Making Future Generation SDG-Ready and Climate-Ready

When the war in Gaza was just 15 days away from its first anniversary, and invasion of Ukraine by Russia had already crossed 30 months, not to forget lesser known civil war in Sudan (Africa) that is going on for 18 months, United Nations held 'Summit of the Future' in New York on 22-23 September 2024. That was bold move by UN. Holding such global summit in midst of wars that threatened the future with possibility of the World War III was courageous.Many even considered it as audacious !

What was the outcome? The Summit 'adopted' ground-breaking 'Pact for the Future' to transform global governance. It included 56 actions related to seven key issues: Peace and Security, Sustainable Development, Climate Change, Financing for Development, Digital Cooperation, Youth and future generations, Human rights and gender. However, there was no unanimity on these 56 actions. 143 countries were in favour 7 against and 15 countries remained absent. The Pact of the Future was adopted with majority as the criteria.

The Pact of the Future has two annexes,

• the first — the Global Digital Compact — objectives is to seal the digital divides; fostering an inclusive, open, safe and secure digital space that respects, protects and promotes human rights; and enhancing international governance of artificial intelligence.
• the second annex — Declaration on Future Generations — the Assembly adopted a set of guiding principles, commitments and actions to promote international stability, peace and security and to ensure peaceful, inclusive and just societies while addressing inequalities within and among nations and the special needs of developing countries, as well as people in vulnerable situations.

Green TERRE Foundation has conviction that here can be no sustainable future, no economic and social stability without a healthy minds and ecosystem. Living in harmony with nature that includes land, water, space and ocean without pollution. Indiscriminate human development has caused the triple crisis at planetary level. I can summarize them as ABC- Air Pollution, Biodiversity and Climate change. And the solution to crisis is embedded in 3-S: Science, Spirituality and Sustainability. 

In this context, the Declaration on Future Generations, a part of the Pact for Future is at the core of the bold, ambitious, accelerated, just and transformative actions to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Green TERRE Foundation has weaved the network of global universities called 'Smart Campus Cloud Network' to transform their campuses into living-laboratories to accelerate the implementation of SDGs and Climate Goals. Just about 6 years are left to achieve the global SDGs and 50 percent reduction in GHG emissions.

The Network (visit sccnhub.com) has much larger and wider agenda of 'filling the skill-gap' in the Youth to achieve SDGs and Net Zero. Filling this skill-gap is more important than the gaps in finance and in technology. Climate crisis thatis currently crippling the globe needs confident and mindful youth. SDG 7 and SDG 13 are directly related to climate crisis, whereas SDG 3 is related to health and wellbeing, including physical and mental health. Spirituality is the key not only to SDG3 but also to skill-building of future generation to achieve all other goals. END