WHAT ARE THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS?
Thesustainable development goals(SDGs) are a new, universal set of goals, targets and indicators that UN member states will be expected to use to frame their agendas and political policies over the next 15 years.
The SDGs follow, and expand on, themillennium development goals(MDGs), which were agreed by governments in 2000, and are due to expire at the end of this year.
Why do we need another set of goals?
There is broad agreement that while the MDGs provided a focal point for governments on which to hinge their policies and overseas aid programmes to end poverty and improve the lives of poor people – as well as provide a rallying point for NGOs to hold them to account – they have been criticised for being too narrow.
The eight MDGs – reduce poverty and hunger; achieve universal education; promote gender equality; reduce child and maternal deaths; combat HIV, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; develop global partnerships – failed to consider the root causes of poverty, or gender inequality, or the holistic nature of development. The goals made no mention of human rights, nor specifically addressed economic development. While the MDGs, in theory, applied to all countries, in reality, they were considered targets for poor countries to achieve, with finance from wealthy states. Every country will be expected to work towards achieving the SDGs.
As the MDG deadline approaches, around 1 billion people still live on less then $1.25 a day - the World Bank measure on poverty - and more than 800 million people do not have enough food to eat. Women are still fighting hard for their rights, and millions of women still die in childbirth.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) explained in short
How were the goals chosen?
Unlike the MDGs,which were drawn up by a group of men in the basement of UN headquarters(or so the legend goes), the UN has conducted the largest consultation programme in its history to gauge opinion on what the SDGs should include.
Establishing post-2015 goals was an outcome of theRio+20 summitin 2012, which mandated the creation of an open working group to come up with a draft set.
The open working group, with representatives from 70 countries, had its first meeting in March 2013 and published its final draft, with its 17 suggestions, in July 2014. The draft was presented to the UN general assembly in September.
Alongside the open working group, the UN conducted a series of “global conversations”, which included 11 thematic and 83 national consultations, and door-to-door surveys. It also launched an onlineMy World surveyasking people to prioritise the areas they’d like to see addressed in the goals. The results of the consultations should have fed into the the working group’s discussions.
Are governments happy about the proposed 17 goals?
The majority seem to be, but a handful of member states, including the UK and Japan, aren’t so keen. Some countries feel that 17 goals are too unwieldy to implement or sell to the public and would like a narrower brief. Or so they say. Some believe the underlying reason is to get rid of some of the more uncomfortable goals, such as those relating to the environment. Britain’s prime minister, David Cameron,has publicly said he wants 12 goals at the most, preferably 10. It’s not clear, though, which goals the UK government would like taken out if they had the choice.
Some NGOs also believe there are too many goals, but there is a general consensus that it’s better to have 17 goals that include targets on women’s empowerment, good governance, and peace and security, for example, than fewer goals that don’t address these issues.
Is the number of goals expected to change?
Those who have been involved in the process say no, although they do expect fewer targets. Many of the proposed targets are more political statement than measurable achievement at the moment.
Inhis synthesis report on the SDGsin December, UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon gave no hint that he would like to see the number of goals reduced. In a bid to help governments to frame the goals, Ban clustered them into six “essential elements”: dignity, prosperity, justice, partnership, planet, people.
Amina Mohammed, the UN secretary general’s special adviser on post-2015 development planning, said it had been a hard fight to get the number of goals down to 17, so there would be strong resistance to reduce them further.
Member states will begin formal discussions on the content of the SDGs on 19 January, and are expected to meet each month until September. Any serious fault lines should be evident over the next three to four months.
How will the goals be funded?
That’s the trillion-dollar question. Rough calculations from theintergovernmental committee of experts on sustainable development financinghave put the cost of providing a social safety net to eradicate extreme poverty at about $66bn a year, while annual investments in improving infrastructure (water, agriculture, transport, power) could be up to a total of $7tn globally.
