Stewards of the Earth

FJMC International can lead the way

By Jerry Brodsky and Steven Mandel

In 2015, in an amazing and extremely rare show of global unity, all United Nations member states adopted The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The agenda included 17 categories of goals, including: eliminating poverty and hunger; ensuring clean air, water and effective sanitation around the world; gender equality; good health and well-being; quality education for all citizens around the world; attention to climactic changes, life on land and in the water; securing peace, justice and quality governmental institutions; and maintaining sustainable cities, communities and industries.

To achieve the agreed-upon goals, the countries adopted reporting requirements that encouraged every nation to do its part.

Needless to say, attaining those goals hasn’t been easy. Success has been constrained by factors such as unstable economic growth, geopolitical unrest, and contradictory individual national security interests; unpredictable weather extremes, biodiversity and ecosystem collapse, physical system changes within the Earth, and finite natural resources; artificial intelligence and other new technologies; new scientific findings; shifting political rhetoric; and varied dedication to global sustainability. But the U.N. remains committed.

As men of FJMC International, we can share in raising awareness and empowering our members to be active participants in the protection of our planet for our children and grandchildren. Join our Shomrei Ha’aretz Affinity Group. Learn, share and act in whatever ways you can to live our Jewish values in a manner that supports our communal responsibilities and provides social justice for vulnerable populations around the world.

The role of a civic society, which FJMC International is part of, is to engage, share information, and advocate for its members and the global community, encouraging those able, to take part in finding and implementing solutions.

As a member of FJMC International we each can help by:

1. Participating in FJMC’s environmental affinity group discussions
2. Become familiar with Masorti Olami’s Environmental Sustainability Initiative
3. Join in our professions or our company’s efforts to do its part in saving the planet
4. Support the efforts of our local, state, national and regional governments to improve our shared environment

Jerry Brodsky is chair of the International Committee.

Dr. Steven Mandel is one of FJMC’s U.N. representatives.