Introduction to Contemporary Issues

Introduction to Contemporary Issues

Definition of Contemporary Issues

Examples of Contemporary Issues:

  • Artificial intelligence

  • Paris 2024 Olympics

  • Climate change

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

  • Philippines’ drug war

Traits of a contemporary issue

What makes an issue contemporary?

  • Current

  • Everywhere

  • Interconnected

  • Real / rooted in reality

  • Significant to a community, country, or society at large

Definition

A contemporary issue refers to an event, idea, opinion, topic or unresolved problem that is relevant and in public discourse in the community, the nation, or at the world at present.

Relevance and Importance of Contemporary Issues

Why it is important to study contemporary issues

  1. To raise our own self-awareness of issues happening locally and globally

  2. To hone an attitude of respect, empathy, and compassion

  3. To strengthen our critical thinking skills

  4. To understand cultural differences in society

  5. To gain the ability to articulate and express our opinions

  6. To develop our sense of social responsibility

Benefits of studying contemporary issues

  1. Helps us become part of the global village

  2. It leads us to build informed opinions

  3. It stimulates discussions

  4. It helps us establish more personal relationships

  5. It helps us learn about cultural relativism

Forces that Shape Global Issues

Kinds of issues

  • Personal issue
    Ex. mental health
    An issue that personally affects you

  • Local issue
    Ex. traffic at Woodrose
    An issue that affects people within a community or a small area within the country

  • National issue
    Ex. poor transportation system
    An issue that affects all people within a country.

  • Global issue
    Ex. climate change
    An issue that affects a lot of people all over the world

  • Bonus: Transnational issue
    Affects two countries

UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals

What are they?

The sustainable development goals (SDGs) are a universal call to action adopted by the United Nations in 2015 to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all citizens by 2030.

Aims of the SDGs

  • To address urgent global challenges such as poverty, inequalities, climate change, peace, and justice

  • To serve as a blueprint for a more better and more sustainable future

  • To invite all people and nations to work together to achieve these goals

  • To tackle these goals with creativity and innovation

SDG 1: NO POVERTY

  • End all poverty in all its forms everywhere

SDG 2: ZERO HUNGER

  • End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

SDG 3: GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

  • Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

SDG 4: QUALITY EDUCATION

  • Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

SDG 5: GENDER EQUALITY

  • Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

SDG 6: CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION

  • Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

SDG 7: AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY

  • Ensure access to adorable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

SDG 8: DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

  • Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

SDG 9: INDUSTRY, INNOVATION, AND INFRASTRUCTURE

  • Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

SDG 10: REDUCED INEQUALITIES

  • Reduce inequality within and among countries

SDG 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

  • Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

SDG 12: RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

  • Ensure sustainable consumption and production pattern

SDG 13: CLIMATE ACTION

  • Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

SDG 14: LIFE BELOW WATER

  • Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

SDG 15: LIFE ON LAND

  • Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

SDG 16: PEACE, JUSTICE, AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS

  • Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

SDG 17: PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS

  • Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

Examples of situations involving SDGs

  • Emma is a 16-year-old high school student who noticed that many of her classmates were frequently stressed and anxious, especially during exam periods. She also realized that some of her friends were skipping meals and not getting enough sleep, which was affecting their overall well-being. Concerned about this, Emma decided to take action to promote better health among her peers.

    • SDG 3?

  • Maria, a farmer in Costa Rica, noticed that her coffee plantation was losing productivity due to soil erosion and declining biodiversity. The surrounding forest had been cleared over the years for agriculture, which had led to a loss of wildlife and increased vulnerability to landslides and droughts. Concerned about the long-term sustainability of her farm, Maria decided to take action. Maria joined a local reforestation project supported by a conservation NGO, which aimed to restore native forests on degraded lands. She dedicated a portion of her farm to planting native trees and shrubs creating buffer zones around her coffee plantation.

    • SDG 15?

  • In a rural village in Tanzania, the majority of households relied on kerosene lamps for lighting, which were expensive, produced harmful fumes, and provided poor-quality light. To address this, a local non-profit organization partnered with a solar energy company to bring affordable solar lanterns and home solar systems to the community. Families were able to purchase the solar lanterns at a low cost, with payment plans that suited their income levels. The solar lanterns provided clean, bright light, reducing the reliance on kerosene.

    • SDG 7?