Talent voor groei

• Mens & Maatschappij
• Middelbare school
• vmbo
• Leerjaar 3

Talent for Growth

Sustainability

noun      səˌsteɪ.nəˈbɪl.ə.ti/

the quality of causing little or no damage to the environment and therefore able to continue for a long time

It's about meeting the needs of today and tomorrow's world that allow us to live well and within the limits of our planet.

Consumption will increase globally

1. True
2. False

Europe still consumes more resources and contributes more to environmental degradation than other regions.

Onze indicatoren, zoals de consumptievoetafdruk en de materiaalvoetafdruk, vertonen geen tekenen van significante reducties.

The world population will have grown by 5% in 2025.

1. True
2. False

The world population will have grown by almost 30% to 10 billion by 2050.

The global use of resources will have doubled in 2060.

1. True
2. False

We are using resources faster than the planet can replenish them, causing:  

•  Pollution
•  Nature is being destroyed
•  Climate change is stimulated 
•  and the health and well-being of people to be affected 

A fundamental change in production and consumption is necessary for a transition to a sustainable future.

Energy usage will have grown by 10% in 2024.

1. True
2. False

The demand for energy is expected to have grown by 30% by 2040.

The demand for water will have increased by 55% in 2050.

1. True
2. False

The demand for water will have increased by that much! 

"One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between Man and Nature shall not be broken"

- Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) -

In the movie 'Our Planet' also the balance between 'man and nature' has been mentioned.

2 ages ago Tolstoy already recognized this. 

We can regain our balance by reducing our impact by making sure that everything we do we can do forever.

• Phasing out fossil fuels and replacing them with renewables

- slow the warming of the planet and the acidification of the ocean

- will lead to clear air for all of us

• Upgrading to efficient food an reducing our consumption of meat

- will require far less space to provide for ourselves

- leaving more for grasslands

- reducing deforestation

- reducing our demand for fresh water and feeding more people with healthier and more affordable food

• Working together to properly manage our ocean

- a global network of no fish zones and a treaty on the use of international waters would restore the health of the ocean so it actually produces more fish for us all to eat.

• Working hard to keep hold of the wild population we still have, encouraging nature where ever we can

If we make these changes we'll be a long way becoming a species in balance with nature once again. 

But ......

•  we are using resources faster than nature can replenish them
•  Nature is being destroyed and climate change is stimulated
•  and the health and well-being of people are affected negatively

While technological advancements and innovations have led to more prosperity, they have also caused widespread damage to nature.

About 75% of land and 40% of seas are now severely altered worldwide. The planet, including Europe, is also experiencing exceptionally rapid loss of biodiversity, with more species threatened with extinction now than at any point in human history. There is increasing concern that pollution and climate change will lead to sudden and irreversible shifts in our environment, severely disrupting nature’s ability to deliver essential services like food, soil, and water that we depend on.

These pressures are also inflicting harm on human health and well-being. Three times as many people are suffering or losing their lives from environmental pollution now than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined.

Can we live within the borders of our planet? Can you give examples of the balance between man and nature being disrupted?

Always refer to the definition of sustainability:

meeting the world's needs of today and tomorrow by creating systems that allow us to live well and within the limits of our planet

What choices can we make at home and at school to contribute to a more sustainable future? 

Young people have to be engaged in the big chalenges of our time. It's about their future. 

We have to teach them to be critical and take the future into their own hands.

Wat kun jij thuis, op school of in jouw regio doen om bij te dragen aan een duurzamere toekomst?

Discuss with the students:

• what they want to change and how
• how to create the right mindset - how to become aware of urgency