By Damilare Clement, Member of UNA-Central.

Introduction: A Plan for Our Future

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are 17 global goals designed to create a fairer, safer, healthier and more sustainable world by 2030. These goals cover important issues such as poverty, education, health, climate change, clean energy, equality and strong communities. Although the goals were agreed by governments across the world, real progress depends on action within local communities. Cities such as Stoke-on-Trent have an important role to play in turning global ambitions into practical local action. For Stoke-on-Trent, the SDGs offer an opportunity to improve community wellbeing, support economic growth, encourage environmental responsibility and give young people a stronger voice in shaping the future of the city.

About Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke-on-Trent is home to more than 250,000 people and is internationally recognised for its pottery and manufacturing heritage. The city continues to evolve through regeneration, investment and growing interest in sustainability and green development. The city is supported by two major universities: Staffordshire University and Keele University. Together, these institutions bring thousands of students, researchers and volunteers into the local area and provide significant opportunities for education, community engagement and sustainability work. Stoke-on-Trent is also surrounded by green spaces and sits within an important environmental area linked to the Staffordshire Green Belt. These local strengths place the city in a good position to support several Sustainable Development Goals, particularly:

Work That Is Already Happening

A great deal of positive work is already taking place across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. The Staffordshire Sustainability Board is bringing together councils and organisations across the county to support carbon reduction and long-term environmental planning. Local authorities are also working on projects linked to cleaner transport, energy efficiency and environmental improvement. Keele University has gained recognition for its sustainability research and climate initiatives, while Staffordshire University continues to support local community projects, student volunteering and social development programmes. Across the city, students, volunteers and community groups are already involved in activities such as recycling projects, food growing initiatives, environmental clean-up campaigns and public awareness events.

The Challenges We Face

Despite this progress, Stoke-on-Trent still faces a number of important challenges. Some families continue to experience financial hardship and inequality. There are ongoing concerns relating to public health, skills development, transport access and long-term economic opportunity. Like many areas across the country, Stoke-on-Trent must also respond to climate change and the need for more sustainable ways of living. Recognising these challenges is important because it helps identify where the Sustainable Development Goals can make the greatest difference at local level.

Working Together

The Sustainable Development Goals cannot be achieved by one organisation acting alone. Success depends on partnership and community involvement. There are many opportunities for collaboration within Stoke-on-Trent: • Schools and universities can help educate young people about sustainability and global citizenship.

• Businesses can support greener practices and stronger community investment.
• Community groups and volunteers can lead local projects and neighbourhood initiatives.
• Young people can play an active role in shaping future priorities for the city.
• Local organisations can work together to share ideas, resources and practical support.

The Role of UNA-UK in Our City

The United Nations Association – UK (UNA-UK) is a national charity and network which supports the values and principles of the United Nations. While UNA-UK is not part of the United Nations itself, it works to promote international cooperation, human rights, peace and sustainable development within communities across the UK. Through UNA Central and future local engagement in Stoke-on-Trent, there is an opportunity to encourage greater public awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals and support practical local action. A future UNA group in Stoke-on-Trent could help by: • Organising community discussions and public awareness events.

• Supporting schools and universities with educational activities.
• Encouraging partnerships between businesses, community groups and local institutions.
• Promoting youth leadership and volunteering opportunities.
• Connecting local action with wider national and international goals.

What We Can Do Next

There are several practical steps that could help strengthen Sustainable Development Goal activity across Stoke-on-Trent and surrounding areas: • Community workshops linked to sustainability and local development.

• School and university presentations introducing the SDGs.
• Volunteer recruitment through local institutions and community networks.
• Public events bringing together organisations interested in sustainability and social impact.
• Greater collaboration between students, businesses and community leaders.

Come and Join Us

Making Stoke-on-Trent a greener, fairer and more sustainable city depends on local action and strong partnerships. The Sustainable Development Goals provide a useful framework for bringing people together around shared priorities and practical solutions. Students, teachers, businesses, community organisations and local residents all have an important role to play. Global goals become meaningful when communities take local action. Stoke-on-Trent has the potential to become a strong example of how local partnerships, civic leadership and community involvement can contribute to a better future for everyone.

Please email me at damilare@unacentral.uk and tell me a little about yourself. Thank you very much.

It includes a toolkit for the United Kingdom which includes “Measuring up: How the UK is performing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals” among other tools.

