Blog 8- Sustainable Development in Germany

 

In the blog for this week, the United Nations country of Germany will be the focus. The country of Germany is considered to be one of the most sustainable countries, due to the sustainability practices utilized throughout the country. Considering this, it comes as no surprise that the country had held a National Sustainable Development Strategy for thirteen years prior to the 2015 United Nations adoption of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (Zech, 2019b). Given that the country has held a national standard regarding sustainability for quite some time, the fact that the country has many programs, and strategies to continue being a sustainable country.

Among the programs and strategies included in the German Sustainable Development Strategy is a program dubbed “Fridays for Future”. The Fridays for Future program was created with the intention of including younger generations in the sustainable development of Germany. The Fridays for Future program is well-known throughout Germany for their demonstrations against climate change (Zech, 2019a). These demonstrations have gained even more notoriety recently, due to the attendance and participation of the Swedish activist Greta Thunberg (Zech, 2019a). The Fridays for Future program is just one example of many in favor of sustainable development throughout Germany.

Along with the Fridays for Future program, Germany also has a grant/loan system available for companies wishing to invest in renewable energy, but lacking the funds. There are several grants/loans available, however, there are two in particular that are specifically intended for large companies or corporations, as they tend to use more energy (Zeijdan, 2020). In addition to this, Germany has passed a Waste Management Act in an effort to further strengthen waste prevention, recycling, and recovery (United Nations, n/d). The Waste Management Act, in addition to several other programs, has resulted in reducing carbon dioxide emissions by over thirty million tons annually (United Nations, n/d).

   The country of Germany has effectively become a great leader in Sustainable Development, and has even partnered with 85 other countries to assist in Sustainable Development throughout the globe (Foreign Policy, n/d). The many programs and strategies implemented by Germany have clearly been effective throughout the country, which will ideally assist the partnered countries in becoming more sustainable as well. Overall, the country of Germany is an excellent example for both Sustainable Development, and responsible consumption and production.

References

 Foreign Policy. (n/d). Sustainable Development. https://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de/en/chapter/foreign-policy/sustainable-development.

United Nations. (n/d). Germany. https://sdgs.un.org/statements/germany-7933.

Zech, T. (2019a). Who is behind Fridays for Future. Deutschland.de. https://www.deutschland.de/en/topic/environment/who-is-behind-fridays-for-future.

Zech, T. (May, 2019b). 17 goals for a better world. Deutschland.de. https://www.deutschland.de/en/topic/environment/germanys-sustainable-development-strategy-national-and-global-goals.

Zeijdan, E. (November, 2020). Invest in energy efficiency measures in Germany with these two grants. Hezelburcht. https://www.hezelburcht.com/en/news/invest-in-energy-efficiency-measures-in-germany-with-these-two-grants/.

Blog 7- Sustainable Development in Ireland

 

          In the blog this week, the country of focus will be the United Nations country of Ireland. Traditionally thought of for the color green, St. Patrick’s Day, leprechauns, and an unmistakable accent, Ireland is also deeply supportive of the Sustainable Development Goals within the country. The country has created many policies, programs, and incentives to encourage the expansion of the Sustainable Development Goals throughout Ireland.

Among these incentives, the Irish government has begun a tradition of recognizing “champions”, or great advocates of the Sustainable Development Goals throughout the year (Government of Ireland, n/d). The goal of the champions program is to both show that anyone can contribute to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as raising awareness of the goals throughout the country (Government of Ireland, n/d). One of the “champions” recognized by this program is An Post, the postal service of Ireland. An Post was recognized as a “champion” of the Sustainable Development Goals because of the dedication of the service to lowering carbon emissions. One of the most notable ways that An Post has worked to achieve this goal is by investing in a fleet of emission-free vehicles to deliver the post (An Post, 2020). As of February 2020, Dublin, Ireland is the first city to have a postal delivery service with entirely emission-free vehicles.   In addition to avoiding the use of 450 tons of carbon emissions, this has also created a cleaner and healthier air for the upwards of 512,000 residents of Dublin (An Post, 2020).

