SDGsってなに？ | PECとやま

Global warming is now said to be in a critical state. Climate change, such as heavy rains and heat waves, is becoming more severe around the world, and large-scale flooding, said to occur once in a century, is occurring almost every year. Toyama City has also recorded an unprecedented warm winter from 2019 to 2020, with a total snowfall of 34 cm, the lowest since the Toyama Regional Meteorological Observatory began recording statistics.

The impacts include agricultural products and marine resources, and once a disaster occurs, it will cause huge economic losses as well as loss of human lives. It is not rare for people to lose their jobs, suffer from health concerns, and fall into poverty.

Is climate change the only effect of global warming? If glaciers and ice sheets in the Himalayas and Antarctica melt, small island nations could lose their entire nations due to rising sea levels, many lives could be lost due to large-scale floods and landslides, and water shortages could occur.

Furthermore, if the permafrost begins to melt due to global warming, it is feared that large amounts of carbon dioxide and methane gas trapped underground will be released, accelerating global warming.

When we consider the causes and effects of global warming, we realize that it is deeply connected to issues around the world, such as poverty and hunger, water and energy, education and human rights, industry and the economy, and even war.

Also, do you think that poverty and hunger are problems of developing countries and that they don't concern you? Companies in developed countries, and even we, the consumers, are unconsciously deeply involved in harsh child labor, low-wage female labor, the resulting health damage, and the existence of children who cannot go to school.

By knowing, we can change things. Poverty is increasing even in developed countries. In Japan, it is said that one in six children is living in poverty.

In response to these urgent challenges facing the world, the United Nations discussed and adopted the "SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) - 2030 Agenda" in order to encourage countries and people around the world to cooperate and work toward a global society that will continue into the future.

A total of 193 countries and regions, including developed, developing and indigenous peoples, have compiled various issues into 17 goals and 169 targets to achieve, and each country has begun working on these goals as action plans with 2030 as the target year.

The Japanese government has also established a promotion headquarters and is actively working on this as a priority policy that transcends government ministries and agencies. There are many examples of companies and local communities already working on the SDGs, even if they are not aware of them. Developing and enhancing these initiatives, making local areas more livable, and linking them to companies' ESG management will lead to the realization of the SDGs.