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7. Take Care of the Environment
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What is it? |
The United Nations challenges the world to ensure environmental sustainability
Sustainable Development is improving the quality of life for all of earth’s citizens without increasing the use of natural resources beyond the ability of the environment to supply them for ever.
Natural Resources are materials found in nature like wood, fresh water and oil that have economic value.
Slums are heavily populated areas that can be identified by their poor quality housing and squalor |
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What are the targets? |
- Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes; reverse loss of environmental resources
- Reduce by half the number of people without access to safe drinking water
- Achieve significant improvement in lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers by 2020
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Facts and Stats |
1.2 million children die every year because of infections spread by dirty water or from lack of toilets
1.2 billion people don’t have access to drinking water
2.4 billion people don’t have access to toilets
1 billion people live in slums, most of them are in developing countries
Since 1900 we’ve lost 50% of the world’s wetlands |
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Progress so far |
Significant improvements in access to safe drinking water have been made in rural areas, but so far, only a few countries will meet goal 7. |
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Canada’s Contribution |
Canada Climate Change Development Fund supports key environmental technologies to 52 countries.
The government of Canada contributed $200 million to two major funds focusing on environmental issues |
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Participating NGOs |
YouthCan UNHABITAT
UNICEF UNEP |
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How you can take action |
Conserve electricity: turn out the lights when you leave a room
Organize a clean-up team for your neighbourhood and pick up trash
Instead of driving to the corner store ask your parents to walk with you
Use a cup of water instead of running the tap while you brush your teeth |
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Links |
www.unicef.org
www.unhabitat.org
www.youthcanworld.org
www.unep.org/Tunza/youth/ |
