The resources of our planet are not endless. Someone who knows that we cannot continue to borrow from the Earth’s natural assets is Maija from Finland. At the beginning of last year, Maija began to budget her carbon expenditure, aiming to save over 5000kg CO2e within the year. By registering her individual action on the Finnish Government’s “Sustainable Lifestyle” online service, Maija is proving that everyone, everywhere, can contribute to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
And she is not alone in her commitment. Many others have joined the Finnish Citizen’s Commitment to Sustainable Lifestyles online platform, which brings citizens, businesses and organizations together in the shared goal of reducing their carbon footprints. With smaller carbon footprints, they hope to move faster towards the realization of the 17 global goals and accelerate towards a more sustainable future.
Users are encouraged to commit to personally achievable solutions, such as replacing home insulation; barring junk mail and shopping locally for seasonal produce. The diversity of innovation shared by the participants ensures that all 17 SDGs are addressed in some respect. They also join another 200 organizations who have made pledges to reduce the carbon footprint across their sectors, from finance to forestry. This online platform provides a space to share creative solutions, monitor progress and calculate carbon expenditure.
Budgeting the Earth’s resources to ensure sustainability is also the goal of the initiative taken by The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) to reforest Nigeria. The Green Recovery Nigeria (GRN) programme is accelerating action on numerous SDGs by preserving the economic and social benefits provided by the forest environment, and by working to reforest 25 per cent of the country’s landmass by 2050.
Working closely with local communities, GRN brings together the private sector and UN entities, including the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN Development Programme (UNDP), to restore the country’s forest cover. Reversing the rapid deforestation which has racked the country in recent years will safeguard the supply of essential goods and employment provided by this rich environment for the 2 million people who rely on it.
Both these inspiring initiatives are examples of actions taken to accelerate progress towards on the SDGs, which will drive the exponential change desperately needed across the planet to mitigate and prevent the impact and recurrence of the crises at hand.
Each showcase innovation that can encourage everyone, everywhere, to participate in the rebuilding of our global community, and in the rebalancing of our humanity’s account with the Earth’s resources.
Be inspired by these and other actions and register your own here: