Social Good Summit

Social Good Summit 2015

            The Social Good Summit was part of a 109 nation Social Good Community which engaged social networks to tell the story of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations General Assembly to guide global efforts through 2030. Progress under the 8 Millennium Development Goals from 2000 to 2015 was celebrated and a broadened agenda to include governance, economic and social justice, and action to harmonize human impact with planetary boundaries was acknowledged to need full participation from all levels of government, the private sector, and civil society. Goal 16 to promote peaceful and inclusive societies was named a key to success by several speakers.

            The Doughnut Economics concept of Kate Raworth has been made more specific by adoption by the global community of 169 indicators to clarify the 17 sustainable development goals. Population increase of 2 billion and greater economic justice will greatly increase human activity which will be carried out with a greatly reduced carbon intensity. By 2050, carbon intensity may be reduced by a factor of six in a global economy three times bigger than today.

            Technological innovation promises much. Wikipedia’s Jimmy Wales noted that a phone with capabilities similar to the first I-phone which cost $600 can now be had for about $40. He foresaw that a billion more would have access to the internet over the next several years as a result. Progress such as widespread availability mobile phones in the absence of traditional landlines may be in store. The billion people currently using open defecation may get direct deposit inexpensive toilets that produce fuel for meeting cooking needs from anaerobic digestion and fertilizer for agriculture through composting. Sustainable cities may benefit from a breakdown of silos for treating wastewater, managing solid waste, and generating electrical power as anaerobic digestion is fully used. Examples of this latter phenomenon are already emerging in metropolitan Washington DC and New York City.