Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

In 2015, all the countries in the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It sets out 17 Goals, which include 169 targets. These 17 SDGs are integrated—they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.

The lists of targets and indicators for each of the 17 SDGs were published in a UN resolution in July 2017. Each goal typically has 8–12 targets, and each target has between one and four indicators used to measure progress toward reaching the targets, with an average of 1.5 indicators per target.

Let's discuss the 17 SDGs in detail –

SDG 1: No Poverty - Eradicating poverty in all its forms remains one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. While the number of people living in extreme poverty dropped by more than half between 1990 and 2015, too many are still struggling for the most basic human needs. 10% / 736M people still live in extreme poverty.

SDG 2: Zero hunger - In the last 20 years, there has been an approximately 50% decrease in the number of undernourished individuals due to strong economic growth and higher agricultural output. As of 2017, it is estimated that 821 million people worldwide suffer from chronic undernourishment, with Asia accounting for around two-thirds of the world's 63% of hunger cases. By 2030, the SDGs seek to eradicate all types of hunger and malnutrition and guarantee that everyone, especially children, has access to enough food throughout the year. This entails encouraging small-scale farming, assisting sustainable agriculture, and guaranteeing equitable access to markets, technology, and land.

SDG 3: Good health and well-being - A healthy lifestyle is necessary for sustainable growth. Many people throughout the world still do not have access to essential healthcare services. It is imperative to address discrepancies in order to close this gap and provide fair access to healthcare. Every 400 million individuals lack access to basic healthcare. The annual death toll from fine particle exposure in contaminated air is 7 million.

SDG 4: Quality education - Make sure that everyone has access to high-quality, inclusive education, and encourage lifelong learning opportunities. A great deal of progress has been made toward attaining the goal of universal primary education since 2000. In emerging areas overall, 91 percent of enrollments occurred in 2015. In several emerging places, advancement has also been difficult because of extreme poverty, violent conflicts, and other crises. By 2030, all boys and girls will have had free elementary and secondary education thanks to this aim. Equal access to reasonably priced vocational training is another goal.

SDG 5: Gender equality - Realize gender parity and provide all men and women equal authority. Gender equality is now at the centre of UNDP's work, and in the last 20 years, significant progress has been accomplished. Compared to 15 years ago, there are currently more girls enrolled in school. 35% of women report having been the victim of sexual or physical abuse. About 750 million girls and women alive today were married before turning 18. Gender parity in elementary education has been attained in two-thirds of developing nations.

SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation - Ensure that everyone has access to water and sanitary facilities that are managed sustainably. By 2030, all people must have access to safe and reasonably priced drinking water, therefore we must make infrastructural improvements, supply sanitary facilities, and promote good hygiene. In 2015, 5.2 billion people, or 71% of the world's population, had access to clean drinking water; nevertheless, 844 million people did not have even the most basic access to water. Eighty percent of wastewater enters streams untreated. Over the past century, 70% of the world's natural wetlands have disappeared.

SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy - Make sure everyone has access to modern, affordable, dependable, and sustainable energy. The percentage of individuals with electricity rose from 78 to 90 percent between 2000 and 2018, while the percentage of persons without electricity decreased to 789 million. The primary cause of 73% of climate change is energy. Over 40% of the emission reductions might be accomplished globally with the help of efficient policies. 17.5% of power was produced using renewable resources as of 2017.

SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth - Encourage full and productive employment, equitable and sustainable economic growth, and decent work for all. Effective steps to end forced labour, slavery, and human trafficking are essential for this, as are initiatives to promote entrepreneurship and job development. The objective is to attain decent work and full and productive employment for both men and women by 2030, keeping these aims in mind. Around 172 million people (or 5% of the global unemployment rate) did not have a job in 2018. In 2018, 700 million workers made less than $3.20 per day and lived in extreme or moderate poverty.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure - Create a robust infrastructure, encourage sustainable and inclusive industrialization, and support innovation. Finding long-term solutions to problems related to the economy and environment, such as creating new jobs and boosting energy efficiency, depends heavily on technological advancement. Ninety percent of those without an Internet connection are in developing countries, making up over 4 billion people worldwide.

SDG 10: Reduced inequality - Lessen the disparity between and within nations. The richest 10% of people in the world now control up to 40% of the global income, while the bottom 10% only make between 2 and 7%. This indicates that income inequality is increasing. In developing nations, inequality has increased by 11% when population growth is taken into consideration. Sound policies are needed to address these growing inequities to empower lower-income workers and encourage economic inclusion for all people, regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity. 16% of the world's income was held by the top 1% in 1980. The income of the poorest 50% was 8%. In 2016, the top one percent's worldwide wealth share was 33%.

SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities - Make human settlements and cities robust, safe, sustainable, and inclusive. It is impossible to accomplish sustainable development unless we fundamentally alter the way we plan, construct, and maintain our metropolitan areas. To make a city sustainable, it must be possible to establish robust economies and communities, safe and affordable housing, and career and business opportunities. Fifty-five percent of the world's population, or 4.2 billion people, called cities home in 2018. The projected number of people living in cities by 2050 is 6.5 billion. Despite making up only 3% of the planet's surface area, cities are responsible for at least 70% of carbon emissions and 60–80% of energy usage. Cities play a major economic role. They produce nearly 80% of the world's gross domestic product.

SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production - Assure patterns of production and consumption that are sustainable. We urgently need to change the way we produce and consume commodities and resources in order to lessen our ecological footprint and achieve sustainable development. The largest global user of water is agriculture, and irrigation currently accounts for over 70% of freshwater used for human consumption. To do this, it will be crucial to manage our common natural resources effectively and to dispose of pollutants and toxic waste in an environmentally responsible manner. Nearly 2 billion people suffer from hunger or malnutrition each year, despite the fact that 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted. Overweight or obese persons make up 2 billion people worldwide. The amount of fresh, drinkable water on Earth is only 3%, and human consumption is outpacing natural replenishment.

SDG 13: Climate action - Encouraging advancements in renewable energy and enforcing emission regulations are two crucial ways to address climate change and its effects. Emissions of greenhouse gases have increased by more than 50% since 1990. Our climate system is changing over time due to global warming, and if we do nothing, there may be permanent effects. Disasters linked to climate change cause economic losses that average in the hundreds of billions of dollars per year. According to estimates, humans have contributed to a 1.0°C increase in global warming over pre-industrial levels as of 2017. Since 1880, sea levels have risen by roughly 20 cm (8 inches), and by 2100, it is predicted that they will have risen by an additional 30–122 cm (1–4 feet). Global net CO2 emissions must decrease by 45% between 2010 and 2030 and reach net zero around 2050 in order to keep warming to 1.5C. By 2030, the energy sector alone—with a particular emphasis on renewable energy—will add over 18 million new employments.

SDG 14: Life below water - Seas, oceans, and marine resources should be preserved and used responsibly for sustainable development. Global systems that keep Earth habitable for humans are fueled by the oceans' temperature, chemistry, currents, and life. Additionally, the oceans absorb around 30% of the carbon dioxide that humans make, and since the start of the Industrial Revolution, the ocean's acidity has increased by 26%. With 13,000 pieces of plastic waste detected on average on every square kilometer of the ocean, marine pollution—the vast majority of which originates from land-based sources—is alarmingly high. Although there are only about 200,000 known species in the ocean, there may be millions of species in there. Up to 40% of the ocean is severely impacted by human activity, pollution, overfished fisheries, and loss of coastal habitats.

SDG 15: Life on land - Stop and reverse land degradation, stop biodiversity loss, fight desertification, and preserve, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. The land is just as essential to human life as the ocean for our sustenance and means of subsistence. Eighty percent of our food comes from plants, and agriculture is one of our main sources of income. In addition to making up 30% of the planet's surface, forests are essential for preventing climate change, providing homes for millions of species, and serving as major sources of clean water and air. The lives of almost 1.6 billion people depend on trees. Over eighty percent of all terrestrial animal, plant, and insect species live in forests. 2.6 billion people make their living exclusively from agriculture. Of the fresh water on Earth, 60–80% comes from mountainous areas.

SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions - Encourage inclusive and peaceful societies for long-term growth; ensure that everyone has access to justice; and create inclusive, accountable, and successful institutions at all levels. Without human rights, peace, stability, and good governance based on the rule of law, we cannot aspire for sustained development. But there is a growing division in our world. While some areas experience wealth, security, and peace, others are mired in violent strife that seems never-ending. 68.5 million individuals had been forcefully displaced by the end of 2017 due to violence, conflict, persecution, or abuses of their human rights. The annual cost of corruption, bribery, theft, and tax evasion to developing nations is $1.26 trillion. There are 49 nations with no legislation shielding women from domestic abuse. A billion people lack the ability to establish their identity, making them legally "invisible." Approximately 625 million children under the age of 14 whose births were never recorded are included in this.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals - For sustainable development, fortify the implementation strategies and reinvigorate the international alliance. More than ever, the world is connected. Enhancing the availability of technology and information is a crucial step towards promoting innovation and idea exchange. Sustainable growth and development depend on coordinating policies to support least developed countries' investments and assist emerging nations in managing their debt. The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) estimates that between $5 and $7 trillion in yearly investment will be needed to achieve the SDGs. Sixty-six percent of the US$613 billion in foreign remittances in 2017 went to developing nations.

More than 100 nations have backed the SDGs' inclusion in national planning. Four specialized workstreams assist nations in creating comprehensive solutions. The workstreams are concentrated on the gaps that exist between the SDGs, the missing elements that can complete the 2030 Agenda, rather than on any one SDG.