With An Post being the first postal service globally to attempt having an emissions-free fleet of vehicles, it will be interesting to see if this continues to be effective. If this does continue to be effective, emissions-free vehicles have the potential to be used by postal services and people throughout the globe. Among the many Sustainable Development Goal programs throughout Ireland, this one is quite unique. Ideally, Ireland will continue to utilize unique solutions such as this one, and continue leading the progress with Sustainable Development Goals.   

  

References

An Post. (2020). Dublin becomes first capital city globally with zero emissions postal delivery. https://www.anpost.com/Media-Centre/News/Dublin-becomes-first-Capital-City-globally-with-ze.

Government of Ireland. (2018). Voluntary national review: introduction. https://irelandsdg.geohive.ie/app/3e6201e7c886420ebd6cba15671a7bdf.

Government of Ireland. (2020). Sustainable development goals champions 2019-2020. https://irelandsdg.geohive.ie/app/sustainable-development-goals-champions-2019-2020.

Blog 6- Sustainable Development in Fiji

 

    As many locations are in the beginnings of cooler temperatures, and the season of winter rapidly approaches, the reminder of warmer places seems comforting. Because of this, the blog for this week will be focusing on the warm and tropical United Nations country of Fiji. In 2017, the Fijian government launched a 5-year and 20-year national development plan, as an effort to transform Fiji (Sustainable Development Goals, 2019).  In launching these national development plans, Fiji has become a strong leader in “green growth” within the pacific islands (Dornan et al, 2018).

    Prior to the sustainable development goals being accepted and agreed upon, the Fijian government implemented little in the ways of sustainability (Dornan et al, 2018). Since the sustainable development goals have been adopted, however, Fiji has implemented many programs that support the sustainable development goals within the country. Included among these programs is a three-day program with the theme of “Nurturing Global Partnerships for Sustainable Development” (The Fijian Government, 2019). This program shows representatives from other countries an in-depth overview of the programs and policies employed by Fiji for the sustainable development goals. Along with this, the program provides an opportunity to participate in some sustainability practices by planting trees and interacting with residents of adversely affected villages (The Fijian Government, 2019).

     In addition to this program, Fiji is also beginning to model several energy efficiency programs similar to the way Monaco has (The Fijian Government, 2019). Given that Monaco houses one of the largest solar plants globally, solar energy is the basis of many of these programs, however, wind energy also plays a part in these programs (The Fijian Government, 2019). These steps are a few of many that Fiji has begun implementing to meet the sustainable development goals in the coming years. Although there is still work to be done in order to meet the goals, Fiji has made great strides in sustainable development, and hopefully will continue to do so.

                                                                       References

Dornan, M., Morgan, W., Newton Cain, T., & Tarte, S. (2018). What’s in a term? “Green growth” and the “blue‐green economy” in the Pacific islands. Asia & the Pacific Policy Studies, 5(3), 408–425. https://doi-org.ezp.twu.edu/10.1002/app5.258.

Sustainable Development Goals. (2019). Voluntary national review 2019. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/memberstates/fiji.

The Fijian Government. (September, 2019). Programme strengthens SDG partnership. https://www.fiji.gov.fj/Media-Centre/News/Feature-Stories/Programme-Strengthens-SDG-Partnership

Blog 5- Sustainable Development in Denmark

 

In this week’s blog, the featured country will be Denmark. Among the countries which joined together to found the United Nations, Denmark is considered one of the most sustainable countries globally (World Atlas, 2020). Currently, Denmark implements 9 of the 17 sustainable development goals throughout the country, in addition to being the home to an island which is 100% sustainable, operating off of renewable energy, solar, and wind power (World Atlas, 2020).

In addition to the 100% sustainable island in Denmark, the country puts quite a bit of focus on responsible consumption and production, especially in the case of energy sources. Upwards of 30 percent of the energy used in Denmark comes from renewable sources, such as wind, bioenergy, solar, and geothermal energies (Denmark.dk, n/d). Surprisingly, a vast majority of the renewable energy in Denmark is sourced from bioenergy, or energy which comes from organic material (biomass), such as manure, animal fats, and straw, with wind energy providing support in the background (Denmark.dk, n/d).