In its report last year, the committee said public finance and aid would be central to support the implementation of the SDGs. But it insisted that money generated from the private sector, through tax reforms, and through a crackdown on illicit financial flows and corruption was also vital.
A major conference on financing for SDGs was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in July, where it is hoped that concrete financing will be agreed.
When will the new goals come into force?
If member states agree the draft set of 17 SDGs at a UN summit in New York in September, they will become applicable from January 2016. The expected deadline for the SDGS is 2030.
WHAT ARE THE PROPOSED 17 GOALS?
1) NO POVERTY
End poverty in all its forms everywhere. By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day. This goal and its targets rightly focus primarily on the eradication of the most extreme forms of poverty in the poorest countries, continuing the work of the Millennium Development Goals.Even in developed countries there do however continue to be deprived areas or sectors of society and aspects of poverty that need attention. Dealing with these problems ought to form an important part of the sustainable development agenda in developed countries.
2) NO HUNGER
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. by 2030 end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient foodall year round.
Extreme hunger is uncommon in most developed countries. But the recurrence of food banks and various forms of malnutrition in some developed countries shows that the problem has not been totally eliminated, particularly for some of the more marginalised groups in society. Furthermore, in addition to the forms of malnutrition associated with poverty, such as stunting and wasting, the developed world has its own challenge in dealing with the growing problem of obesity associated with patterns of overconsumption. Dealing with these problems should form a significant part of the sustainability agenda in developed countries as well as developing countries.
3) GOOD HEALTH
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. Health services are well developed in most developed countries. But even in developed countries much remains to be done to ensure that poorer and more marginal groups have adequate access to health care, to promote healthier lifestyles, to reduce major causes of ill health, and to ensure prompt and equitable access to health services. This should form part of their sustainable development agenda.
4) QUALITY EDUCATION
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
5) GENDER EQUALITY
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, end all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. This goal and its targets are well-expressed in a way that is applicable and relevant to both developing and developed countries.But even in developed countries there remain many on-going challenges to secure full equality in employment situations, and in various social and domestic settings
6) CLEAN WATER & SANITATION
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all. This goal and its targets are a well-balanced expression of the sustainability needs of both the developing and developed countries. This goal and its targets are a well-balanced expression of the sustainability needs of both the developing and developed countries. There are, however, a number of areas where the water cycle is not managed sustainably in developed countries– water extraction is depleting natural resources, the treatment of waste is not entirely satisfactory, water-use efficiency could be improved and management of the services use too much energy. The protection and restoration of water-related ecosystems is also still a serious challenge in some developed countries.
7) MODERN ENERGY
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. The focus on access in Goal 7 and its first target are clearly directed primarily to developing countries’ energy needs. In developed countries most people already have access to energy, but there is a major challenge to transform the energy systems of those countries to provide clean, modern and sustainable energy at affordable prices.
8) GOOD JOBS & ECONOMIC GROWTH
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all by ensuring creating jobs and providing excellent working conditions.
9) INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. This goal is relevant for all countries. All countries need to foster and increase innovation, and to make their industry and infrastructure more sustainable.
10) REDUCED INEQUALITIES
Reduce inequality within and among countries
11) SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12) RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. In spite of some progress on energy efficiency and on waste management and recycling most developed countries are still consuming excessive amounts of non-renewable energy and other primary resources. Developed countries have so far failed to decouple economic growth from increased consumption of energy and other resources. Some businesses and sectors of industry have made some progress towards sustainability over the past 20 years. But much greater efforts will need to be made on these issues over the next 15 years.
13) CLIMATE ACTION
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. This is a crucial sustainable development objective for both developed and developing countries. Although some progress has been made in limiting greenhouse gas emissions in some countries global emissions continue to rise and the prospects for damaging climate change are worsening.
14) LIFE BELOW WATER
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. The oceans and seas are global commons, and it is important that all countries should contribute to managing them more sustainably. Some developed countries have been amongst the worst offenders in terms of creating marine pollution and depleting fish stocks and other marine resources. The targets proposed in this goal urge that basic conservation measures should be put in place by 2020.
