UN's Challenges to Secure the Future

The Scientific Advisory Board of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has laid out eight challenges the world needs to tackle in order to secure a sustainable future.

The list was revealed by the advisory Board during a meeting held in Kuala Lumpur this week. The Board consults the Secretary-General on science, technology and innovation for sustainable development.

Talking at the event, Ki-moon said: “This year, Member States will take decisions to shape a better future for all. We must harness the full power and authority of the sciences, to shape and implement the post-2015 development agenda, locally, nationally, regionally and globally. The role of the Scientific Advisory Board is essential in supporting States and societies to chart new paths towards more inclusive, sustainable development.”

The eight challenges for a sustainable future for the planet are listed below:

One ocean, many countries: Building a “Blue Economy” sustainably
Addressing threats to biodiversity and establishing a new paradigm for the global tropics
Developing a comprehensive strategy against infectious agents, including a global system for immediate response
Investing a fraction of GDP in research and education in basic science
Averting enormous human disasters through prediction
Emissions-free technology: Changing the fossil fuel paradigm
Providing drinkable water for all
Finding solutions for a world overwhelmed by unequal resource-use and continued population growth.

Our Pelican Communications environmental PR and sustainability communications team think it is great that a team of experts from the world of science, technology and innovation have the opportunity to advise the UN on pressing environmental issues.

Consolidating the extensive research into eight concise points is an effective way to highlight the immediate issues that need to be addressed. In particular, the point concerning emissions-free technology and changing the fossil fuel paradigm is a salient issue that needs to be addressed. Using processes such as anaerobic digestion, solar and district heating can be a means of feeding into every nation’s energy mix.

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