In September 2015, Agenda 2030 was approved by the UN General Assembly. This means that member states together must achieve 17 main goals and 169 sub-goals for sustainable development. Some of the goals include combating climate change, increasing access to clean water, building sustainable cities and industries, and reducing inequality.
– For me, this is a moment of destiny. I became a politician but also a minister because I am so deeply involved in sustainability issues. It is our time's defining issue and determines whether we get a future where we can feel good and develop or whether we get a future that challenges everything we value, says Per Bolund, spokesperson in the Green Party and Minister for the Environment and Climate.
In an interview with DN, he believes that we are currently in a critical situation for the goals to be achieved within the nine remaining years.
He admits that the sustainability goals have been set high.
– I think it is absolutely right to have a high level of ambition in order to reach as far as possible. The global sustainability goals are a big step forward because we in the world community managed to agree on them jointly. But it is now that the test comes, that we actually also jointly manage to do what is required to reach them.
”Must take the opportunity to invest”
Bolund sees the fact that poverty, hunger and famine are increasing globally as a major factor in the problems. He believes that Sweden needs to "allocate resources that are required to help other countries".
But even Sweden is lagging behind in the work to achieve the sustainability goals, according to a survey from Statistics Sweden. Especially when it comes to climate issues, equality issues, sustainable production and consumption and clean seas. Bolund, on the other hand, is more hopeful and points out that Sweden has good conditions for achieving the goals.
– In international comparisons, we end up at the top when it comes to the implementation of the global sustainability goals. But we are far from finished yet and have challenges that we must address. We now have extremely good conditions for making investments, such as low interest rates, and we are in many ways in a situation in Sweden where I feel that we must take the opportunity to invest. If we do not use this opportunity, we risk not being able to achieve either the global sustainability goals or the climate goals we have set.
SBP offers complete deliveries of sustainable energy solutions to companies and CEO Andreas Backström sees that there is a great willingness among Swedish companies to take the step towards a green transition. But there is still much more to be done, he points out.
- I sincerely believe that politics, business, interest organizations and green capital will create an enormously positive effect in the transition of the future. But the future needs to start as soon as possible, says Andreas Backström.
