11/18/2015 Sustainabledevelopmentgoals:allyouneedtoknow|Globaldevelopment|TheGuardian

Sustainabledevelopmentgoals

Sustainabledevelopmentgoals:allyou
needtoknow
WiththeUNsummitonthesustainabledevelopmentgoalslooming,findoutmore
aboutthe17initiativesthatcouldtransformtheworldby2030
TheSDGs:changingtheworldin17stepsinteractive

ActivistspushaninflatableglobeonamarchduringRio+20,inRiodeJaneiro,Brazil,June2012.
Photograph:FelipeDana/AP

Globaldevelopmentissupportedby:

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11/18/2015 Sustainabledevelopmentgoals:allyouneedtoknow|Globaldevelopment|TheGuardian

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LizFord
@lizfordguardian
Monday19January201513.31GMT

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Whatarethesustainabledevelopmentgoals?
Thesustainabledevelopmentgoals(SDGs)areanew,universalsetofgoals,targetsand
indicatorsthatUNmemberstateswillbeexpectedtousetoframetheiragendasand
politicalpoliciesoverthenext15years.

TheSDGsfollowandexpandonthemillenniumdevelopmentgoals(MDGs),which
wereagreedbygovernmentsin2001andareduetoexpireattheendofthisyear.

Whydoweneedanothersetofgoals?
Thereisbroadagreementthat,whiletheMDGsprovidedafocalpointforgovernments
aframeworkaroundwhichtheycoulddeveloppoliciesandoverseasaidprogrammes
designedtoendpovertyandimprovethelivesofpoorpeopleaswellasarallying
pointforNGOstoholdthemtoaccount,theyweretoonarrow.

TheeightMDGsreducepovertyandhungerachieveuniversaleducationpromote
genderequalityreducechildandmaternaldeathscombatHIV,malariaandother
diseasesensureenvironmentalsustainabilitydevelopglobalpartnershipsfailedto
considertherootcausesofpovertyandoverlookedgenderinequalityaswellasthe
holisticnatureofdevelopment.Thegoalsmadenomentionofhumanrightsanddid
notspecificallyaddresseconomicdevelopment.WhiletheMDGs,intheory,appliedto
allcountries,inrealitytheywereconsideredtargetsforpoorcountriestoachieve,with
financefromwealthystates.Conversely,everycountrywillbeexpectedtowork
towardsachievingtheSDGs.

AstheMDGdeadlineapproaches,about1billionpeoplestillliveonlessthan$1.25a
daytheWorldBankmeasureonpovertyandmorethan800millionpeopledonot
haveenoughfoodtoeat.Womenarestillfightinghardfortheirrights,andmillionsof
womenstilldieinchildbirth.

Whataretheproposed17goals?
1)Endpovertyinallitsformseverywhere

2)Endhunger,achievefoodsecurityandimprovednutrition,andpromotesustainable
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11/18/2015 Sustainabledevelopmentgoals:allyouneedtoknow|Globaldevelopment|TheGuardian

agriculture

3)Ensurehealthylivesandpromotewellbeingforallatallages

4)Ensureinclusiveandequitablequalityeducationandpromotelifelonglearning
opportunitiesforall

5)Achievegenderequalityandempowerallwomenandgirls

6)Ensureavailabilityandsustainablemanagementofwaterandsanitationforall

7)Ensureaccesstoaffordable,reliable,sustainableandmodernenergyforall

8)Promotesustained,inclusiveandsustainableeconomicgrowth,fullandproductive
employment,anddecentworkforall

9)Buildresilientinfrastructure,promoteinclusiveandsustainableindustrialisation,
andfosterinnovation

10)Reduceinequalitywithinandamongcountries

11)Makecitiesandhumansettlementsinclusive,safe,resilientandsustainable

12)Ensuresustainableconsumptionandproductionpatterns

13)Takeurgentactiontocombatclimatechangeanditsimpacts(takingnoteof
agreementsmadebytheUNFCCCforum)

14)Conserveandsustainablyusetheoceans,seasandmarineresourcesforsustainable
development

15)Protect,restoreandpromotesustainableuseofterrestrialecosystems,sustainably
manageforests,combatdesertificationandhaltandreverselanddegradation,andhalt
biodiversityloss

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11/18/2015 Sustainabledevelopmentgoals:allyouneedtoknow|Globaldevelopment|TheGuardian

16)Promotepeacefulandinclusivesocietiesforsustainabledevelopment,provide
accesstojusticeforallandbuildeffective,accountableandinclusiveinstitutionsatall
levels

17)Strengthenthemeansofimplementationandrevitalisetheglobalpartnershipfor
sustainabledevelopment

Withinthegoalsare169targets,toputabitofmeatonthebones.Targetsundergoal
one,forexample,includereducingbyatleasthalfthenumberofpeoplelivingin
povertyby2030,anderadicatingextremepoverty(peoplelivingonlessthan$1.25a
day).Undergoalfive,theresatargetoneliminatingviolenceagainstwomen,while
goal16hasatargettopromotetheruleoflawandequalaccesstojustice.

Howwerethegoalschosen?
UnliketheMDGs,whichweredrawnupbyagroupofmeninthebasementofUN
headquarters(orsothelegendgoes),theUNhasconductedthelargestconsultation
programmeinitshistorytogaugeopiniononwhattheSDGsshouldinclude.

