Innovative new learning platform aims to foster behaviour change, contribute to global sustainability

The UN System Staff College (UNSSC) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) are kicking off World Environment Day on June 5th by inviting people to join an innovative gamified learning platform that is geared towards shifting people’s behaviours towards more sustainable choices.

‘My Sustainable Living Challenge’ takes learners on a six-week journey in an immersive environment, in which they learn about sustainability, systems change, and the impact of their lifestyles across the domains of food, housing, mobility, consumption and leisure by participating in engaging weekly challenges.

The gamified sustainable lifestyle platform supports a systems-based approach to today’s development issues. It aims to help sustainable development stakeholders to adopt a “think differently, act differently” learning approach. The platform serves as an accelerator of actions for sustainable development as it bridges the gap between knowledge and action on personal and organizational goals.

Every weekly challenge presents thought-provoking content, prepared in collaboration with experts from the UN Environment Programme, in an accessible and fun way.

The weekly activities nudge participants to put their learning into practice through real-life actions and solidify commitments and accountability by sharing expertise and ideas with peers.

The platform will be available to selected participants free of charge. Enrollment will open on the UNSSC website from 5 June to 5 July 2022.  The first challenge begins on 18 July and concludes on 28 August.

‘My Sustainable Living Challenge’  is the result of a flagship partnership between UNSSC and UNEP’s Sustainable Lifestyles and Education team. Both entities hope to inspire behavior change that leads to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

“This platform is a landmark tool to help people make the transition from understanding the impact their behaviours and lifestyles have on the planet to actually taking action to change towards better and more sustainable ways of living. ,” said Sandhya Balasubrahmanyam, Learning Portfolio Manager with UNSSC’s Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development.

Garrette Clark, UNEP’s Sustainable Lifestyles Programme Officer, explains: "’My Sustainable Living Challenge’ is an opportunity to mobilize people towards a lighter, better life. It gives people the tools for making sustainable living their new normal by understanding the forces that influence and shape our aspirations and behaviors and integrating sustainability into them."

Sign up now, for a chance to participate in this unique experience that will challenge you to lead a better, lighter, more fulfilling and more sustainable life.

 For more information, please write to sustainable-development@unssc.org