Europe is turning an extra shade of green as it launches into three weeks of sustainable development initiatives aimed at promoting the continent’s ecological transition.
The European Sustainable Development Week (ESDW) – being held from 18 September to 8 October – is this year focused on “every day actions” that companies and individuals can take to help transform society.
First initiated by France in 2003, the ESDW was rolled out at a European level in 2015 – the year the United Nations defined the Sustainable Development Goals.
Known as SDGs, they are a collection of 17 interlinked global targets which the United Nations says offer a "shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future".
Day 2 of #ESDW2022 has arrived and we have 3,927 events taking place in 23 European countries! 🥳This ESDW is already a huge success! You can help to make it even better by registering your #SDG-related event here: https://t.co/qOOI2CZbis. Registration goes until 08 October!
— ESDW (@EuropeanSDWeek) September 19, 2022
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An online platform has been set up this week to register ESDW projects from every level – including big ticket events, local farmers' markets, creative workshops and any other initiative that contributes to achieving the SDGs.
Project leaders can be anyone from public or educational bodies to research centres, NGOs, for-profit companies and ordinary citizens.
France’s Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion, has said it will promote the most successful projects on its website and social media networks.
RFI’s parents company, France Médias Monde, is getting in on the action with numerous activities offered to employees including book swaps, trading in old laptops, interactive workshops, climate change knowledge tests, carbon footprint calculations, food stalls and more.
ESDW comes six weeks ahead of a crucial global climate conference in Egypt in November.