Establishingpost2015goalswasanoutcomeoftheRio+20summitin2012,which
mandatedthecreationofanopenworkinggrouptocomeupwithadraftagenda.

Theopenworkinggroup,withrepresentativesfrom70countries,haditsfirstmeeting
inMarch2013andpublisheditsfinaldraft,withits17suggestions,inJuly2014.The
draftwaspresentedtotheUNgeneralassemblyinSeptemberlastyear.Memberstate
negotiationsfollowed,andthefinalwordingofthegoalsandtargets,andthepreamble
anddeclarationthatcomeswiththem,wereagreedinAugust2015.

Alongsidetheopenworkinggroupdiscussions,theUNconductedaseriesofglobal
conversations.Theseincluded11thematicand83nationalconsultations,anddoorto
doorsurveys.TheUNalsolaunchedanonlineMyWorldsurveyaskingpeopleto
prioritisetheareastheydliketoseeaddressedinthegoals.Theresultsofthe
consultationswerefedintothetheworkinggroupsdiscussions.
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Aregovernmentshappyabouttheproposed17goals?
Themajorityseemtobe,butahandfulofmemberstates,includingtheUKandJapan,
arentsokeen.Somecountriesfeelthatanagendaconsistingof17goalsistoounwieldy
toimplementorselltothepublic,andwouldpreferanarrowerbrief.Orsotheysay.
Somebelievetheunderlyingreasonistogetridofsomeofthemoreuncomfortable
goals,suchasthoserelatingtotheenvironment.Britainsprimeminister,David
Cameron,haspubliclysaidhewants12goalsatthemost,preferably10.Itsnotclear,
though,whichgoalstheUKgovernmentwouldliketakenoutiftheyhadthechoice.

AminaMohammed,theUNsecretarygeneralsspecialadviseronpost2015
developmentplanning,saidithadbeenahardfighttogetthenumberofgoalsdownto
17,sotherewouldbestrongresistancetoreducingthemfurther.

SomeNGOsalsobelievetherearetoomanygoals,butthereisageneralconsensusthat
itisbettertohave17goalsthatincludetargetsonwomensempowerment,good
governance,andpeaceandsecurity,forexample,thanfewergoalsthatdontaddress
theseissues.

Howwillthegoalsbemeasured?
Theindicatorsarestillbeingthrashedoutbyanexpertgroup.Eachindicatorisbeing
assessedforitsfeasibility,suitabilityandrelevance,androughlytwoforeachtargetare
expected.TheindicatorsareduetobefinalisedinMarch2016.

Howwillthegoalsbefunded?

Thatsthetrilliondollarquestion.Roughcalculationsfromtheintergovernmental
committeeofexpertsonsustainabledevelopmentfinancinghaveputthecostof
providingasocialsafetynettoeradicateextremepovertyatabout$66bn(43bn)a
year,whileannualinvestmentsinimprovinginfrastructure(water,agriculture,
transport,power)couldbeuptoatotalof$7tnglobally.

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11/18/2015 Sustainabledevelopmentgoals:allyouneedtoknow|Globaldevelopment|TheGuardian

Initsreportlastyear,thecommitteesaidpublicfinanceandaidwouldbecentralto
supporttheimplementationoftheSDGs.Butitinsistedthatmoneygeneratedfromthe
privatesector,throughtaxreforms,andthroughacrackdownonillicitfinancialflows
andcorruption,wasalsovital.

AmajorconferenceonfinancingfortheSDGs,heldintheEthiopiancapitalAddis
AbabainJuly,failedtoeaseconcernsthattherewillnotbeenoughcashtomeetthe
aspirationalnatureofthegoals.TheUNsaidtheAddisAbabaactionagenda(AAAAfor
short)containedboldmeasurestooverhaulglobalfinancepracticesandgenerate
investmentfortacklingthechallengesofsustainabledevelopment.Itincludeda
recommitmenttotheUNtargetonaidspending0.7%ofGNIsetmorethan40
yearsagoandpledgestocollectmoretaxesandfighttaxevasion.Butcivilsociety
groupswerelessimpressed,sayingthesummithadfailedtoproducenewmoneyto
fundthegoals,orofferwaystotransformtheinternationalfinancesystem.Callsfora
newinternationaltaxbodyfellondeafears.

Whenwillthenewgoalscomeintoforce?
TheSDGswillbeofficiallyadoptedataUNsummitinNewYorkinSeptember,andwill
becomeapplicablefromJanuary2016.ThedeadlinefortheSDGSis2030.

Thisarticlewasupdatedon3September2015

Moreanalysis Topics
Sustainabledevelopmentgoals Millenniumdevelopmentgoals

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11/18/2015 Sustainabledevelopmentgoals:allyouneedtoknow|Globaldevelopment|TheGuardian

RogerHudson 3
19Jan201522:02

Humans,stillwantingtoeattheircakeandhaveitforlateraswell.
Inthefaceofclimatechange,whateverthecauses,thewholeideaof'development'ispathetic.

Report

RakibMohammadAvi 0
19Jan201523:04

Ithinkfundingisthekeyissueinhereaswellashowtoactuallymeasuretheprogress.Lackof
clearandmeasurablegoalswouldonlyalienatetheSDGstogovernmentsresponsibleof
implementingthem.

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