scholarly journals The UK'S largest volume housebuilders and the sustainable development goals

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Jones ◽  
Daphne Comfort
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations General ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
United Nations General Assembly

PurposeThe sustainable development goals (SDGs) agreed at a United Nations General Assembly in 2015 embrace an ambitious and wide ranging set of global environmental, social and economic issues designed to effect a transition to a more sustainable future. The United Nations called on all governments to pursue these ambitious goals but also acknowledged the important role of the private sector in addressing the SDGs. This paper offers an exploratory review of how some of the UK's largest volume housebuilders publicly claim to be committed to addressing the SDGs.Design/methodology/approachThe paper provides an outline of the characteristics of sustainable development, of the SDGs and of the frame of reference and method of enquiry employed in the study, prior to reviewing the findings from the largest UK housebuilders.FindingsThe findings revealed that seven of the largest housebuilding companies claimed to be committed to contributing to the SDGs, though the scale and the extent of their claimed commitments varied. In reviewing the housebuilders approach to the SDGs, the authors drew attention to three challenges the housebuilders may face in pursuing their claimed commitment to the SDGs, namely, concentrating on specific goals, measurement and reporting.Originality/valueThe paper offers an accessible review of how seven of the UK's largest housebuilders claimed to be committed to addressing the SDGs.

scholarly journals The Sustainable Development Goals and Leading European Retailers

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-122
Author(s):  
Peter Jones ◽  
Daphne Comfort
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations General ◽  
Sustainability Strategies ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agreed at a United Nations General Assembly in 2015 embrace an ambitious and wide-ranging set of global environmental, social and economic issues designed to effect a transition to a more sustainable future; the United Nations important role of the private sector in addressing the SDGs. The majority of Europe’s leading retailers have been pursuing sustainability strategies, and reporting on their achievements against their strategies, for some time and within the European retail community there is a recognition that retailers have a vital role to play in contributing to the achievement of the SDGs. This exploratory paper reviews and reflects on how seven of Europe’s leading retailers claim to be committed to addressing the SDGs. The findings revealed that all seven retailers reported on their commitment to contributing to the achievement of the SDGs, though the scale and the extent of their commitment varied. In reviewing the retailers’ approach to the SDGs, the authors drew attention to a number of issues namely, concentration on specific SDGs, issues of measurement and reporting and tensions between sustainability and economic growth.

scholarly journals Intergenerational Equity and the Sustainable Development Goals

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 3836 ◽  
Author(s):  
Otto Spijkers
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
International Law ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Intergenerational Equity ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations General ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
United Nations General Assembly ◽  
The United Nations

The contribution of the present research is to link the global consensus in international legal scholarship on the principle of intergenerational equity to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The methodology used is, first, to provide a literature review of theories of intergenerational equity developed in international law scholarship, followed by a textual analysis of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution that contains the SDGs. To place the SDGs in their proper context, an overview is provided of the most important declarations on sustainable development of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), and outcome documents of the most important World Conferences on sustainable development organized under the auspices of the United Nations. Two general conclusions can be drawn from the present research: in international law scholarship and in the SDGs and previous declarations, the earth is generally seen as a resource, to be used by present and future people, and not as something warranting respect regardless of its worth to human beings. Second, the main challenge is to find a proper balance between intergenerational equity—present and future people—and intragenerational equity—the rich and the poor of the present generation.

scholarly journals The Role of Fire in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations

