Common goals
The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26 (Conference of the Parties) is currently taking place in Glasgow, Scotland. Climate change is a pressing and well-known example of One Health. Climate change calls for the need of different stakeholders, disciplines, and perspectives to come together to analyze the problem and find solutions. It is not always easy to find common ground with other people, but One Health helps us to find the connections and determine the common ground and needs. This also helps us to establish shared goals and paths to attain those goals. Keeping the goals always clear and present makes it easier to navigate the treacherous path towards the goals, doing our best to maximize synergies and minimize trade-offs.
Shared history
In 2018 gigantic camel and equids sculptures carved on the rocks were discovered in the desert in Saudi Arabia. It has been determined that these sculptures are between 7,000-8,000 years old (they have been dated to the Neolithic era, the final period of the Stone Age) which makes them older than the Pyramids at Giza and Stonehenge. It is still unknown the purpose they served when they were carved. The best we can do is surmise based on our current view of the world. These sculptures are deteriorating due to erosion and time to study them is running out. This requires a common societal effort. Saudi Arabia did not exist as a state when the sculptures were carved (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-58570259).
Finding common ground
Are we able to leave cultural differences and economic interests aside to come together and focus our efforts on the same goal? On November 12th we will know if the COP26 has the desired outcome. Regarding the sculptures, it might require more time. What can be said that is a core value of each human being? Something for which each one of us is willing to make a sacrifice? It is always easy to shove problems to our neighbors, but if we want to make and see differences, we must remember the role we play in the problem and the solution.
By Olga Muñoz, One Health Center Graduate Assistant
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