SUSTAINABLE

DEVELOPMENT GOALS
 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.
• THE 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.
• COUNTRIES HAVE COMMITTED TO PRIORITIZE PROGRESS FOR THOSE WHO'RE
FURTHEST BEHIND. THE SDGS ARE DESIGNED TO END POVERTY, HUNGER, AIDS, AND
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS.
• THE CREATIVITY, KNOWHOW, TECHNOLOGY AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES FROM ALL OF
SOCIETY IS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THE SDGS IN EVERY CONTEXT.
17 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
GOAL 1: NO POVERTY
ECONOMIC GROWTH MUST BE INCLUSIVE TO PROVIDE
SUSTAINABLE JOBS AND PROMOTE EQUALITY.

GOAL 2: ZERO HUNGER

THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SECTOR OFFERS KEY
SOLUTIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT, AND IS CENTRAL FOR
HUNGER AND POVERTY ERADICATION.

GOAL 3: GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

ENSURING HEALTHY LIVES AND PROMOTING THE WELL-BEING
FOR ALL AT ALL AGES IS ESSENTIAL TO SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT.

GOAL 4: QUALITY EDUCATION

OBTAINING A QUALITY EDUCATION IS THE FOUNDATION TO
IMPROVING PEOPLE’S LIVES AND SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT.
 HOW CAN WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE SDGS?

• 1) SAVE ELECTRICITY BY TURNING OFF APPLIANCES WHEN NOT IN USE –

AND USE ENERGY FRIENDLY LIGHT BULBS
• 2) ACTUALLY JUST RECYCLE: PAPER, PLASTIC, GLASS…….
• 3) TAKE SHORT SHOWERS AND SAVE WATER
• 4)BUY AND EAT SEASONAL PRODUCE FROM LOCAL GROWERS
• 5) USE REFILLABLE WATER BOTTLES AND COFFEE CUPS
• 6)USE REUSABLE CLOTH BAGS RATHER THAN PLASTIC
• 7)EAT LESS MEAT AND FISH. PRODUCING MEAT TAKES A LOT MORE
RESOURCES THAN PRODUCING PLANTS.
• 8)BIKE, WALK OR TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORT. SAVE THE CAR TRIPS FOR
WHEN YOU’VE GOT A BIG GROUP.
• 9)IF YOU HAVE A FRUIT OR SNACK THAT YOU DON’T WANT, DON’T THROW
IT OUT. GIVE IT AWAY TO SOMEONE WHO NEEDS AND IS ASKING FOR HELP.
 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.
• AS OF 2015, ABOUT 736 MILLION PEOPLE STILL LIVED ON LESS THAN US$1.90 A DAY; MANY LACK
FOOD, CLEAN DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION. RAPID GROWTH IN COUNTRIES SUCH AS CHINA
AND INDIA HAS LIFTED MILLIONS OUT OF POVERTY, BUT PROGRESS HAS BEEN UNEVEN. WOMEN
ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE POOR THAN MEN BECAUSE THEY HAVE LESS PAID WORK, EDUCATION,
AND OWN LESS PROPERTY.
• PROGRESS HAS ALSO BEEN LIMITED IN OTHER REGIONS, SUCH AS SOUTH ASIA AND SUB-
SAHARAN AFRICA, WHICH ACCOUNT FOR 80 PERCENT OF THOSE LIVING IN EXTREME POVERTY.
NEW THREATS BROUGHT ON BY CLIMATE CHANGE, CONFLICT AND FOOD INSECURITY, MEAN
EVEN MORE WORK IS NEEDED TO BRING PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY.
• THE SDGS ARE A BOLD COMMITMENT TO FINISH WHAT WE STARTED, AND END POVERTY IN ALL
FORMS AND DIMENSIONS BY 2030. THIS INVOLVES TARGETING THE MOST VULNERABLE,
INCREASING BASIC RESOURCES AND SERVICES, AND SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY
CONFLICT AND CLIMATE-RELATED DISASTERS.
 2. ZERO HUNGER
• THE NUMBER OF UNDERNOURISHED PEOPLE HAS DROPPED BY ALMOST HALF IN THE PAST
TWO DECADES BECAUSE OF RAPID ECONOMIC GROWTH AND INCREASED AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCTIVITY. MANY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES THAT USED TO SUFFER FROM FAMINE AND
HUNGER CAN NOW MEET THEIR NUTRITIONAL NEEDS. CENTRAL AND EAST ASIA, LATIN
AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN HAVE ALL MADE HUGE PROGRESS IN ERADICATING
EXTREME HUNGER.
• UNFORTUNATELY, EXTREME HUNGER AND MALNUTRITION REMAIN A HUGE BARRIER TO
DEVELOPMENT IN MANY COUNTRIES. THERE ARE 821 MILLION PEOPLE ESTIMATED TO BE
CHRONICALLY UNDERNOURISHED AS OF 2017, OFTEN AS A DIRECT CONSEQUENCE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, DROUGHT AND BIODIVERSITY LOSS. OVER 90 MILLION
CHILDREN UNDER FIVE ARE DANGEROUSLY UNDERWEIGHT. UNDERNOURISHMENT AND
SEVERE FOOD INSECURITY APPEAR TO BE INCREASING IN ALMOST ALL REGIONS OF
AFRICA, AS WELL AS IN SOUTH AMERICA.
• THE SDGS AIM TO END ALL FORMS OF HUNGER AND MALNUTRITION BY 2030, MAKING
SURE ALL PEOPLE–ESPECIALLY CHILDREN–HAVE SUFFICIENT AND NUTRITIOUS FOOD ALL
YEAR. THIS INVOLVES PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL, SUPPORTING SMALL-
SCALE FARMERS AND EQUAL ACCESS TO LAND, TECHNOLOGY AND MARKETS. IT ALSO
REQUIRES INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO ENSURE INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE
AND TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY.
 GOOD HEALTH
AND WELL-BEING