Proceedings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 65
Author(s):  
Artemi Cerdà
Keyword(s):  
Water Pollution ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Water Yield ◽  
Earth System ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations do not mention Fire as a key factor in achieving an environmentally-friendly human society. This paper reviews the key aspects of the impact of fire that make it necessary to update the SDGs. Upon reviewing the scientific literature, it was found that fire has been part of the Earth System for the last 400 million years, and that it is part of biogeochemical cycles. From a geological perspective, fire shaped the current Earth System. Humans have used fire in the last million years as hunter-gatherers, and the last Pleistocene period evolved with the presence of fire. Since the Neolithic revolution, humankind spread the use of fire, without which agriculture would not have progressed as it did. Fire is still used today as a tool to clear forests, scrublands and meadows in order to establish agriculture fields. To achieve the SDGs, we cannot ignore the role of fire. Fire should be present, as it is part of the geological cycle of the planet; it is part of rural culture and plays a key role in hydrological, erosional and biological cycles. We discuss the following issues related to fire in connection with the SDGs: (i) biota; (ii) soil properties; (iii) carbon cycle; (iv) sediment and water yield; (v) air and water pollution; and (vi) risk assessment. We conclude that: (i) fire is key to flora and fauna diversity; (ii) soil properties are temporally changed after exposure to fire; (iii) the carbon cycle is disturbed by fire, but the long-term impact can be a reduction in the CO2 content in the atmosphere; (iv) sediment and water yield are enhanced by forest fires, but only during the period of disturbance; (v) air and water pollution are ephemeral; and (vi) the risk associated with fire necessitates careful planning. Prescribed fires may be part of the solution, but there is a need to educate citizens on the role that fire plays. More research is necessary due to the diversity of the biomass and the complex history of fire on the planet. Fire is part of the Earth System and the SDGs should include it as a key element in their agenda.

Libraries as agents for development: The potential role of Egyptian rural public libraries towards the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals based on the UN 2030 Agenda

2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-136
Author(s):  
Essam Mansour
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The United Nations

The key purpose of this study is to investigate the potential role of Egyptian rural public libraries, being one of the social agents for development, towards the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals according to the United Nations Agenda for 2030. To meet the objectives and questions of the study, a multi-faceted research methodology was adopted and conducted in the period from September to November 2017. The study used a qualitative approach in terms of personal interview, discussion and observations of group meetings, and examination of documents to investigate the implementation of community development programmemes and services in 34 rural public libraries representing the four main administrative divisions comprising Egypt. The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals have been discussed with ways in which Egyptian rural public libraries can include and meet them. Challenges facing libraries in the provision of information (poor infrastructure, inappropriate collections and related facilities and services, high levels of illiteracy, lack of funding and cooperation between related agencies, inappropriate training of library and information professionals, lack of studies and surveys, as well as analyses of information needs of rural communities) have also been emphasized. This study concluded that Egyptian rural public libraries have struggled to be part of the United Nations Agenda for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. They have tried as much as possible to integrate and adapt to the surrounding community in light of the common economic, political and social factors and conditions. Despite these challenges, these libraries showed a good response that is characterized as somewhat positive, though not sufficient, toward the achievement of these goals.

scholarly journals Is It Time to Shift Our Environmental Thinking? A Perspective on Barriers and Opportunities to Change

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (18) ◽  
pp. 5010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Daigle ◽  
Liette Vasseur
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
United Nations General ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
United Nations General Assembly ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
Barriers And Opportunities ◽  
Over Exploitation

In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development Goals. In 2019, the release of the global assessment report of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services unfortunately demonstrated that our planet may be in more trouble than expected. The main drivers have been identified for many years and relate to human activities such as over-exploitation of natural resources leading to land degradation, deforestation, ocean and atmospheric pollution, and climate change. Despite international agreements and conventions, we are gradually reaching the planet’s boundaries. In this commentary, we present an analysis of the current worldview, discuss the humanist roots of this view, and the barriers to be able to move forward with the transformative changes that are needed for sustainability. We suggest that for these transformative changes to happen, there is a need to reconnect humans with nature, and we propose that some solutions could be devised in areas like education and social media. Changing our mindsets and worldviews are the most urgent courses of action we must undertake to avoid the inevitable.

scholarly journals Overview of the challenges to achieve sustainable development goals in Bangladesh

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 4453-4460
Author(s):  
Mohammed Jashim Uddin ◽  
Md. Nezum Uddin
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations General ◽  
Daunting Task ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
United Nations General Assembly

