Tag: sustainable cities

11. Sustainable cities and communities

11. Sustainable cities and communities

Posted on by Mother Earth

SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities

Earth year 4,492,056,017
Mother Earth/ Gaia‘s Blog

Mankind, My children

In my first blog post I asked that you commit to following my blog for a few weeks to give me a chance to explain the most important issues affecting our joint survival. Subsequent Blog posts have started to give you some facts about the big and important Global issues that need to be addressed. In today’s Blog post I want to talk about the need to Sustainable Cities and Communities. 

The Problem

Photo Courtesy: Oxfam

Half of humanity – over 3.5 billion people now live in cities and by 2030 this will rise to be 60% of global population. Over 95% of such urban expansion will occur in the developing world where over 828 million people already live in slums and rubbish tips around cities. Such rapid urbanisation will exert even more pressure on freshwater supplies, sewage, environment and public health unless effective action is taken on a number of aspects to create safer, more sustainable ways of living in such communities.

Do you feel guilty when you see the suffering of the poor in developing countries and the terrible conditions in which many of them have to live and bring up their families? Do you get frustrated that little seems to be done to help such people? Do you get angry at the unfairness of the world where so many struggle to survive and feed their families? Now is your chance to do something to change the world!

The facts

1. 828 million poor people have to live in urban slums with very limited services
2. 95% of the expected future urban growth will occur in cities of the developing world
3. 90% of the 1.24 million global road accident deaths happen in low and middle income countries and up to 75%of the deaths in urban areas are to the poorest–pedestrians and cyclists!

WCYDo (wich-ee-do What Can You Do?)

1. Buy fair trade products to help poor workers have a living wage to feed their families
2. Fund raise or donate to charities that assist people in the developing world, such as www.eesi.org, www.habitat.org
3. Write to your politicians to increase aid and trade with developing world
4. Share the facts about global urbanisation with family and friends.
5. Write or emails to newspapers to request more coverage of this topic
6. Encouraging others to join campaigns or donate to charities

Encourage others to join us and to visit our Facebook feed at https://www.facebook.com/WCYDO.Earth/ to sign up for our free newsletter and information about our proposed WCYDo App. See you next week on blog post 12.

 

16 Peace and Justice  

16 Peace and Justice  

Posted on by Mother Earth

SDG 16, Peace and Justice 

Earth year 4,492,056,017

Mother Earth/ Gaia‘s Blog

Mankind, My children

In my first blog  I asked that you commit to following my blogs for a few weeks to give me a chance to explain the most important issues affecting our joint survival. In today’s Blog I want to talk about Peace and Justice. 

The Problem

The rule of law and development are closely related and are mutually reinforcing. Rule of law is an essential requirement if we are to achieve sustainable development and equality in the developing world.

Conflict is one of the most important contributory causes of instability and the refugee problems. Breakdown of rule of law can increase poverty as people often have to leave their homes, property and businesses to protect their families.peace and justice

The number of children leaving primary school in conflict affected countries can run into tens of millions each year and lack of education perpetuates poverty to the next generation.

Further problems inhibiting development is that corruption is often widespread and sadly, the very institutions who should be upholding the rule of law (such as the judiciary and the police) are often amongst the most corrupt in such countries.

Do you feel sorrow at the unfairness of this world that leaves millions struggling to survive and having to expose their children to dangers and people smugglers in order to bring them to where they can have a safe future.? Do you get angry that governments do not seem to care about such people?.   Have you ever thought about what YOU personally might do if your family was in their shoes? Now is your chance to do something to change the world!

The facts

  1. Five million children had to leave their primary schools in 2011 because of conflicts
  2. Millions are risking their and their children’s lives as refugees to escape conflicts
  3. Corruption and tax evasion costs developing countries $1.26 Trillion ( $1260 billions ) each year – money that could be used to raise incomes of the poorest in those countries

 WCYDo (wich-ee-do    What Can You Do?)  

  1. Join a pressure group to demand action on this issue globalcitizen.org
  2. Write to National politicians to push for action in resolving conflicts
  3. Donate once a month to namati.org, www.hrw.org or other similar charity
  4. http://www.stophunger.org/Share the facts about injustice to family and friends to encourage action

Tell others and encourage them to join our Group on Facebook to sign up for our newsletter and information on our forthcoming WCYDo App . See you on my blog 18!