Hong Kong’s first blog for SDG education news and announcements
The UNGA opened its 78th session (2023-2024) on 5 September 2023 under the theme, ‘Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all.’ The Assembly is the “annual general meeting” of the UN and the most important of the year. This year’s President – Dennis Francis of Trinidad – reminded everyone of the overarching need to remember the core values and purposes of the UN to address challenges. He underscored climate change alongside entrenched poverty as continuing to present the fundamental issues humanity faces, and that geopolitical conflict only hinders progress. He emphasized the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs as the core framework around which everyone and every country can coalesce. He made a point to say "Let us accelerate progress by capitalizing on the enablers of youth, innovation, and technology." . . .
UN announces ‘climate breakdown’ after record summer heat (Aljazeera) Electrifying heavy-duty vehicles could reduce environmental inequalities (sciencedaily) Summer 2023 was hottest on record, scientists say (reuters) All products are garbage, and for good reason (techcrunch) Green debt swaps, explained (CHN) From Beans to Buildings: Scientists Recycle Coffee Grounds To Make High-Performance Eco Concrete (greenqueen) India bets on seaweed's future as food industry appetite grows (Eco-business) Rooftop renewables risk making the rich richer, as latecomers will struggle to access the grid (The Conversation) . . .
Image by GodImage from Pixabay The IISD SDG Knowledge Hub ran a very good article covering this forum which brought together government, business, civil society, and the UN. It is a very pertinent point that individuals cannot make good sustainability choices in their lifestyle if those choices are not available for them to purchase or participate in them. It is also ludicrous to accept that business can only change what it offers and how it behaves in response to only market forces or government regulation. It is absolutely the case that business can switch to more sustainable production methods across all elements from energy use to transport choice to supply chain choices and material sourcing. What the forum identified and what needs to happen to more mindsets is that transformation to green approaches to business represent an opportunity not a burden. If more business leaders could bring themselves to see the switches to sustainable processes as investment in the futur . . .
On Saturday 19th the Youth advisory Committee of the ITS Foundation ran an event at Canadian International School Hong Kong as part of the UN Observance for International Youth Day (delayed from 12 Aug to allow HK school term to start). The event was opened with remarks from ITSF Founder Danny Harrington and Matthew Shulte, Head of Global Engagement at CDNIS. The opening speech was delivered by Professor Veronique Lafon-Vinais from the Business School at HKUST and gave invaluable insight into some of the ways universities are adapting in academic and organizational practice to the demands of sustainability. A panel of fantastic Hong Kong operators then convened to discuss their views on the need for Green Skills in the coming years. Step Ng of Body Banter, James Cunningham of Speed Sourcing, Raymond Mak of Farmacy HK Ltd, Stephanie Chan of Ocean Park and Jayme Ellis of Luuna Naturals, all gave brilliantly honest and up to date opinions on the needs for young people entering the workp . . .
Image by Baynham Goredema from Pixabay Judge sides with youth activists in historic US climate crisis case (aljazeera) 'Planting' rocks in farms, along with emissions reductions, could help meet key IPCC carbon removal goal (ScienceDaily) Don’t waste food graphic (reuters) The White House’s efforts to combat climate change have sparked a tech arms race with the EU (TechCrunch) Mainstream economists accused of playing down climate threat (CHN) Would You Pay For Meat & Dairy’s True Cost? German Supermarket Tests Climate-Inclusive Pricing (greenqueen) Extreme water stress faced by countries home to quarter of world population (The Guardian) To win battle against plastic pollution, voices of Asia's waste pickers must be recognized (Eco-Business) More than half of life on Earth is found in soil – here’s why that’s important (The Conversation) . . .
Every 12th August is International Youth Day and the ITS Foundation Youth Advisory Committee runs a yearly event as part of this observance. This year it will be held at Canadian International School on 19th august (to allow for term to start). There will be showcases, panels, presentations around the theme of the day for 2023 - Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World. It is part of the ITSF mission to walk the walk by facilitating truly youth organized led events for youth, and we look forward to a great day this year once again. With the focus on Green Skills we will be addressing exactly what this means and how young people can ensure they are best placed for future jobs in green industries. Registration is required for school safety procedures. . . .
Image by Erich Westendarp from Pixabay Edward J Markey, a US senator from Massachusetts, along with Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, has proposed additional taxes on the wealthy users of private aircraft. Their amusingly named Fueling Alternative Transportation with a Carbon Aviation Tax (Fatcat) Act, proposes increasing fuel taxes for private jet travel from the current US$0.22/gallon to US$2 per gallon. Additionally, the Fatcat Act would remove current exemptions for harmful activities such as flights used to explore for gas and oil. It is outrageous that private jet fuel tax is considerably lower than that on commercial flights and yet they get to use the same infrastructure and more importantly pollute as much as 14 times more than commercial flights and 50 times more than trains. The flights of the wealthy 1% thus contribute twice as much carbon emission pollution as the poorest 50% but it is the poorest who suffer the impact so much more. In addition, the extra c . . .
Image by Silvia from Pixabay Science shows the severe climate consequences of new fossil fuel extraction (The Conversation) Net zero: direct costs of climate policies aren’t a major barrier to public support, research reveals (The Conversation) Does sportswashing even work? (Eco-Business) Cut the climate doom – exponential green change is possible (Eco-Business) July was world’s hottest month on record, climate scientists confirm (The Guardian) US scientists turn old plastic into soap after fireside inspiration (The Guardian) Amazon nations fail to agree on deforestation goal at summit (CHN) 'Greenlash' fuels fears for Europe's environmental ambitions (reuters) . . .
