“To Leave No One Behind We Must All Lead”, I learn in UN Bonn
I’ve been asking around – not everyone knows that we’ve 17 global goals. And I didn’t remember till I joined the Plant-for-the-Planet guide at UN Bonn last month that we’ve 190 sub -global -goals. It’s a challenge to remember the 17. But hey, it’s also a challenge to remember all the things we have to do for even a small thing like getting ready for my walking club coming over tonight and the shopping for that small gathering. So I am going to check the fridge now to see what I need for later today and make a list.
Lists are not as scary as no lists I find.
In fact, I got my great friend Myra the other day to make me a big sign for my fridge; “Where is your list? When a job is done, cross it off!”. I’ve added to the giant sign, written on the back of let me just check what it was…yes, it’s wrapping paper from a roll that one of my children bought – I use old newspaper or recyclable bags myself – and it’s a shade too tatty to use on a gift so now it is serving this important reminder purpose. It is even tatty at the back. Myra may visit later, I might ask her to right it nicely on a nice li’l bit of white cardboard I’ve been saving from a packet of tights! I added to Myra’s question one she mentioned her father, the late great near-grandfather to our children, used to say; “What things have been hanging around a long time? Pick one”, I’m trying this. And here I am down a rabbit hole doing this post, not on any list. How? Well I bought a new book for lists, I have them in every size now and I find small is best so I’m lining up my 2023 diary bought in Eason’s yesterday with their cheap and cheerful notebooks and I’m stashing them neatly in my ancient Filofax Mark 11. It’s small and black leather and succeeded my one I took around for years until I decided it was a ton weight.
Thanks to all the friends who help us get things done!
Those sub-goals.
I’ve been looking online this morning for a list of those sub-goals. Not easy to find in fact. Wikipedia has them I see. Here is the list, it makes great reading. Ambitious? Yes. Isn’t that what we expect…even in a shopping list. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sustainable_Development_Goal_targets_and_indicators
There’s a global plan to increase forest cover by 3 per cent. Will Ireland achieve that? Our lowest-almost-anywhere status would make 3 per cent a bit of a cop-out in my view, do you agree? A return of 7 euro for every 1, we would all like that in these days of cash losing value, right?
“UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed called for more forest financing, and incorporating forest conservation and restoration in COVID-19 recovery. She that healthy forests and ecosystems are “ready-to-go solutions for green recovery at scale.” She reported that for every USD 1 spent on forests, almost USD 7 are generated in further economic benefits, and every job in forests generates an additional 1.5-2.5 jobs in the wider economy. “
Humanity; breakdown or breakthrough? What can we do? Telling everyone about those global goals is what we were asked to do in Bonn. Every individual can contribute. Cycling campaigns, putting up a “We are part of sustainable Bonn” sticker …our hostel in Bonn had one of those. It had switched to an all-organic kitchen to gain the sticker and the food we had all week – all vegetarian – was first rate. I’m going to put the list on my fridge now of those global goals I brought home from Bonn. And I am going to read through all those sub-lists. To summarise them? Love God or you can call it love Mother Earth or Nature, why not, and love your neighbour as yourself I guess; have you a better list-summary? If I forget my shopping list or lose my to-do list it sums up the same way usually. For my visitors tonight it’s about loving nature…we’ll go as sustainable as poss. for the menu…and delighting my friends with a nice walk (we are a walking club after all) and a lovely environment…lights, music and action.
Easy Treesie 