‘17 sustainable development goals, let’s get to ‘em cause the more you know’ was chanted in the hallways at school as we learnt Flocabulary’s rap of the United Nation’s SDGs in our year 8 geography lessons (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGcrYkHwE80). It was my first encounter with the work of the UN and understanding of what they do. I progressed from listening to raps to writing extended essays on topics I had initially encountered in said rap. I now have a much stronger framework of knowledge about the SDGs, and I enjoy studying the differences between what we as individuals can do, versus governments and NGOs.
In Germany, the SDGs are at the forefront of domestic politics, with a focus on Goal 13: ‘Climate Action’ in conjunction with Goal 12: ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’. Specifically, the electric vehicle industry is expanding, and I am excited to visit the Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart to learn more in Legend 6 which depicts their journey to ‘emission free mobility’. Furthermore, as a history student I have taken interest in Freiburg; a sustainability focussed city, approaching Goal 11. The city is known for its environmental movement which dates to the 1970’s opposition to the Whyl nuclear plant. I am eager to visit an area of such importance to German social change, with its roots in the Außerparlamentarische of the 1960s/70s. I was fortunate to study this movement in my degree and therefore the opportunity to see the area in modern day, the legacy of sustainability, would be a privilege.
I will also be able to travel to Europe in a sustainable way. Previously, I have travelled to the Netherlands; taking our bikes on the train to Calais and staying in Utrecht showed me a different perspective on travel. The Eurostar emits 6g of CO2 emissions per kilometre travelled. In contrast, domestic/short-haul flights emit 133g of CO2 emissions per/km travelled (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49349566). Additionally, Dutch railways allowed visits to Den Haag and Amsterdam without car usage. Therefore, I believe small individual choices can make a large difference. So, I will not be flying to Germany, much to Flocabulary’s delight. To minimise my carbon footprint, I will take my bike on the Eurotunnel and travel down to my university. Having my bike for the duration of my studies will allow me to further reduce my carbon footprint as I will cycle and use public transportation instead of a car.
This is particularly important in Germany as they have issues with car usage leading to poor air quality. Politico have reported that in Stuttgart, where there is the greatest number of cars per inhabitant, the city violated European regulator’s limits on the concentration of pollutants in the air 45 times in 2017 (https://www.politico.eu/article/stuttgart-car-clash-driving-ban-air-pollution-clean-mobility/?utm_source=chatgpt.com). To mitigate my own impact as a visitor in Baden-Württemberg, I have discovered the website ‘https://cycle.travel’ and the app ‘Bikemap’ to find cycling routes.
I believe the inspiration for my present and continuous commitment to the study of geopolitics is, perhaps unnervingly, because of a rap I encountered age 12.
