Concerning the Climate Crisis, there is a consensus that the current decade is critical in deciding the fate of humanity. Scientists are now predicting a 2-3 degree celsius temperature rise this century, with a possibility of even greater increases occurring. Although there has been some important progress of late, there continues to be much work to do. In particular, the setting of more short-term goals to augment the 2050 pledges. We are thrilled with the recent progress made in the US Senate regarding a compromise proposal to support climate efforts.
With regards to the promotion of peace, in 2022 our focus was on the conflict in Ukraine.
“Our solutions draw on family and crisis intervention theory as well as motivational psychology to create strategies to protect our earth. We consider the world to be a global family experiencing a crisis. We know that families experiencing crises do best when all members pull together in the search for solutions. In the same way, we currently need billions of individuals working together to solve the climate crisis and effectively lobby businesses and governments to make changes.”
Environmental Sustainability
One of our top priorities at this time is to support the Paris Climate Change Agreement, established within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2015. We aim to do so by supporting Goal #3: Good Health and Well-Being and Goal #13: Climate Action of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Although the Paris Agreement is an urgent initiative to support at this time, it is, by itself, insufficient to reach our goals. Further action is needed to prevent rising global temperatures. The political will to implement the actions necessary is at odds with the urgency of the situation. There is agreement among experts in the field that a grassroots movement is needed. This is already occurring, but needs to develop at a faster rate.
We need to move rapidly to 100% clean and renewable energy, and to reduce carbon emissions across all sectors of the economy. There is agreement amongst experts that we need to move to net zero global emissions by 2050. Governments should also have a responsibility to prioritize high-quality jobs in climate change vulnerable communities, as well as de-industrialized communities.
In 2017, The World Economic Forum emphasized the importance of working with communities historically dependant on the fossil fuel industry for employment through all stages of the transition to clean energy. This includes opening and diversifying markets to ensure employment in sectors such as renewable energy and sustainability.
The good news is that renewable energy technologies continue to improve by leaps and bounds offering viable sources of energy. Individuals, businesses, and governments alike are also exercising sustained efforts to mitigate the effects of a warming planet.
Furthermore, as outlined in the mandate set out within the United Nation’s Global Goals, Goal #15: Life on Land identifies nine distinct targets which to sustain a harmonious balance between the impact of human activity and nature. The restoration and preservation of terrestrial, freshwater and mountain ecosystems along with restoring forested areas and degraded lands are at the forefront of this plan. In addition, the equitable distribution of genetic resources, the protection of endangered species and elimination of wildlife trafficking, preventing the spread of invasive alien species across ecosystems, and developing government-backed projects and plans to consider the protection of natural ecosystems and biodiversity. (Reference: https://www.globalgoals.org/15-life-on-land)
Our initiatives seek to highlight the vital interconnections that exist between the maintenance of a viable, healthy ecosystem and our own quality of life. With human activities increasingly disrupting natural habitats and wildlife, there is a pressing need to develop effective sustainability and conservation practices to restore the health of our planet and ensure the health of our global family. The recent COP15 meeting that took place in Montreal offers a great deal of hope, as nations came together to form a set of goals including protecting 30% of the planet’s land and water by 2030.
Deforestation, desertification, and the destruction of biodiversity reflect human-driven practices that undermines the health of our planet’s ecosystems as well as the health of all wildlife and humans. As human expansion into natural landscapes continues to escalate, humans and wildlife share an unprecedented level of contact, increasing the possibility that pathogens are transmitted to other animals and humans resulting in the spread of diseases.
Our mission is to encourage individuals to recognize the importance of sustainability and conservation practices in part by supporting environmental organizations that are dedicated to restoring our planet’s vital ecosystems. By protecting our Earth’s ecosystems and the wildlife that inhabits them, we can foster a healthy environment where all lives can flourish.
“If we understand the problem, have so much evidence for the catastrophic consequences that await us if we fail to address it, and have many solutions at hand, why are we so slow to address the crisis in a meaningful way? The 2015 Paris Agreement was a positive leap forward, but even it won’t prevent the global temperatures from warming beyond the necessary threshold of 2 degrees.”
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