Sustainable Development Goal Project BISB v2

The department established the competition to engage with talented school students and to give insight into the type of thought-provoking issues involved in studying Global Sustainable Development at Warwick.

I am writing to you as we turn the page on yet another difficult year. It is no secret that 2023 has been a year of polycrisis for humanity and our planet. From climate change and conflicts to deepening inequalities and widening economic insecurities, a wide array of threats has continued to test our resilience, our perseverance, and has challenged our hopeful vision for a better future for all.

But times of crisis are also times of opportunities for change, as we have seen with the breakthrough agreement signed at COP 28.

Change requires a clear vision and a sense of urgency. Change also requires everyone taking action and engaging with policy processes at all levels. Let me take the opportunity to thank again all of you who helped in mobilizing over 157 million SDG actions around the world, providing a much-needed demonstration that together, through determination, solidarity, and unity, we can drive transformative change for the better.

Let me also thank the more than 5,000 initiatives that submitted their application to the UN SDG Action Awards, showcasing that change is possible and is happening even in the most challenging of contexts. And a final kudos to the finalists and winners we celebrated at the SDG Action Awards Ceremony at the UN Food System Summit in July in Rome, Italy.

Now, let me look ahead at 2024. Our main priority will be the Summit of the Future in September: a once-in-a-generation opportunity not only to take concrete steps to address our current predicaments but also to reinvigorate global cooperation and a much-needed commitment towards leaving a fair, just, and sustainable world for generations to come. In the months leading up to the Summit, the UN SDG Action Campaign will convene multi-stakeholder platforms aimed at increasing inclusive and transparent participation in the political processes, co-create advocacy campaigns with partners, and catalyze for change on critical issues such as SDG financing, debt, the international financial architecture, inequalities, youth engagement, and global governance – those very issues that will form the basis of the Summit’s action-oriented outcome document: the Pact for the Future.

But our 2024 plans don’t end there! Next year will also usher in another edition of the UN SDG Action Awards. I look forward to sharing our plans for the Awards, including when we will open the application process, the date and location of the Awards ceremony, and additional information for prospective applicants. In these troubled times, we believe that it is more important than ever to spotlight changemakers who are making the SDGs a reality for people and planet while delivering a message of hope and of possibilities.

Finally, let me end with a call for peace. Allow me to ask you to pause for 1 minute, follow this link, and watch INFINITE – an inspiring visualization by Marco Conti Sikic on the continuum of peace which, as we know, is the precious and enduring foundational aspect of our shared prosperity.

INFINITE, artist Marco Conti Sikic’s ode to Peace, made its 2023 debut during the Unite to Act Digital Art Exhibition.
This call for peace fills us with the hope and possibility of what might be in the new year.

Let 2024 be a year of opportunity, change, and cooperation – because there isn’t anything we cannot achieve when we come together.

UN’s Sustainable Development Goals – What are they and can they be achieved?

More information below the video.

Carl Wright co-chaired UN consultations/negotiations on the 2030 Agenda on SDGs. He is a former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum and a diplomat with a wealth of experience in UN affairs.

Dr Wright has over 40 years of professional experience working with the UN, the Commonwealth, the EU and intergovernmental organisations. Carl`s work has involved him with participation in the negotiations on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Developments, co-chaired the UN`s SDG goals 2014/15 and had participated in conferences with the UN Secretary-General and had attended the Addis Ababa Finance Conference and Paris Climate Conference.

Carl has also worked with the International Labour organisation and adviser to the UN Commission on Transnational Corporations, a Commonwealth diplomat and was a full-time Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum. Carl`s work has also engaged him with other UN bodies including the UNDP, UNESCO, WHO and UNESCO and this involved collaboration on specific development projects drawing also on funding from the UK government and the EU.

Carl is an enthusiastic supporter of the UN Association for many years and has served as an elected Trustee on behalf of the Association membership to the UNA-UK Board. Currently Carl have been quite involved in the localisation of SDGs at community and local government level including in Canterbury especially on climate change (see www.ccap.org.uk)

The 2030 Agenda adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

According to the report, the impacts of the climate crisis, the war in Ukraine, a weak global economy, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have revealed weaknesses and hindered progress towards the Goals. The report further warns that while lack of progress is universal, it is the world’s poorest and most vulnerable who are experiencing the worst effects of these unprecedented global challenges. It also points out areas that need urgent action to rescue the SDGs and deliver meaningful progress for people and the planet by 2030.

See our summary of progress towards SDG13: Climate Action

Download the full report here