The 17 Goals of the United Nations Member States for a Sustainable Development

Saadet Nur Coşkun

Do you live in "the capital of fair trade"?

Cities are an ideal starting point for combating climate change. For example, they can contribute greatly to conserving resources and implementing sustainability, with principles such as local fair trade, space-saving urban practices, low-emission and affordable transportation systems and energy-efficient buildings.

  • The world's cities occupy just 3 per cent of the Earth's land, but account for 60-80 per cent of energy consumption and 75 per cent of carbon emissions compared to rural areas.

  • Since 2016 90% of urban dwellers have been breathing unsafe air, resulting in 4.2 million deaths due to ambient air pollution. More than half of the global urban population were exposed to air pollution levels at least 2.5 times higher than the safety standard. According to the 2020 Air Pollution report of the Chamber of Environmental Engineers, Turkey, there are air pollution problems in Turkey, but the quality of the air is not measured adequately and regularly.

There needs to be a future in which cities provide opportunities for all, with access to basic services, energy, housing, transportation in an environmentally friendly way. Take action!

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