From reproductive health to the energy crisis to the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest

On Monday, October 24, 2022, PhD students in the Humanities and Social Sciences met for the first time in the 2022/23 academic year for an introductory lecture. It was given by Prof. Dr. Maja Bučar, who addressed the PhD students as future experts in the implementation, assessment and reshape of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

She challenged them to think about the SDGs, their meaning, relevance and challenges. In an interesting discussion, the professor and students brought up a number of current global issues that show that the United Nations sustainable development agenda is more than necessary. For example, at first glance, some goals do not seem to be relevant for developing countries like Slovenia. However, the prohibition of abortion in the USA and the tendency to restrict this right in some European countries show that the right to women's reproductive health and reproductive rights (SDG 5 Gender Equality) is not only a problem of third world countries, but also our problem. The importance of the international community pursuing a common agenda that is inclusive and leaves no part of humanity behind is also illustrated by the current energy crisis, where both energy self-sufficiency (part of SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy) and a coordinated international approach to solving this problem are important. A global-level approach is also needed in the case of climate change, which is also caused, for example, by unsustainable management of local land ecosystems, such as the Amazon rainforest (CTR 15 Life on Land).

Students were asked to critically evaluate the sustainable development agenda while taking action, both locally and globally. We look forward to future dissertations on these topics.