Sustainable Development
Well-being for today and tomorrow
Sustainable development is seeking to meet the needs of the present without compromising those of future generations. We have to learn our way out of current social and environmental problems and learn to live sustainably.
Sustainable development is a vision of development that encompasses populations, animal and plant species, ecosystems, natural resources and that integrates concerns such as the fight against poverty, gender equality, human rights, education for all, health, human security, intercultural dialogue and peace.
Sustainability is often seen as three pillars: environmental, economic and social. In ATONI we want to include the fourth pillar that is cultural. We see that development should also be based on the values, traditions, identity and worldview, moral values and relationship to nature.
See below the Bee uttering four pillars of sustainable development. It shows how those dimensions are embedded in the ATONI Programme.
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Climate Change
DO YOUR PART (JANUARY-MARCH)
People talk a lot about weather. That's not surprising when you consider the impact it has on our mood, how we dress or what we eat. Climate however is not the same as the weather. It is the average pattern of weather for a particular region over a long period of time. The classical period is 30 years, as defined by the World Meteorological Organization.
Climate change is a long-term change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. The climate has and will always vary for natural reasons. However, natural causes can explain only a small part of the warming observed in recent decades. The overwhelming majority of scientists agree that it is due to rising concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere caused by human activities. The United Nations have created The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), consisting of a group of scientists, in order to evaluate the risks of climate change (caused by human activities).
The impacts of climate change are severe: Polar ice caps are melting and sea levels rising, and extreme weather phenomena like heat waves, floods, droughts and forest fires are becoming more common. All these events have a big human and economic cost. Nature is under threat. Many animals and plants will not be able to cope with higher temperatures and changes to their natural habitats. Developing countries, and the poorest people who live in them, are the most vulnerable to climate change.
We have to wake up to climate change but not create fear or despair. Each one of us has the power to make a difference. Even small changes in our daily behaviour can help prevent greenhouse gas emissions without affecting our quality of life. We can challenge our families and peers to make a change.
In the ATONI's Programme, climate change was introduced in 2012 and since 2000 it has been a regular theme. The activities cover articles, radio interviews, forums and music.
Ecological Footprint
WE ONLY HAVE ONE PLANET (APRIL-JUNE)
We only have one planet. With the earth's population at about 7 billion, human impact on the earth is causing serious environmental problems. Who is responsible and what can be done to ensure a sustainable future for our planet? Scientists have developed a tool for measuring our impact on the environment, called the ecological footprint. It is a measure of how many hectares of land and sea our lifestyles depend upon. This is land and sea across the globe which is needed to provide us with resources (e.g. crops, water, wood, fish, stone, minerals, energy) and to absorb the total amount of waste that we generate. Waste includes the carbon dioxide that we produce.
Today humanity uses the equivalent of 1.5 planets to provide for the resources we use and to absorb our waste. This means it now takes the Earth one year and six months to regenerate what we use in a year.
Lately a special tool has been developed for carbon emissions. A carbon footprint is a measure of how many tonnes (or kilogrammes) of carbon dioxide are released by fossil fuels, when they are burnt to give us heating, electricity and to power transport. The amount of carbon dioxide that we cause to be released has a direct effect on the size of our ecological footprint. Carbon dioxide is a waste product that requires many hectares of vegetation and sea to absorb it from the atmosphere. So it follows that the bigger our carbon footprint, the bigger our ecological footprint.
In this theme the learners will calculate their individual footprints and see their impact on the earth's systems and resources. Once they know their impact, they can begin to find real solutions to environmental problems caused by overuse of the earth's finite resources. These solutions will be things individuals can do at home, work, and school to help conserve the earth and to ensure a sustainable future.
Biodiversity
BIODIVERSITY FOR LIFE
(JULY-SEPTEMBER)
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Greater biodiversity implies greater health. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions support fewer species.Rapid environmental changes typically cause extinctions.
How much do we know about different species that surround us? What could we do as individuals for biodiversity? This theme is carried out in co-operation with RAHS, ECOWEB and the NatureGate is an online service that delivers information and images about plants, trees and bushes, butterflies, birds and fish. New species and groups will be added continuously. The identification is based on a new patented tool with which even the first-time-users are able to identify species they've never seen before. For organizations and research partners NatureGate is an excellent instrument to teach how to read nature. And learning nature means also respecting it and enjoying it - also in the future.
Forests
FORESTS, OUR GREEN TREASURE (OCTOBER)
Forests
FORESTS, OUR GREEN TREASURE (OCTOBER)
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Approximately one third of the Earth's surface is covered by forests. The coverage varies a great deal in different parts of the world, however. The forests have many important effects on the Earth's functional systems, state of environment, and human activity. The forests contribute to the regulation of the composition of the atmosphere and the circulation of water; they protect the land from erosion, constitute the environment many species live in and give many kinds of goods, for example to us human beings. In many places, the human actions directed towards forests have caused disturbance in this furcoat and control valve of the Earth. It is therefore important for us to acknowledge the importance of forests for the state of the Earth and try to act so that this protective furcoat will be able to function also in the future. The central goal of the ATONI tree planting campaign is to increase people's/children's awareness of the many significances of forests for the Earth and for human beings. May the sustainable use of forests and the protection of their vast diversity be the goal for all of us.
Please see our tree planting coordinations:
Water
Water is precious because life could not exist without it. Life was born from water, from plants to animals to humans. Despite the appearance of a bundance of water, less than one per cent of the water on Earth is actually fresh and usable. Nature’s water-recycling process, known as the water cycle, has kept the amount of water on Earth about the same for millions of years. All living things depend on water for survival.Plants need water to make food and grow. Many animals and plants live in water.People need water for cooking, bathing, transportation, recreation, and for growing crops and making products. Without water, there would be no foodtoeat, no clothes to wear, and no toys to play with. In fact, our bodies are all made of water. Without water, we wouldn’t exist.
We need to protect our water resources. People are unaware of the impact their behavior has on water quality. Conducting simple monitoring tests teaches Organizations and Networks about some of the most common indicators of water health and encourages further participation in more formal monitoring efforts. This activity is carried out in co-operation with World Water Monitoring Day ,an international education and outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world,
We need to use water wisely. People use lots of water for drinking,cooking and washing, but even more for producing things such as food,paper,cotton clothes, etc. The water footprint is an indicator of water use that looks at both direct and indirect water use of a consumer or a producer. Organizations and Networks measure their water footprints, compare them and think of ways in which they could reduce their water consumption. ATONI's Water Week will take place in October.
Cultural approach in themes
Respect local cultures
Respect local cultures
Cultural heritage needs to be preserved for the future generations. It includes traditional knowledge, which generally refers to the long-standing traditions and practices of certain regional, indigenous, or local communities. This also encompasses the wisdom, knowledge, and teachings of these communities. In many cases traditional knowledge has been orally passed for generations from person to person. Some forms of it are expressed through stories, legends, folklore, rituals, songs, and even laws.
Many ATONI's actions like tree planting and art and culture related activities support local cultures and values, showing respect to the rights of everyone, including nature and animals. In ATONI's core grounds we respect diversity and learn together to achieve a global sense of responsibility and ethical awareness.
