Warnings into Action, Local to Global https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00368504211056290

Scientists Warning Europehttps://scientistswarningeurope.org.uk/

Video of this conversation https://youtu.be/JLvQqSaaQLU

All Three World Scientists’ Warningshttps://scientistswarningeurope.org.uk/warnings

Scientists Warning Europe YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/ScientistsWarningEurope

If you’re interested in starting up a Scientists Warning group on your continent, please reach out to us at https://www.scientistswarningeurope.org.uk/contact

GrowthBusters podcast http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/

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