Hong Kong’s first blog for SDG education news and announcements
What We Need To Now by Chris Goodall is a short book that offers a set of solutions to each of the main challenges posed by global heating - energy supply, housing, food, clothing and the main manufacturing problem areas, such as cement and steel. It finishes by looking briefly at the opportunities for direct capture of CO2 from air and the possible benefits and costs of tinkering with the reflectivity of the Earth’s atmosphere. It makes 3 broad calls to action. 1. We need action right now across all elements of consumption not just energy. 2. We need to use relatively easy energy solutions to fix other problems, basically by overproducing renewable electricity to produce hydrogen fuel which can solve these other issues. 3. Action requires political consensus because we are organized nationally but this is a global problem. From an education point of view this is a fantastic book to use for senior secondary or undergraduate reading and for case study examples in subjects such . . .
Tomorrow is International Youth Day. The resolution to adopt 12th August as IYD was in 1998 but the UN has a much longer history of celebrating youth and bringing youth issues to the forefront of international attention. In 1965, the General Assembly endorsed the Declaration on the Promotion among Youth of the Ideals of Peace, Mutual Respect and Understanding between Peoples. From 1965 to 75 the UN promoted participation, development and peace. The need for an international policy on youth was emphasized as well. 1979 was International Youth Year and this was repeated in 2010. In 2021 the emphasis will be on Youth innovation for human and planetary health. . . .
Reuters reports a sad outcome from the latest G20 summit – a failure to agree common language for their final communique before COP26 which will take place in less than 100 days. The biggest issues were commitments to phase out coal power and an affirmation of the Paris agreement targets aiming to limit heating to 1.5 deg C. with the world’s biggest and richest economies being responsible for the majority of the emissions and global heating, we really need them to take the lead on meeting this crisis head on. . . .
Restoring land to former natural habitat is often seen as “too hard” or “too expensive”. This initiative shows not only that it can and should be done but that even the most unexpected of government departments can be involved. Addressing the SDGs is for everyone – all individuals, all companies and all government departments. . . .
Q-leak is a training centre to allow modern training and research to prevent underground mains water leaks. With water supplies under threat around the world, all initiatives such as this are essential. As with all SDG issues, solutions need to be multi-faceted. We can be mindful of our water use as individuals by consuming less, especially beef and cheap clothes; corporations can become more efficient especially those using water to manufacture; governments can be mindful of leaks and also regulations to prevent the wasteful overuse of water. . . .
Late in July, young delegates from over 190 countries convened for the 2021 version of the OYW Summit, hosted in Munich. Plenary sessions and workshops brought together some of the brightest young minds ion the world to consider the climate crisis and achieving 2030 goals, rights and freedoms, the 4th industrial revolution and more. As with so many events this year, digital connections allowed the summit top proceed for those unable to travel. See a full round up of all the news from the summit here. . . .
The International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. The resolution places emphasis on involving young people, as future leaders, in community activities that include different cultures and promote international understanding and respect for diversity. To mark the International Day of Friendship the UN encourages governments, international organizations and civil society groups to hold events, activities and initiatives that contribute to the efforts of the international community towards promoting a dialogue among civilizations, solidarity, mutual understanding and reconciliation. The International Day of Friendship is an initiative that follows on the proposal made by UNESCO defining the Culture of Peace as a set of values, attitudes and behaviours that reject violence and endeavou . . .
It was lovely to have these 3 youngsters in our fashion workshop last week. They came for five mornings to learn some basic sewing, design, pattern-making and embellishments. Here you can see them all wearing their very own hand-made T-shirts. Aged 11 and 12 and they never sewed before. Now they go away knowing how great it is to make your own clothes. We hope that experiences like these will help show young people that making at least some of your own clothes will mean you use better fabrics, make them to a higher quality and instill a love in them that makes you keep them for longer – all elements of clothes-making lost in the mass fashion/garment industry – and a step towards sustainable fashion. . . .
