Whether UN Sustainable Development Goals support transitions – eagle in the cage

Demographic changes, climate changes, intensive pressure of global production and consumption on the environment are only selected reasons why new agreements at the international level on climate, energy, food security, access to clean water and protection of other natural resources are needed. Effective coordination of actions taking into account such issues as human existential problems and needs, equity, access to information, social participation as well as indicators for sustainable development and a green economy are necessary. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals were adopted in 2015 to “inspire multiple levels of government to embark on the transformation to sustainable development”. After pursuing the goals for eight years, can we say that the SDGs are living up to these high expectations? What steering effects of the SDGs can we see so far, and what is their transformative potential? How can the EURECA-PRO European University on Responsible Consumption and Production contribute to a better understanding of sustainability for protecting the environment and the climate?

To find an answer to these questions, we invited experts to discuss these issues for the Silesian Region, Poland, European Union and the entire world.

Speakers invited to the panel:

1. Chairman: Prof. Sebastian Werle, the Silesian University of Technology, the Head of Priority Research Area: Climate and Environmental Protection, Modern Energy, Gliwice, Poland
2. Prof. Jerzy Buzek, a Member of the European Parliament
3. Prof. Józef Dubiński, the Central Mining Institute, Katowice, Poland
4. Prof. Christine Hatté, the Silesian University of Technology; the Laboratory of Climate and Environment Sciences (LSCE) Gif-sur-Yvett, France
5. Prof. Evan Diamadopoulos, Technical University of Crete, Greece (ONLINE)

Institutions involved:

Silesian University of Technology