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by United Nations General Assembly on September 25, 2015 are a universal consensus to end poverty, eradicate inequality, protect the globe, tackle the climate change and make sure that all people of the planet enjoy peace and prosperity. Most of the goals are present in Bangladesh. This paper’s aim is to overview the challenges having faced by Bangladesh to acquire the recent phenomenon sustainable development goals.  The National Preliminary Report, FAO analysis, the sustainable Development Goals Report 2016, various articles, and newspaper writings have been scrutinized and secondary data have been used to complete the present study. The study finds that the goals are interconnected with one another. Eradicating all challenges will be daunting task for government alone. Sincere and fruitful policy agenda’ taken and implementation can be supportive and successful way to this idealistic wishes and utopian dreams. The policy makers, politicians, philanthropists, Financial Institutions etc can find it easy to solve SDGs related problems. Further analysis can be done on each and separate target and goal of SDGs in the context of the country.

The role of engineering geology in delivering the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

2022 ◽  
pp. qjegh2021-127
Author(s):  
Richard Lagesse ◽  
Jennifer Hambling ◽  
Joel Gill ◽  
Marcus Dobbs ◽  
Cheryl Lim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Engineering Geology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Supplementary Material ◽  
The United Nations

Engineering Geology has an important role to play in sustainable development. This is due to the unique perspective that Engineering Geologists have of the interfaces between: science and engineering; the natural and built environments; the past, present and future. This paper examines the role of Engineering Geology in delivering the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and demonstrates that there is a strong link between the knowledge, skills and activities of Engineering Geologists and the delivery of all 17 goals. The study includes a detailed evaluation of all 169 SDG targets and highlights the key impact areas where Engineering Geologists already contribute to sustainable development, as well as identifying opportunities for contributions to be strengthened. It is hoped that this paper will empower Engineering Geologists to confidently communicate the value of their role, act responsibly, and exert their influence to drive positive outcomes in terms of sustainable development in everything that they do.Thematic collection: This article is part of the Sustainability in Engineering Geology & Hydrogeology collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/sustainability-in-engineering-geology-and-hydrogeologySupplementary material:https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5778817

scholarly journals Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals: An Analysis of the Potential Role of Philanthropy in Ghana

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (7) ◽  
pp. 1084-1104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Kumi
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Paradigm Shifts ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Stakeholder Consultation ◽  
Civil Society Organisations ◽  
United Nations General ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Multi Stakeholder

In September 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly as the cardinal agenda for guiding future global development. In financing the SDGs, there has been an increasing call on stakeholder diversification by leveraging on other non-state actors and private finance including philanthropic institutions in influencing, delivering and advancing the SDGs. Drawing on insights from the Ghanaian philanthropic sector, I show that philanthropic institutions play complementary roles in service delivery, support civil society organisations to engage in active action and advocacy, and enhance paradigm shifts in development thinking around the SDGs. I argue for the need in embracing complexity thinking that recognises that the attainment of the SDGs is dependent on the creation of an enabling environment and effective multi-stakeholder consultation.

scholarly journals A fenntartható fejlődés megjelenése Magyarország és Anglia földrajztanterveiben

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-41
Author(s):  
János Varjas ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Social Equality ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Global Problems ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The Subject

The emerging global problems of our world have led to the development of the concept of sustainable development. Sustainable development today no longer deals only with the effects of human activities on the environment, but also, more broadly, with issues of social equality and responsibility. Sustainable development issues are integrated into the teaching and learning process through the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) initiative. The subject of geography can be a pioneer in the implementation of sustainable development and sustainability topics in schools. The study aims to examine the role of geography in teaching sustainable development in Hungary and England. It examines the emergence of the Sustainable Development Goals, launched by the United Nations in 2015, in the geography curricula. It also analyzes the appearance of the components of skill development and attitude formation related to the topic. The study was performed using the MAXQDA 2020 software.

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