Along with the innovation in renewable energy sources, Denmark also encourages the responsible consumption and production of food. According to an article by the State of Green (2018), a large reason for the almost one-third of food wasted or lost is caused by a lack of consumer knowledge. Included among the solutions for this issue are stores in Denmark having “stop food waste” areas with food that is close to expiration available for purchase at a greatly discounted price (State of Green, 2018). Additionally, there is an app that pairs customers with bakeries and restaurants near closing time, that allows for foods to be purchased at a discounted price, rather than wasted (State of Green, 2018).

   The above-mentioned efforts of sustainability hardly delves into the number of sustainable practices used throughout Denmark, making it rather unsurprising that this country is a global leader in sustainability. Luckily, Denmark has many partners that encourage the use of sustainable development goals throughout several countries and provides resources to do so. Hopefully, other countries will use the sustainability practices of Denmark as guidance in furthering sustainability practices globally.  

 

                                                                      References

Denmark.dk. (n/d). Pioneers in clean energy. https://denmark.dk/innovation-and-design/clean-energy

State of Green. (August, 2018). New BCG report: companies can help reduce food loss and waste dramatically. https://stateofgreen.com/en/partners/state-of-green/news/new-bcg-report-companies-can-help-reduce-food-loss-and-waste-dramatically/

World Atlas. (August, 2020). The world’s most sustainable countries. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-world-s-most-sustainable-countries.html.

Blog 4- Sustainable Development in Finland

 

       In this blog, the country of focus will be Finland. According to the World Atlas (2020), the country of Finland is among the top ten most sustainable countries, ranking seventh as of August 2020. In addition to a focus on the sustainable development goal of responsible consumption and production, Finland focuses on many other goals as well. Most impressively, as of 2017, the country had 0% of its citizens living below the extreme poverty line (Sustainable Development Goals, n/d). Along with impressive poverty statistics, Finland also boasts impressive statistics in regards to responsible consumption and production. In 2017, the rate of electronic waste recycling in Finland was at 61.3%, the material footprint (amount of primary materials used) was at 0.5 kg per unit, and in 2016, the amount of hazardous waste generated for each dollar was recorded to be 0 (Sustainable Development Goals, n/d).

        In addition to the current levels of sustainable development in Finland, the country is also among those in the United Nations who adopted the 2030 Agenda (Government and Ministries, n/d). In implementing this agenda, Finland works to support environmental sustainability both in the country, and internationally (Government and Ministries, n/d). Among the ways that Finland has worked to support sustainable development goals in the country includes institutional mechanisms which support national implementation, as well as implementing a budget for sustainable development within the country (Finland, 2020).

        Overall, although there are not many specific examples currently available as to how Finland is implementing responsible consumption and production, evidence shows that the country is working to improve steadily. In addition to working on responsible consumption and production, Finland is also working hard to implement the other sustainable development goals, with relative success. Not only is Finland working on sustainable development goals in its own country, but it also provides support for other countries to implement the goals as well. The work Finland is doing on sustainable development goals is encouraging, and hopefully is making a difference in other countries as well.   

 

References

Government and Ministries. (n/d). Agenda 2030- sustainable development goals. https://um.fi/agenda-2030-sustainable-development-goals.

Sustainable Development Goals. (n/d). SDG country profile. https://country-profiles.unstatshub.org/fin#goal-1.

Finland. (2020). Sustainable development goals knowledge platform. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/memberstates/finland

World Atlas. (August, 2020). The world’s most sustainable countries. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-world-s-most-sustainable-countries.html.

Blog 3- Sustainable Development in Canada

 

For this blog, the focus will be on the United Nations country of Canada. Although right next to The United States, the country of Canada vastly differs from its neighboring country, especially in the aspect of sustainability. To begin, the country of Canada has a council, as well as a list of strategies, and assessments to aid in monitoring the sustainability practices throughout the country (Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, 2019).  Included among these strategies is the use of efficient sources of energy in homes, buildings, and transportation, protection of natural resources within the country, protections for forests and forestry, and funding, grants, and incentives for research and development of more eco-conscious resources (Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (2019).

