By: Rosemary Balami
The Global Goals otherwise known as the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) is a continuation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) championed by the United Nations to put an end to the seemingly perennial problems facing the world including the aim of ending hunger and poverty by 2030.
This seems like an ambitious plan by world leaders, isn’t it? But would these goals become a reality when our very actions pose as threats to the environment thereby making the world increasingly warm popularly known as Global warming or Climate Change? The connection between people and planet sparked up the formation of the SDGs which means that any negative action by humans directly affects the planet and vice versa. This shows the crucial role climate change plays in the realization of the SDGs especially Goal 3(Good health and well-being), Goal 6(Clean water and sanitation), Goal 12(responsible consumption and production), Goal 14( life below water) and Goal 15(life on land). Now let’s first take a brief look at what Climate Change is.
Climate Change is the situation whereby there are changes in temperature, wind patterns and rainfall especially the increase in the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere that is caused by the increase in greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons among others. The gases then trap heat within the atmosphere which has a significant range of effects on the ecosystems including rising sea levels, severe weather events, and droughts that render landscapes more susceptible to wildfires. Research indicates that the earth’s global average temperature will rise in the future. According to Center for Science Education, 0.2 degrees Celsius is projected for the next two decades.
Climate change and goal 3
Climate change has an adverse impact on Goal 3 which is good health and well-being. This goal may never be achieved due to the consequences of climate change on our health.
According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Environmental consequences of climate change such as extreme heat waves, rising sea levels, changes in precipitation resulting in flooding and droughts, intense hurricanes and degraded air quality affect directly or indirectly the physical, social and psychological health of humans. Climate change can be the driver of disease migration as well as exacerbate health effects resulting from the release of toxic air pollutants in vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly and those with asthma or cardiovascular diseases.
This goes to show that in order for the world to achieve good health and well being, we must first adopt strategies of mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
Climate change and Goal 6
Goal 6 which is clean water and sanitation can never be achieved if climate change is persistent in a sense that water and climate change are impossible to disentangle. That is, they all work hand in hand and the impact on one affects the other as its effects are first felt through water, droughts, flood and storms. However, these floods can destroy water supplies and toilets leading to the contamination of water bodies. Without clean water, many stand the risks of diseases such as diarrhea which already kills about 800 children under five every day according to UNICEF. Evidently, the realization of goal 6 thrives on climate change mitigation. In order for this to be achieved, we must increase equitable access to sustainable water resources and improved sanitation. Innovative ways can also be used like water pumps and rainwater harvesting to curb the impacts of climate change on water and sanitation.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND GOAL 12
Responsible consumption and production which is Goal 12 also faces severe threats with the impacts of climate change. The effects of climate change such as drought would affect the length and the
quality of the growing season in which farmers could experience increasing damage to their crops. Stanford University study found that increases in global production of maize and wheat since 1980 would have been about 5% higher if not for climate change. This accounts for the rapid effect of climate change on agriculture.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND GOAL 14
The oceans make human life possible. This brings us to goal 14 which is life below water. Their temperature and their forms also get affected by climate change. Research indicates that more than three billion people depend on marine and coastal diversity for livelihoods. According to the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP), oceans absorb 30 percent of the carbon dioxide that humans produce but we are producing more carbon dioxide than ever before which makes the ocean acidic, 26% more since the start of the industrial revolution. Furthermore, an estimation of 13,000 pieces of plastic is seen in the Ocean. This, however, affects most fishermen as there is a record of low catch. Human activities continue to endanger species in the ocean.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND GOAL 15
Both animals and humans rely on the land for food, clean water, clean air for survival and so if the land experiences the repercussions of climate change, what then will become of the ecosystem? Goal 15 which focuses on life on land may not be achieved until we combat climate change. The UNDP reveals that the land and life on it are threatened to result in the disappearance of arable lands about 30 to 35 times faster than it was before. Deserts are springing up with the extinction of many animal breeds due to the excessive heat caused by climate change. Terrestrial ecosystems like forests, wetlands, drylands among others help keep the climate in balance. However, the destruction of the land by climate change can cause serious problems to the ecosystem.
The best that science could offer to the world was to unearth climate change and the need to act
swiftly into its mitigation. It is palpable that the main driver of the SDGs is climate change. Thus, the realization of the global goals is highly dependent on the diminution of climate change.