Teach young children about sustainability, says expert
dubai — It is important to teach children from a young age about the benefits of sustainability, so that they are more aware about how they can contribute towards the betterment of society when they are older, experts at a forum on sustainability said.
Speaking on the sidelines of the second regional forum hosted by Pearl Initiative and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), Amir A. Dossa, chairman of Global Partnerships Forum, noted that academia has a large role to play in how individuals perceive sustainability.
“Teach children about sustainability right away from grade one, because better health, better education, a clean environment, and safe drinking water are there from the minute the child is born. The sooner you teach them, the sooner young children will have a better understanding about the concept, and the challenges that remain. This is where parents and teachers will be invaluable. They have that critical role to play in promoting a culture of sustainability,” he said.
Dossa also noted that sustainability does not apply to one region alone. “We have to think about Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a global goal. I like to remind people that they should think of it as my SDGs, since they impact our everyday lives. SDGs are meant to improve the quality of everyone’s lives. Governments have a role to play in creating an enabling environment, not just for businesses, but also for the SDGs to flourish.”
He added: “Businesses, corporates, governments, civil society, and academia must all come together to create a system-based approach where people can come together and learn about how they can contribute as an individual or as an organisation to the betterment of society. The good news is that people are starting to notice and ask how SDGs are impacting and improving their lives. If businesses use SDGs as part of their core model, then magic will happen I can assure you.”
— rohma@khaleejtimes.com