Although Canada boasts many resources and options when it comes to energy efficiency, and clean energy, the recycling of other resources leaves much to be desired. According to a study on medical wastes and how it affects sustainability in Canada, the possibility of reducing waste volume by close to 93% exists by simply improving recycling practices, investing in reusable equipment and optimizing supply management (Baharmand & Yu, 2020). Despite the current lack of recycling in Canada, the country has plans to invest a total of 22.5 million in a project which plans to recycle organic waste, such as food eaten, and turn it in to biogas, which can be used as energy (Urban Waste to Electricity Demonstration, 2020).

Although Canada has not been as active in sustainability practices as countries like Sweden and Switzerland, the country has begun to put forth effort into changing that. With the many goals, programs, and technologies emerging from this country show that it is possible to begin implementing sustainable practices, and have success with them. Hopefully, the Country of Canada will continue to implement sustainable practices in the country, and become a pioneer for sustainability in a similar way to Sweden and Switzerland.  

References

Baharmand, I., Duan, N., & Yu, A. (2020). First, do no planetary harm: Perspectives on medical waste and sustainability initiatives. UBC Medical Journal, 12(1), 30–32.

Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. (November, 2019). Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/conservation/sustainability/federal-sustainable-development-strategy.html.

Urban Waste to Electricity Demonstration. (March, 2020). Government of Canada. https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/science-data/funding-partnerships/funding-opportunities/current-investments/urban-waste-electricity-demonstration/4963.

Blog 2- Sustainable Development in Switzerland

 

      For  this  blog  post,  the  UN  country  of Switzerland  will  be  the  main  focus.  The country  of  Switzerland  holds  few  of  the  world’s  natural  resources,  however,  the  country does  much  to  protect  the  natural  resources  it does  hold.  Among  the  few  natural  resources  in Switzerland  are  water,  supplying  water  power, granite,  limestone,  and  salt.  In  addition  to  these  natural  resources,  Switzerland  also  uses much  of  the  available  land  for  agriculture purposes,  which  makes  ensuring  responsible  consumption  and  production  all  the  more  important. 

       Currently, Switzerland uses several methods in an attempt to responsibly consume and produce these natural resources, among those methods are that of recycling (Switzerland 2020a). According to the latest reports, Switzerland citizens recycle 94% of glass, 81% of PET containers, and 90% of aluminum (Switzerland, 2020a). The Swiss citizens tend to view recycling as a way of ensuring both land and water will remain unpolluted, and continue to be usable.  In addition to this, Switzerland also has essentially electrified railways which run every 12 minutes throughout the country (Switzerland, 2020b). Not only is this mode of transportation widely used, but it also prevents from roadways being built on agriculture land, as well as air pollution (Switzerland, 2020b).

      The country of Switzerland is one of the most eco-conscious within the UN and in addition to the previously mentioned methods of responsible consumption and production, the country of Switzerland also works to educate and incentivize their citizens to be eco-conscious as well.  Due to these policies, the public sector of Switzerland is increasingly requiring environmentally friendly, and resource-saving products (House of Switzerland, n/d). Along with this, more Swiss companies are repairing products, or replacing components, as opposed to buying all new, as well as relying on locally generated renewable energy, in order to reduce environmental impacts (House of Switzerland, n/d).

      Although not all of the initiatives for responsible consumption and production in Switzerland are mentioned above, several of the methods are. As Switzerland has long since been viewed as one of the most eco-conscious countries, perhaps some other countries will begin to take a look at Swiss methods, and even consider modeling their own methods after it.

 

 

      

   References    

Switzerland. (2020a). Switzerland- a nation of recyclers. https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/planning/about-switzerland/sustainability/switzerland-nation-of-recyclers/.

Switzerland (2020b), Railway network: every 12 minutes a train. https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/planning/about-switzerland/sustainability/sustainable-activities/railway-network-every-12-minutes-a-train/.  

House of Switzerland. (n/d). Key aspects of environmental protection in Switzerland. https://www.houseofswitzerland.org/swissstories/environment/key-aspects-environmental-protection-switzerland.