Why Zimbabwe, Africa and the World will Miss the 2030 Targets on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. How to Improve and Correct SDGs Implementation

With only eight years to go before the major review on progress towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Zimbabwe, Africa and ground reality suggests that Zimbabwe, Africa and the world are clearly not on target in all the major goals. On most of the major goals such as sustainable cities and communities, water and sanitation, zero hunger and zero poverty the situation is getting worse instead of getting better, while climate action is, if the truth be truth, is still largely a mix of experiments and talk. Most of the progress on the other goals such as renewable energy are not being driven strategically but is spontaneous, organic progress pushed by natural economic forces such as shortage of power. This lack of progress on sustainable development is very sad given that the 17 Goals are, I am convinced, the most powerful theory the world has ever produced to steer the world towards the best path with the potential for bringing major transformations in the quality of life and the management of our planet and its resources.?

Why is the Effective and Sustainable Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals Not Taking Place?

The Leadership Factor

Leadership drives decisions and actions and because sustainable development goals are implemented strategically within the framework of organisations and institutions, people in positions of leadership in both profit and not for profit organisations can enable or undermine implementation. First if people on key positions of leadership are not aware of the sustainable development concept and the goals and do not even know how important achieving the goals is for them and their organisations, then sustainable and effective implementation of the goals suffer as they are suffering now.

First, sustainable development won’t happen where there is no leadership or where there is poor leadership. There are many around the world where there are people in positions of leadership in cities and communities and yet there is no leadership at all or there is poor or weak leadership.?

An example is the goal for sustainable cities and communities. This goal requires that people in leadership positions in cities and towns;

1. Are aware of, and do understand, sustainable development and the sustainable development goals.?

2. Have embraced, adopted and are using sustainability thinking in their leadership

3. Are seeking the best possible theory and means to implement and achieve the goal of sustainable cities and communities

4. Are totally committed to the sustainable development goals that related to the cities and communities that they lead.

The situation in many cities and towns is that sustainable development is not part of theory of city leadership and management; leading zero to little traction in implementation of the goals.

Wrong Perceptions about the Ownership of Goals

Ask people randomly about who owns the goals and you will different perceptions. Many who are aware of the goals think the goals belong to the United Nations Organisation because it is the one that is in the fore front. Others believe that they are goals for governments around the world. Yet others believe the goals belong the NGOs and technical experts who are “spearheading” their implementations and who attention the conferences and events around sustainable development and the goals.?

In the minds of many, the sustainable development goals are goals mooted and run from some faraway place from where they come. They do not view the goals as local and as theirs and as endemic within their communities. Therefore, when they play a part in implementing action on the goals, they are doing it for government, the United Nations or the NGOs and experts involved and not for themselves.?

This perception is not just personal and individual but also probably cultural and institutional. Very few organisations especially in Africa and other emerging economies are willing to invest their own resources in sustainable development programs in general and on the goals to be more specific. They at some level believe sustainable development goals must be wholly financed in development partners.?

No to Limited Awareness Understanding of Sustainable Development, the Goals and their Importance

As much as the United Nations is making some effort in education and awareness, there is still a huge knowledge and awareness gaps even among the strategically important sections of the community including among the key decision-makers local governments. Many cities and communities operate are still operating tactically and outside the theory of sustainability because the political leaders and top management in cities, towns and communities are either black or have a vague awareness of sustainable development goals, their significance in their work and cities and how their cities and communities must engage and play a part in the implementation. Therefore there are no pro-sustainable development frameworks, policies and programs in the overwhelming majority of the cities, towns and communities including urban communities.

Not Enough Effort on Education and Awareness of the Grassroots among Implementers and the Grass Roots

The problem of limited awareness and understanding of sustainable development and sustainable development goals remains as long as there is not enough effort on education and awareness especially among the leaders, decision-makers and all the other key stakeholders in sustainable development. Without improved awareness and knowledge of the goals there will be no significant improvement in the traction on sustainable development action. The terminal, strategic result will be a disaster for humanity.

Most implementation action must take place at the local government and grass roots level. This is exactly where knowledge and awareness is limited the most, making implementation of sustainable development goals problematic.??

Political Interference with the Goals

National, regional and international politics have a big influence and powerful impact on the successful implementation of sustainable development. International politics have an impact on the global flow of resources and support and direct impact on Goal 17 which is on partnerships for development. Political conflicts including sanctions undermine the successful country level implementation of sustainable development goals including the sustainable development activities.?

National level political dynamics also have a major impact on sustainable development goals. For example, certain implementing partners may not be comfortable support certain countries under certain conditions, while the relationships between central and local governments can also seriously undermine implementation of sustainable development programs.

Regional politics also do affect sustainable development goals. For example, certain goals require cooperation and collaboration across countries within a region or even continent due to their transboundary nature.?

The Framing of the Sustainable Development Goals

Should we call them sustainable development goals or sustainable development ideas?

This may sound trivial but it is important. The use of the word goal is subject to different interpretations by different people and in different situations. According to the most popular concept on goals;

1. A goal must be specific

2. A goal must be measurable

3. A goal must be attainable

4. A goal must be realistic

5. A goal must be time bound

How do our sustainable development goals fair against these five universals?

1. Are they specific? If yes, what measures of specificity do we use? How specific are they? Could be specificity be a major handicap to implementation traction?

2. Are measuring parameters effective, practical and realistic?

3. Are these goals attainable? Are we making them attainable? Do we have clear and accurate pathways for making them sustainable? Have we assessed their attainability??

4. Are the sustainable development goals realistic in their attainability, scope, time frames and expectations??

5. Are the timeframes we are using practical? How are we setting progress review targets? Are we using mere consensus? Are we using science? Are we using program management models? Are we using proven methods of setting the time frames? Are we using mere ambition? Is the way we are setting our timeframes objective??

The big questions are?

1. Must we continue calling them goals or ideals?

I prefer calling them sustainable development ideals rather than calling them “goals.”?And does it matter whether we continue calling them sustainable development goals or change to sustainable development ideals? It makes a very big difference.?Here is why?

To have a world with zero hunger does not sound like a sensible “goal” in the traditional sense of goals. However, having a world with zero hunger is an excellent ideal.?

A goal is limited in terms of time for its attainment, an ideal is enduring and is long term. An ideal must be clear, but it does not need time-framing.?

This does not mean we abandon sustainable development goals it simply means we start with ideals and then below the ideals we have goals, but goals that are more locally relevant and also have a realistic sense of being achieved.?

The Three Cs of Sustainable Development

Let me finish with my concept of the three 3Cs of successful implementation of?sustainable development goals. These three Cs are

1. Commitment to the Goals

2. Capabilities to for Implementing the Goals?

3. Capacity for Implementing the Goals

In other words, successful implementation of sustainable development goals=Commitment X Capability X Capacity.

The first and most important key is commitment. Without commitment, the other two Cs are worthless.?

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?Simon Bere, 2022