Have you come across the UN Sustainable Development Goals? Has your employer or household?
Implemented in 2016, as a nation we are committed to meeting 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The goals are a medium term plan to help sustain our surroundings for the benefit of our children’s generation. They cover many aspects of life and are not specific to construction.
Progress
We have made positive steps in recent years: on de-carbonising our energy generation; raising awareness on plastic in the oceans; and in starting to address gender inequality. However, currently the UK is rated ‘good’ on less than a quarter of the target principles; with a lack of awareness in the public domain seen as a key factor in this.
Below are the 17 areas of modern life we are looking to sustain:
What Can I Do?
The first step is do to a little homework. Whilst the UK remains in lockdown, we have greater chance than usual to set aside an hour or two to consider our impact and our influence. The chart above illustrates the 17 areas; perhaps choose one and establish how you can make small chances in your life to contribute. As we have seen in lockdown, relatively simple changes in behaviour, but by a lot of people, can form huge change in society. To keep up to date and share your own or your companies actions visit the Voluntary National Review website.
What Lies Ahead?
The vast impact of Coronavirus gives us significant opportunity to fix problems. Just a few weeks ago large-scale cut in car commuting and mass remote working would be thought of as fanciful; but it has happened. It has happened because people understand both the problem and the solution. By default tackling the virus could aid tackling Climate change; though as with the virus, it requires us individuals to be mindful of our actions and show respect to our neighbours.
The ultimate goal is for the image above to be consigned to a museum as we achieve success in all 17 areas.