ADVERTORIAL Safal Steel
What the built environment can do for sustainability If 2020 was defined by Covid-19, then 2021 was defined by climate change and the need for urgent action – immediately! Despite a brief moment when it seemed like pandemic lockdowns reduced greenhouse gas emissions, 2020 saw record emissions and tied for the hottest year ever. Emissions at the end of December 2020 were 2% higher than the same month in 2019, according to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals Report 2021
The upside is we’re seeing action – and the appetite and financing for more “As of December 2020, over two thirds of the world’s GDP was being generated in places with actual or intended ‘net zero by 2050’ targets, covering over half the world’s population and emissions,” says the UN’s progress report.
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, including ensuring
We’re also seeing business rally around environmental, social, governance (ESG) reporting standards, and investing in reaching net zero within their own companies.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, which
Sustainable Development Goals to save the planet All 17 SDGs touch in some way on environmental health and the impacts of climate change. However, when it comes to saving the planet, six Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) focus on the environment and climate change. But if we don’t reach these, it will hurt our ability to meet all 17 goals.
Poor air quality and polluted water create health risks, with a disproportionate impact on people of colour and poor countries. Droughts and rising sea levels harm our food supply, increasing food insecurity and hunger. Biodiversity loss not only harms economies and livelihoods, but also puts us at greater risk of another pandemic.
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, including ensuring
access to safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation, improving water quality and water-use efficiency and protecting and restoring water ecosystems.
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access to affordable, reliable and modern energy and increasing the use of renewable energy.
covers access to adequate, safe, affordable and sustainable housing, transportation and public green spaces; inclusive and sustainable urbanization; protecting the world’s cultural and natural heritage; reducing deaths and economic losses due to natural disasters; and reducing the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities.
SDG 13: Climate Action, a call to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, strengthen resilience to climate change and natural disasters and support the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
SDG 14: Life Below Water, which targets marine
pollution, ocean acidification and overfishing, calls for more sustainable management, protection and conservation of marine and coastal ecosystems.
SDG 15: Life on Land, including protecting, restoring
and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably managing forests and halting and reversing land degradation and biodiversity loss. www.sabuildingreview.co.za
