ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

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        In reducing poverty and sustaining development, it should start by having a healthy planet. However the exploitation of natural resources such forest, lands and water have caused alarming changes in the natural world. Thus, this affects vulnerable people in the world who depend on the natural resources as their livelihood.

        The first target of the 7^th Millenium Development Goal – ensure environmental sustainability – is to integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse loss of environmental resources. This includes the following:

• The rate of deforestation shows signs of decreasing, but is still alarmingly high
• A decisive response to climate change is urgently needed
• The unparalleled success of the Montreal Protocol shows that action on climate change is within our grasp.

        The second target of this goal which is to reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, a significant reduction in the rate of loss, includes:

• The world has missed the 2010 target for biodiversity conservation, with potentially grave consequences.
• Key habitats for threatened species are not being adequately protected.
• The number of species facing extinction is growing by the day, especially in developing countries.
• Overexploitation of global fisheries has stabilized, but steep challenges remain to ensure their sustainability.

        Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable to access safe drinking water and basic sanitation includes:

• The world is on track to meet the drinking water target, though much remains to be done in some regions.
• Accelerated and targeted efforts are needed to bring drinking water to all rural households.
• Safe water supply remains a challenge in many parts of the world.
• With half the population of developing regions without sanitation, the 2015 target appears to be out of reach.
• Disparities in urban and rural sanitation coverage remain daunting.
• Improvements in sanitation are bypassing the poor.
  

        Lastly, by 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers includes:

• Slum improvements, though considerable, are failing to keep pace with the growing ranks of the urban poor.