The University of Guam and Guam Green Growth (G3), along with government and community partners, launched Sustainable September this week with a proclamation signing at the Governor’s Complex in Adelup, underscoring efforts toward achieving the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
UOG President Anita Borja Enriquez praised the initiative for promoting collaboration across government, nonprofit, private sectors and individuals, saying sustainability is “not just a concept but a movement.” Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, who co-chairs G3 with Enriquez, noted the initiative’s regional impact, pointing to similar programs established in the Marshall Islands, Palau and the Northern Mariana Islands.
UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant Director Austin Shelton said sustainability has been part of island communities for thousands of years. “Sustainability is interdisciplinary, and everyone has a role to play,” he said. Associate Director Kyle Mandapat added that this year’s Sustainable September lineup highlights multi-sector partnerships, including tree planting at the Ugum watershed through the Guam Restoration of Watersheds initiative.
Upcoming events include the Maila Ta Fan Chesa culinary showcase on Sept. 17, Guam’s 31st International Coastal Cleanup and a Sustainable Aquaculture Workshop on Sept. 20, and a pair of Makerspace workshops on Sept. 25. Sustainable September supports the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which Guam committed to in 2019 as a founding member of the Local2030 Islands Network.
