‘We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change and the last generation that can do something about it’ – Barack Obama
Climate change is not the only topic that the United Nations worry about. Therefore they have developed the Sustainable Development Goals. AIESEC supports these goals not only because we believe it can create a better world, we believe these goals need to be in the center of what we do in order to keep living on this planet.
What are the Sustainable Development Goals?
The SDGs are a set of 17 goals, which aim to make our world a better and more sustainable place to live in. The goals aim to bridge the gap between the world as it is and the world as it should be. The SDGs apply to countries at all stages of development. By addressing some of the most pressing issues in today’s society such as hunger, education and justice.
Why do we need the Sustainable Development Goals? What are the Sustainable Development Goals?
836 million people still live in extreme poverty, global emissions of C02 have increased by 50 per cent since 1990 and more than 1 billion people still do not have access to fresh water to name a few. There is still a lot of progress that can be made in issues such as poverty, gender inequality, climate change and corruption.
How do the SDGs contribute to a better world?
Robert F. Kennedy once defined why we need goals very clearly when he said: “By defining our goal more clearly, by making it seem more manageable and less remote, we can help all people to see it, to draw hope from it and to move irresistibly towards it.”
The goals on itself do not contribute much. But what they stand for and the action that they trigger individually and together will mean a lot to us and to our planet.
Why does AIESEC find the SDGs important?
The challenges we face today are mostly caused by humans and can be overcome by humans. However, not with business as usual. If we are serious about making this planet more sustainable we have to change the way we go about things. Although in order to change the way we do things we need people who believe they can be that change. We need people who take responsibility and show the world that it can be different. Leadership at all levels in society is needed to achieve the sustainable development goals and ultimately create a better world. AIESEC believes that leadership can be developed in anyone, including you. We do this by providing practical leadership experiences to young people around the world. By facilitating cross-cultural exchanges that will give a different perspective on the world and its cultures.
Want to find out how you can start your leadership journey? Register here now!
This post was written by AIESEC in the Netherlands. We offer international voluntary projects and professional internships with the aim of developing leadership in youth.
