A new year’s guide to learning and action

As we are in January and many of us are returning from the holidays, now is an excellent moment to reflect on the past year and set goals for the future. For me, it is crucial for us to have a stronger commitment to sustainable development and climate action this year. One way to do so is to make learning and taking action part of our new year’s resolutions and to incorporate sustainable development learning in our daily lives.

Unpacking Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is a complex concept that encompasses a range of issues, including poverty, climate change and inequality. Sustainable development is commonly defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In short, it is about creating a better world for all.

One of the critical aspects of sustainable development is eradicating poverty. Poverty is a significant issue that affects millions of people around the world. The 2022 Sustainable Development Goals Report highlighted that although there was a historical decline in the extreme poverty rate between 2015 to 2018, COVID-19 has erased more than four years of progress against poverty. Forecasts for 2022 estimated that 75 million more people will live in extreme poverty than expected prior to the pandemic. The rising food prices and broader impacts of the war in Ukraine could increase that number.

We need robust social protection systems to mitigate the immediate and long-term consequences of crises such as epidemics and pandemics This includes social assistance, social insurance, social care services, labour market programmes, etc., both traditional and informal, which can prevent people from falling into poverty. However, in 2020,  about half of the global population was effectively covered by at least one social protection cash benefit, leaving 4.1 billion people unprotected from the harsh consequences of crises.

Another essential aspect of sustainable development is reducing inequalities. We cannot achieve sustainable development and improve the planet for all if people are excluded and discriminated against. Although there are efforts to decrease inequalities, inequality is increasing for more than 70 per cent of the global population, exacerbating the risks of divisions. One area where we also need to focus on is the digital divide, where 2.7 billion people have no access to the Internet. We can reverse these negative trends and utilize the potential of digital transformation as a vital tool in developing globally sustainable economic and social behaviors.

Learn more about digital transformation through our free online course.

Protecting the planet is also a crucial part of sustainable development. Climate change, deforestation, pollution, and loss of biodiversity are all significant issues that threaten the health of the planet and its inhabitants. To protect the planet, we need to take action to reduce our carbon footprint, protect natural habitats, and reduce pollution.

Empowering yourself through learning

So, how can we make a resolution to learn about sustainable development and take action this year?

1. Educate yourself. Learn more about the issues, read books, articles, watch documentaries, and attend events or webinars. This will help you understand the challenges we face and the solutions that are available. We have free online courses on sustainable development at UNSSC that can help start with your learning journey.
2. Take small steps in your daily life. Reduce your own environmental impact. This can be as simple as reducing energy consumption, recycling, and using public transport instead of driving. We just launched a new free online course on Sustainable Lifestyles. It takes only 3 hours to complete.
3. Support a community. This can be done by volunteering, donating, or simply spreading the word about their work.
4. Encourage others. Share what you have learned with your family, friends, and colleagues. You can also share with the UN SDG:Learn platform with them. They can use it to get more information about sustainable development learning.

Let us all commit to learning about sustainable development and taking action to create a more just and sustainable world for all.