15) LIFE ON LAND
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss. This goal and the targets under it are relevant to both developed and developing countries. Developed countries have a mixed record in terms of protecting land, soil, forests, biodiversity and ecosystems both within their own countries and in the impact of their trade and investment in other parts of the world. More effort will be needed to achieve a sustainable situation and the specific targets proposed in this goal.
16) PEACE AND JUSTICE
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. This goal and targets are relevant to all countries. All countries will need to review the adequacy of their institutional andjudicial processes for the advancement of sustainable development, and the achievement of the specific targets set out under this goal.
17) PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership of different organisations and actor for sustainable development.
Within the goals are a proposed 169 targets, to put a bit of meat on the bones. Proposed targets under goal one, for example, include reducing by at least half the number of people living in poverty by 2030, and eradicating extreme poverty (people living on less than $1.25 a day). Under goal five, there’s a proposed target on eliminating violence against women. Under goal 16 sits a target to promote the rule of law and equal access to justice.
EXAMPLE OF ACTIVITIES RELATED TO SDGs GOALS/THEMES
THEME 1: HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Example of Activity: Goal 1
Example 1: Use football to examine inequality between and within countries. SeeThe World Cup: A Fair Game?
Use football to examine inequality between and within countries, e.g. Wales Vs Sierra Leone explore footballers and other people who have taken action to make the world fairer, examine news around the World Cup, consider how making new rules in football could make the game fairer, and understand the causes, effects and solutions to inequality in Brazil.
There are independent activities linked to a variety of curriculum areas and support for pupils to make a 'World Cup Fairness Display' to show their learning to the rest of the school.
Example 2: Can look at the issue of Child Poverty in Wales and explore the changes
THEME 1: HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Example of Activity: Gola 2& 3
Use case studies of new mothers and a midwife in Ghana to investigate ways of improving healthcare for pregnant women. SeeExplore Birth Rights.
We can also look at challenges of health workers in Walesvs those in an African country or a play showcasing differences in access to health services between the two.
Work with a local charity focusing on health issues in Africa to explore some of the issues it deals with.
‘Leave No One Behind’ Campaign – Coming up with a campaigning plan related to disability issues in Africa. This could include preparing platforms/events and plans to engage with Welsh NGO’s on the ‘leave no one behind’ campaign.
THEME 3: LIFE LONG LEARNING
Example of Activity: Goal 4 & 8
Young people can research and contact youth organisations in an African country and develop a working partnership/relationship and share stories on issues related to jobs, education and current affairs in their respective countries. These exchanges can be documented through films, photography, letter and email writing and showcased on the final day.Links can then be developed between the two organisations.
THEME 4: SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD
A JUST WORLD - GENDER EQUALITY/JUSTICE AND PEACE
Activity: Goal 17
Example 1: Young people can document stories and lives of Welsh African diaspora communities. Young people to think about different types of migrants and why refugees leave their homes, what challenges they face, how welcoming the UK is to those seeking asylum.
THEME 5: SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD
Activity:
Example 1: Get active by learning about climate change anddocumenting through writing and or creating personal messages to your AM and or holding a meeting with anAM.
THEME 6: CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENT
Example 1: Use a vulnerability game, case studies and role to learn more about how some communities around the world are being affected by climate change and how they are adapting to it.E.g. a play showing the daily survival of a farmer in rural village somewhere in Africa.
THEME 7: SUSTAINBLE LIVELIHOOD
THE GLOBAL GOALS - GLOBAL CONSCIOUSNESS
Use theCan You Beat The Systemsimulation game to learn about the unfairness of the global food system and its impacts on millions of small scale farmers around the world.
Example 2: Working with Fairtrade Wales to develop a campaign in engaging youth with Fairtrade goods e.g. equality issues related to trade agreements and or understanding issues such as forced labour and working conditions in some of the poorest countries.