Global Goals Australia CEO Caterina Sullivan last night presented during a conference dinner on the need to achieve the United Nations’ 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development.
The conference, Implementing the New Urban Agenda, was held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from May 4th to May 5th.
Fellow speakers included Dr Joan Closs, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of United Nations Habitat, Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital Infrastructure The Hon Angus Taylor MP, The Hon Anthony Albanese, Shadow Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Cities, and Victorian Minister for Planning The Hon Richard Wynne MP, among other academics, UN representatives, businesspeople, representatives from the community sector and former politicians.
Ms Sullivan spoke about her career in sustainability including her time working in London, the establishment of the Global Goals Australia Campaign and the launch of Strategic Sustainability Consultants.
“This is the story of one young woman,” Ms Sullivan explained, “who is not idealistic, who doesn’t look at the world through rose-coloured glasses. I consider myself a realist. I don’t want the [Global] Goals to be achieved because I believe generations before mine owe something to the future. I don’t want these goals to be achieved because I feel disenfranchised. In fact, I don’t want these goals achieved at all. I need these goals achieved. My generation, the generation of my two beautiful nephews, the generation of their children, we need these goals to be achieved to ensure we can continue to enjoy this beautiful planet, to ensure we can meet other wonderful people who share Earth with us and to ensure we can prosper for years to come.”
Ms Sullivan also spoke of the importance of framing all we do in terms of the Global Goals.
“Australia is making great progress towards the goals,” Ms Sullivan said. “But we’re not talking about them. The world has agreed on the most thorough, well-articulated development agenda in the history of humankind. All the goal-setting work has been done for us. What we need to do now is seize the opportunity to develop a strategic plan to achieve these goals. We need leadership from politicians and government, large corporations and SMEs, NGOs and community groups, educational institutions and individuals. These goals require more than just one brightly dressed young woman running around the halls of Parliament House. They need the commitment of each individual across the country.”
Ms Sullivan invited conference attendees to write a letter to Malcolm Turnbull once the conference had concluded, encouraging the Prime Minister to adopt the Global Goals as Australia’s guiding framework. Ms Sullivan concluded by saying, “I am asking you to not just let this conference be another venue where you learn a whole lot of information and leave; make this an event where, at the end, you did something which could change the lives of your children, your grandchildren and the generations to come.”
Ms Sullivan has returned to Canberra for the Budget and Parliamentary sitting weeks. Over the coming months, she will be travelling between Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney to meet with new clients and build sustainability strategies for business, government and community groups.
Strategic Sustainability Consultants are proud partners of the Global Goals Australia Campaign.
This article was originally published on the Strategic Sustainability Consultants website.