The Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations include in their eight main goals “Ensure Environmental Sustainability”.  In 2013, we are putting into practice and reviewing the policies set by the MDGs. This raises the question: What is next for nature and sustainability in the approaching Post-15 era? This was the main question that resounded in the United Nation Conference on Sustainable Development or its more popular name RIO + 20 that took place last year. The main outcome of this high level andhigh-profile conference was the agreement to initiate the process that will “Ensure Environmental Sustainability” and the acknowledge of the need to create Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that will outline the actions and policies that regard sustainability and development in the future years.

581274_240048242764984_683492100_nThe Future We Want” (click to download PDF) – the resolution of Rio +20 stated that the SDGs were to be created by Open Working Group of the General Assembly that was established in January of 2013. The Rio +20 resolution also outlined the requirements and vision that these SDGs must follow. According to this resolution the SDGs must be:

  • Action-Oriented
  • Concise
  • Easy to Communicate
  • Limited in number
  • Aspirational
  • Global in nature
  • Universally applicable to all countries while taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities.

To read more about what the Rio +20 resolution established for the SDGs visit this webpage: http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?menu=1300

Rio +20 was not the first event in its kind, since 1992 the United Nations holds Conferences on Environment and Development first to create awareness of the environmental issues and now to seek solutions to the problems we have at hand. The Rio +20 resolution proposes a new working model that places great importance on consultation and integration. Consulting gathering the experiences of all those who have work towards development; policy makers and civil society, to obtain a wider range of opinions that will yield better solutions. Integrating all the relevant actors and institutions to cooperate together and work as a unit for a common goal. A single entity cannot solve the world issues by itself, we all have to commit and be part of the solution to create the “Future We Want”.

As an organization of mindful individuals, Peace Boat has as one of its main missions to promote sustainable development. Peace Boat does this through various sustainable development programs and campaigns on board as well as in the countries it visits. Peace Boat cooperates with local organizations on topics such as Fair Trade, education, and community building through the United People’s Alliance (UPA) project. In addition, Peace Boat aims to educate participants onboard and create conscience about global environmental problems and improvements in sustainable practices. To see more Peace Boat programs about this topic, visit our page: http://www.peaceboat.org/english/?page=view&nr=10&type=29&menu=105

Finally as an NGO that maintains Consultative status with the Economic and Social Council to the UN, Peace Boat is greatly involved in and supports the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and this support will continue as we move forward towards the Post-2015 resolutions

By Maria Gonzalez (Peace Boat US Intern)