The United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global agenda aimed at sustaining a world struggling with several destabilising crises.
Top of the list is the climate crisis. Global warming has brought untold miseries. Extreme weather conditions have led to extensive economic losses.
The economic toll of extreme weather has grown substantially, according to a World Meteorological Report. Extreme weather events and climate-related disasters caused economic losses amounting to nearly US$1.5 trillion in the decade leading up to 2019. The international system has struggled to make the required progress on climate change, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2023.
The world’s resources show signs of depletion. Nature itself is under threat of becoming dysfunctional. The services nature provides to the world are showing signs of failing. Collaboration is key to delivering the SDGs. Convincing the global population about SDGs has been challenging.
No wonder the UN has reported that only about 17 per cent of the SDG targets have been met.
Efforts to incorporate SDGs into school curricula are a strategic move. Kudos to the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories), Dr Zaliha Mustafa, for suggesting this.
We at Friends of Sustainable Malaysia have strongly advocated the same. Conducting SDG education in schools is important for several reasons. SDG education helps students understand global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and environmental degradation. This is crucial for fostering a sense of global citizenship and responsibility. By learning about the SDGs, students are empowered to think critically about the world and consider how they can contribute to positive change.
The SDGs encompass a wide range of topics, thus allowing for interdisciplinary learning. This approach helps students make connections between different subjects, such as science, economics, and social studies, leading to a more comprehensive understanding of complex issues. Global businesses value graduates who know more than their own narrow disciplines.
Science alone is not enough. SDG education encourages students to develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. By exploring real-world problems, students learn to devise practical solutions, enhancing their ability to tackle challenges in various contexts.
Teaching students about sustainability from a young age fosters a mindset that values long-term thinking and responsible resource management. This mindset is essential for creating a sustainable future. One of the compelling reasons why the Japanese are more aware of sustainability is because of their education from a young age.
SDG education often involves community projects and initiatives, encouraging students to engage with their local communities. This engagement helps students see the impact of their actions and motivates them to become active participants in societal improvement.
As the SDGs are a global agenda set by the United Nations, incorporating them into education aligns students with international efforts towards a more equitable and sustainable world. This alignment can help countries achieve their SDG targets by raising informed and motivated citizens.
Many future careers will require an understanding of sustainability and global issues. SDG education prepares students for these opportunities by providing them with the knowledge and skills needed in a rapidly changing world.
Incorporating SDG education in schools helps prepare students not only for academic success but also for meaningful contributions to society and the planet. The decision by the government to make SDG education a significant part of the school system should be lauded. The country needs talents who are cognizant of the power of sustainability in improving the nation’s competitiveness.
Although Malaysia is not among the major carbon emitters in the world, climate change impacts the nation’s socio-economy in many ways. We have witnessed how extreme weather has resulted in huge economic losses from floods.
Climate change has also been blamed for the emergence of diseases that reduce the yields of our rubber crops. Countries have also resorted to using compliance with sustainability as a licence to export to their markets. The case of the EU’s import restrictions on palm biodiesel is familiar to those in the palm oil business.
Educating our young on SDGs is one way to invigorate innovative ideas to deal with such challenges, not to mention equipping the nation with the skills to compete in the fast-growing global green economy.
Professor Datuk Dr Ahmad Ibrahim is part of the Tan Sri Omar Centre for STI (Science, Technology and Innovation) Policy, International Institute for Science Diplomacy and Sustainability (IISDS), UCSI University; and an associate fellow at the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies, Universiti Malaya.