SDGs: Green future still far away
Shawana B. Amin :
After completing my IGCSEs, I became curious about the global climate crisis. I saw numerous documentaries about Greta Thunberg, and I was in awe of how she struggled to change the opinion of the leaders in her country and, in time, the whole world. Before I knew it, I had become irresistibly inspired. These led me to learn about the measures that are being taken by world leaders to resolve the climate crisis, namely through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). So, I thought of combining these two interests and tried my hand at writing an article about it.
Climate change has affected Bangladesh in a lot of negative ways; to give an example; the repairs for tropical cyclones alone cost $1 billion annually. Although the government and UN are trying to reduce the effect, Bangladesh still keeps losing huge amounts of land to these cyclones, especially in Chittagong. Not only that, there are countless other effects, like the change in temperature in those regions. Besides, a Swiss Embassy project has ranked our country as the seventh most vulnerable country in the world to the effects of climate change and fifth in the world in terms of losses provoked by climate change. That is the reason why the SDGs are so crucial to a country like ours.
Among the 17 goals in the SDGs, five of them directly point towards our goal of a greener future. Sadly, Bangladesh is currently lagging behind the required level for most of the goals.
To get a broader view of the situation, see below:
1. SDG#7: Affordable and Clean Energy
The major challenges remain, but two of the four requirements are on track. According to the data provided, if the improvements continue at the current rate, it will be hard to attain this goal.
2. SDG#12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Out of the seven requirements, five have already been achieved, and the rest are on track. This can be considered a silver lining for Bangladesh on the SDGs.
3. SDG#13: Climate Action
This goal had been achieved, but it is currently stagnating at a rate of 50 per cent less than the required rate. This is quite alarming, as this goal deals with the emission of CO2, the chemical that is guilty of causing the greenhouse effect the most.
4. SDG#14: Life Below Water
Bangladesh is renowned for its rivers and often called the land of rivers. However, did we ever consider the fact that these rivers are dying? According to the SDG Index, both freshwater and marine life in Bangladesh are in jeopardy. Although Bangladesh is the land of rivers and also the home of the longest sea beach in the world, only one of the six requirements has been met. The rest were achieved but are stagnating, and the major challenges have yet to be overcome.
5. SDG#15: Life on Land
Of the five requirements, only one has been met. Major challenges remain for three of the requirements, while challenges remain for the other one.
The most known and pressing matter about climate change is the fatal infliction of the production of CO2. Around the world, there are a lot of inventions and innovations that help reduce the production of CO2. Windmills are being used to generate electricity in many countries, and although it is insufficient and hardly meets the demands of the population, it is still a start. Last month, the construction of Bangladesh’s largest wind farm began in Khurushkul, Cox’s Bazar. Other than that, hydroelectricity is also being harnessed all over the world in an attempt to produce green energy and reduce the production of CO2. There are a lot of discoveries and inventions that are still in their experimental stages, but world leaders and scientists are hopeful that they will bring forward a much safer and greener future.
As mentioned above, Bangladesh is known for its famous water bodies. Many steps have been taken and could be taken in the future to preserve life below those water bodies. One important act taken on by the government to protect the rivers is the formation of National River Conservation Commission (NRCC) by Act No- XXIX of 2013; S.R.O. No. 28-Law/2017 in 2013. This was a very big step, as this law prevented the illegal occupation of rivers, pollution of rivers, illegal constructions, and many other irregularities.
Another big problem is littering the ocean with plastic. This brings me to my next point: marine litter. The impact of these litters is so vast and dreadful that it sends a shiver down my spine every time I think about it. According to marine researchers, over one million animals die each year due to littering. And among them, 100,000 are known to be marine animals like dolphins, fish, whales, and turtles.
I know the textbooks suggested for our education contain much about the struggles and achievements of the SDGs and climate change. It is an open secret that students in our country treat stuff in textbooks as fiction and far-off hazards. Most just memorize the facts for a test and forget them afterward. So, it would be helpful to involve students in the endeavors being taken to address the crisis. Many wonderful ideas often come from the fantasies of young students, and this should not be limited to only university students. Holding summer camps and campaigns might help reach young minds and inspire them to strive towards a green future.
(The writer is A-Level student of Willes Little Flower School & College who is overly enthusiastic about anything that revolves around science).
