ENVIRONMENT, INCLUSION, EQUITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

ENVIRONMENT, INCLUSION, EQUITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

         On September 27, 2015, the World Meeting on Families marks the end of the historic visit of Pope Francis to the US, in conjunction with his new Encyclical on the Environment (Our Common Home, Laudato Si, May 24, 2015).  During his US visit, Pope Francis called for an end to the death penalty, highlighted the crisis in the US Justice system, discussed immigration, called for affordable housing, expressed concern about climate change, and called for valuing all life from elders to those who are vulnerable in society. 

    
     On September 25, 2015, the United Nation's Sustainable Development Summit involved world leaders in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change: The following  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)  http://www.undp.org/globalgoals were announced:

* No Poverty

* Zero Hunger

* Good Health and Well Being

* Quality Education

* Gender Inequality

* Clean Water and Sanitation

* Affordable and Clean Energy  

*Decent Work and Econommic Growth

* Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

*Reduced Inequalities

*Sustainable Cities and Communities

*Responsible Consumption and Production

* Cimate Action

*Life Below Water

*Life on Land

* Peace and Justice: Strong Communities

*Partnerships for the Goals

         In 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) released Our Planet, Healthy Planet, Healthy People which discusses the following: 1992 Earth Summit and Convention on biological Diversity, the UN Convention on Climate Change, and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, and the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). The latter, in this report, are decribed as: "freedom from extreme poverty and hunger, quality education, productive and decent employment, good health and shelter, right of women to control fertility and give birth safely, and a world where environmental sustainability is a priority and men and women live equally".  One of the current efforts is to integrate health and global environmental change into sustainable development. 

        The new book, Public Administration and Disability: Community Services Administration in the US (Racino, 2014) at http://www.crcpress.com/9781466579811offers that the categorical state disability, local governments in health and human services, and diverse federal departments follow the world leadership in modernizing to sustainable, inclusive and equitable environmental approaches. As the US national associations are aware, these approaches are critical to "the poorest" (e.g., criminal justice) and those with "disabilities" (e.g., asthma and air pollution) who are disproportionally affected by governmental policies and world changes (e.g., "environmental degradation" and "natural disasters"). 

     The Housing and disability: Inclusion, equity and sustainable communities chapter discusses environmentally sustainable financing,  sustainable transit development, green initiatives (e.g., solar and wind energy), and outdoor recreation planning and land use, accessibility, equity, and inclusiveness in city development, and the UN Energy for a Sustainable Future. Thank you to cities for their efforts on Sustainable Cities and Communities Worldwide (2014), to Policy Link for their progressive metropolitan planning (2015), and to our colleagues John O'Brien and David Towell (2010) for their contribution on a futuristic and environmental framework (pp. 126-127). 

       Recommended to the Section on Environment and Natural Resource Administration and Public Administration Leadership are the discussion, review, adoption and support of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Julie Ann Racino, Co-Chair, Committee on Public Administration and Disability
Member, Environment and Natural Resource Administration,
American Society for Public Administration (ASPA)

September 2015