Climate Change Top Challenge over Next Decade, UNESCO

Paris- Climate change and loss of biodiversity are seen as the most pressing challenge over the decade, according to the World in 2030 Survey report published on Wednesday by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

More than 15,000 people worldwide contributed to the survey, which was held online between May and September 2020, and made available in 25 languages. Respondents were mainly young people, with 57% under age 35, and 35% under 25.

The World in 2030 survey invited people from across the globe to share their specific worries about 11 challenges, and solutions for overcoming them.

Most participants, or 67%, selected climate change and loss of biodiversity as their top concern, mainly due to issues such as increasing natural disasters and extreme weather.

Violence and conflict, discrimination and equality, and lack of food, water and housing were other big challenges, the survey revealed.

The survey further showed that while 95% of respondents extoll the importance of global cooperation in overcoming common challenges, only one in four felt confident that the world would be able to address these issues.

Taken together, the results suggest not a lack of appreciation of the importance of multilateralism but rather a crisis of faith in its effectiveness.