WORLD ENGINEERING DAY 2023

The World Engineering Day was proclaimed by UNESCO It is celebrated worldwide on 4th March of each year since 2020 as a UNESCO international day of celebration of engineers and engineering.

The day offers an opportunity to highlight engineers and engineering’s achievements in our modern world and improve public understanding of how engineering and technology are central to modern life and for sustainable development.​

The 4th of March is the founding day of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), a Federation consisting of hundred national members and international members, representing the engineering society of the world. World Engineering Day has been celebrated annually from 2020 onwards. Organizations and offices of the United Nations system, and most importantly, governments, civil society, the public and private sectors, schools, universities, and more generally, citizens, are expected to make the international day a springboard for awareness-raising actions.

The celebration of World Engineering Day is an opportunity to promote engineering as a career and highlighting how engineering can change the world for the better. The Day is an opportunity to engage with government and industry to address the need for engineering capacity and the quality of engineers around the world and develop strategic frameworks and best practices for the implementation of engineering solutions for sustainable development. The celebration of World Engineering Day is also about promoting engineering as a career and how it is an opportunity to change the world for better. There is a great deal to be done specially to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals in developing countries to ensure that everyone has access to clean water, sanitation, reliable energy, and other basic human needs. In all countries, there is also a great deal to be done – to deal with the impacts of climate change, environmental issues, our growing cities and the challenges of emerging technologies including artificial intelligence. There are many opportunities and the Day can be used to engage with young people and say “If you want to change the world for the better, become an engineer".

Engineering the Cities of the Future

Cities are the points where economic and social activity is centered at a global level, bringing together the population, organs of power, companies, economic and educational institutions, among many other aspects. It is estimated that 80% of the world's gross domestic product is generated in cities and that 750 cities represent approximately 60% of Global GDP, according to Oxford Economics.

56.2% of the global population lives in urban environments and this figure is expected to increase, according to the United Nations, to 60.4% by 2030 and 70% by 2050, when the global population will be of about 9 billion people.

It is expected that the most urbanized areas will reduce their urban growth rate, however, urban growth in those less urbanized countries, especially in some of Africa, Asia and Latin America, is growing exponentially, where they proliferate significantly. , megacities with more than 10 million inhabitants, already 16 worldwide. 96% of urban growth will occur in the less developed regions of East Asia, South Asia and Africa. The rapid growth of cities and their population poses numerous challenges linked to essential aspects for urban life: services and infrastructures, transport systems, access to housing, quality and safety of urban settlements, etc., which represents a real challenge. challenge to meet the Sustainable Development Goals, fight against climate change and ensure the circular economy.

Urban expansion also has impacts on the natural environment in which they are located. The expansion of urban land exceeds that of population growth by 50% and it is expected that in the next three decades 1.2 million km² of new urban area will be created.

Cities also have an environmental impact, through the consumption of approximately 75% of natural resources (such as water) and around 70% of energy globally.

Furthermore, urban environments generate approximately 70% of greenhouse gas emissions and 50% of global waste.Therefore, it is essential that the cities of the future are designed according to the Sustainable Development Goals, and thus mitigate their impact on Climate Change.

Urban emissions have numerous impacts, but it is especially worth highlighting the one that occurs in the health of its inhabitants. According to the WHO, 91% of people who live in cities do not breathe clean air. In addition, cities clearly suffer the impacts of climate change and are more vulnerable to it. It is estimated that some 500 million inhabitants live in coastal areas, with great exposure to sea level rise and around 90% of urban expansion in developing countries will take place in risk areas.

The impact of natural disasters (due to climate change) or other conflicts has caused some 33.4 million internal displacements in 2019 globally, from urban to rural areas.

The Institute of Engineering of Spain and the MWCC, organice this international event wich will take place on March 2-3, 2023, at the Palacio de Cibeles (Madrid).