A recent workshop on sustainable development goals promoted public dialogue on 17 goals set by the United Nations last year to steer the planet toward a better future. In September 2015, world leaders adopted an agenda for sustainable development intended to structure the policies of UN member States up to 2030.
In addition to goals aimed at ending poverty, fighting injustice and promoting gender equality, many of the goals are environmentally-oriented. In many cases an improvement to the environment could have spin-off benefits in other areas.
The target to ensure that the poor have equal rights to land and natural resources may help to achieve the first two goals of ending poverty and hunger. Reducing the exposure of people who are vulnerable to climate-related extreme events and other environmental shocks and disasters is a way to foster justice and equality.
Each of the wordy goals written in UN jargon are backed up by five to 10 targets. (The overarching SDG 17 on finance has 19 targets.)
Opening the series of presentations, Ċensu Caruana spoke about SDG 1 on poverty: “Poverty is not natural,” he said, quoting Nelson Mandela. He also pointed out that it was women who have suffered disproportionately due to new challenges such as climate change and food security.
While acknowledging that one had to strive to break out of economic poverty, he said it was worth remembering that beyond a certain threshold, possessions become the thieves of time. This ties in with environmental themes of waste and resources.
Dr Caruana also spoke on the need to deconstruct assumptions that economic growth is desirable for all, instead of looking more closely at what people really need. He acknowledged a disconnection between the wise words of the sustainable development goals and what was happening on the ground: “We need to talk about limits to growth, we cannot keep talking about economic growth.”
He said the goal should be to leave no one behind yet poverty is often hidden behind closed doors. He called for a national conference to identify those who are left out.
People tend to think that SDGs are only for developing countries but they may be applied in all countries around the world, rich or poor. Dr Caruana pointed out that SDGs should not be confused with Millenium Development Goals, a UN project started in 2002 which was more about aid for developing countries. SDGs are for the whole world.
As President Marie Louise Coleiro-Preca observed at the opening of the workshop, it is everyone’s collective responsibility to join together and take on the SDG goals.
The SDGs most relevant for the environment are those relating to water, chemicals, waste, fisheries and habitats.
If we are to meet that part of SDG 6 (water and sanitation) which presses for availability of water we should be looking at the environmental and economic benefits of providing water in a sustainable manner. This important goal was addressed by Julian Mamo:
“The availability of fresh water in our taps masks the fact that Malta is actually severely water stressed and we really need to make each drop count.”
He added that Malta’s aquifers should be protected and that sustainable withdrawals from the aquifer should be ensured.
We need to say it out loud: Malta’s politicians need to clamp down hard and fast on illegal boreholes. There is no point talking of sustainability if people in the realms of power and influence shy away from taking such decisions.
The goal of ensuring responsible consumption and production by “making more with less” falls under SDG 12. Prof. Paul Pace described Earth as a closed system. He said what we have is all we have:
“We have been breaking cycles, depleting resources, increasing waste. We don’t use our space intelligently enough. Is generation of wealth the solution? Unfortunately this has led to further difficulties, including a poverty gap.
“We need to re-establish life cycles and avoid waste. We have allowed government to become the guardian of the common good.
“As citizens we need to make sure it is really being taken care of.”
We have been breaking cycles, depleting resources, increasing waste.We don’t use our space intelligently enough.Is generation of wealth the solution? Unfortunately this has led to further difficulties, including a poverty gap- Prof. Paul Pace, director, Centre for Environmental Education and Research, University of Malta
Acknowledging that the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is the primary intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response to climate change, SDG 13 seeks to promote action on this urgent issue. Alan Pulis gave a presentation on this subject.
SDG 14 focuses on protecting fisheries as an important food source. Prof. Alan Deidun spoke on the widespread damage being caused to seas and oceans by accumulated plastic litter. He spoke about ocean acidification which he described as “climate change’s evil twin”. Illegal fishing, which goes unreported and unregulated, undermines effective management of national fisheries and disregards conservation measures.
SDG 15 sets 2020 as the target for the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands. All this is in line with existing obligations under international agreements.
Annalise Falzon, a teacher and former guide at the Majjistral Park, spoke of the great thirst children have for silence and open spaces. Reflection and peace can still be found in the cloistered spaces of nature which is faced by constant attacks on its integrity. There are measurable benefits for mental health through connectedness with nature. This has been found helpful for dealing with conditions such as depression in both children and adults.
Malta’s tadpole shrimp, now very rare and which has existed since the dinosaurs, is likely to die out in our age. Artificial light disturbs the Yelkouan shearwaters nesting on Gozo’s southern cliffs. The much loved Sempre Vive flower is now only found growing wild on a single stretch of coastline in Gozo. The freshwater crab, which can only live in the rare habitat of a fresh water spring, has had its natural home desecrated.
Ending on a positive note, in a reference to an ancient tree grove at Wardija, Ms Falzon observed that “sowing an oak seed is like sowing the next millennium – it can last 1,000 years if you take care of it”.
During the discussion that followed, counselling psychologist Jenny Zammit added that something appeared to be missing from the SDG goals. Introducing a sense of ethics and spirituality could help put things together on the level of values.
At this point, Dr Caruana also questioned whether there was cohesion between one goal and another. Sustainable development goals that promote economic growth and industrialisation may at times seem to be at odds with the rest. As with all UN dealings, the goals are the result of fierce negotiation and compromise between different lobbies.
Dr Charles Yousif, an engineer working on renewable energy at the University of Malta, spoke on SDG 7 – the goal to ensure access to reliable, affordable and sustainable energy for all.
After the essentials of health, education and equality were covered, architect Amber Wismayer spoke on sustainable cities and communities. Making human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable is the aim of SGD 11. This would include adoption and putting into action plans for resource efficiency and mitigation/adaptation to climate change.
One target under this goal is to provide access to safe, affordable, sustainable transport systems for all by 2030, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations – women, children, people with disabilities and the elderly.
Another target Malta would do well to focus on is improving our capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable planning and management of built-up areas.