Sustainable Development Goals and Climate Justice webinars in Russia
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"Sustainable Development Goals SDGs through Sufficiency Economy" at MEPhI
On 17 March 2017 the webinar on the topic "Sustainable Development Goals SDGs through Sufficiency Economy" was delivered at the National Research Nuclear University "MEPhI". The invited lecturer of the webinar was the Founder and President of Globethics.net, Professor Christoph Stückelberger.
Within the framework of the meeting the following issues were covered:
• What is the Sufficiency Economy?
• What ethical issues must be taken into account in the pursuit of sustainable development?
• God‘s Basic Needs Strategy.
• Individual and Institutionalized Greed: the ways of overcoming.
• Sufficiency Economy: Caring for the Common Good.
In opening the lecture Christoph Stückelberger informed the audience with the definition of Sufficiency Economy and share its basic principles: "sufficiency economy sets its priority in meeting the basic human needs of all human beings in order to enable them to live in dignity. It promotes a human-centered, moderate, participatory, sustainable, just and balanced economy."
In his report Professor Stückelberger also emphasized the importance of the differentiation of the notions: ‘Sufficiency Economy' and ‘Self-sufficient Economy', giving a detailed description of each term.
At the lecture Professor Stückelberger touched upon the issue of Individual and Institutionalized Greed:
"The endless needs can easily overturn to greed as it can be observed in all periods of history. This is the reason why all world religions warn that greed is the root of evil, obsession, addiction, oppression, exploitation and dependency. The striking example of the Institutionalized Greed is the unregulated capitalism, especially within the framework of the existing mainstream economy based on mechanisms to constantly create new needs."
The lecture took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere and generated keen interest among the audience. At the end of the event the students had an opportunity to personally communicate with the Professor and get answers to questions of interest.
"Climate Justice - A Key for Sustainable Development" at MEPhI
On 31 March 2017 a webinar on the topic "Climate Justice - A Key for Sustainable Development" took place at the National Research Nuclear University "MEPhI" by Prof. Dr Christoph Stückelberger, the Founder and President of Globethics.net.
The meeting included the following issues:
• What is Climate Justice?
• Example Russia Climate Action Plan.
• What is the driver for decisions?
• Justice as Core Value.
• Climate Justice: Ethical Principles.
• Environmental and Social Ethics.
At the lecture Professor Stückelberger drew attention of the audience to the importance of the Climate Justice in the international and Russian contexts: he presented an article stating that Russia intends to adjust its climate change action plan by the year of 2020.
"It is important to emphasize that one of the key points towards the issue of climate change is the implementation of ethical principles as well as taking into account ethical values: Caring/ Sustainability, Equality, Participation, Justice, Peace, Liberation/ Freedom, Responsibility, Community, Reconciliation."
According to professor Stückelberger, ethical decisions do not contradict to power or money, but money and power are not the ultimate goal—they can also be needed for the implementation of one's personal values.
In addition, other important issues were discussed within the topic of the meeting: what is the gap between environmental awareness and consumerism, what the environmental policy can be, how to get political majorities for the ‘polluters pay principle'.
At the end of the meeting the students were suggested to solve a task specially prepared by Professor Stückelberger. The lecture allowed the students of MEPhI to take a closer look at the climate change problem and form their personal point of view towards the sustainable solution to the issue.