We have made great progress against several leading causes of death

and disease. Life expectancy has increased dramatically; infant and
maternal mortality rates have declined, we’ve turned the tide on HIV and
malaria deaths have halved.

Good health is essential to sustainable development and the 2030

Agenda reflects the complexity and interconnectedness of the two. It
takes into account widening economic and social inequalities, rapid
urbanization, threats to the climate and the environment, the continuing
burden of HIV and other infectious diseases, and emerging challenges
such as noncommunicable diseases. Universal health coverage will be
integral to achieving SDG 3, ending poverty and reducing inequalities.
Emerging global health priorities not explicitly included in the SDGs,
including antimicrobial resistance, also demand action.

But the world is off-track to achieve the health-related SDGs. Progress has
been uneven, both between and within countries. There’s a 31-year gap
between the countries with the shortest and longest life expectancies.
And while some countries have made impressive gains, national averages
hide that many are being left behind. Multisectoral, rights-based and
 GOAL 4
QUALITY EDUCATION

:-QUALITY EDUCATION AIMS TO PROVIDE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WITH

QUALITY AND EASY ACCESS TO EDUCATION PLUS OTHER LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES. ONE OF ITS TARGETS IS TO ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL LITERACY AND
NUMERACY. A MAJOR COMPONENT IN ACQUIRING
KNOWLEDGE AND VALUABLE SKILLS IN THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. HENCE,
THE URGENT NEED TO BUILD MORE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES AND ALSO
UPGRADE THE PRESENT ONES TO PROVIDE SAFE, INCLUSIVE, AND EFFECTIVE
LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR ALL.
:-THE PREVALENCE OF EXTREME POVERTY, INSURGENCY, COMMUNAL
CONFLICTS, AND OTHER FACTORS HAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE
PROGRESS IN MANY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. CHILDREN FROM POOR
HOUSEHOLDS HAVE A HIGHER PROBABILITY OF DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL
 GOAL 5
GENDER EQUALITY

• ENDING ALL DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS IS NOT ONLY A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT, IT’S CRUCIAL
FOR SUSTAINABLE FUTURE; IT’S PROVEN THAT EMPOWERING WOMEN AND GIRLS HELPS ECONOMIC GROWTH
AND DEVELOPMENT.

• UNDP HAS MADE GENDER EQUALITY CENTRAL TO ITS WORK AND WE’VE SEEN REMARKABLE PROGRESS IN THE
PAST 20 YEARS. THERE ARE MORE GIRLS IN SCHOOL NOW COMPARED TO 15 YEARS AGO, AND MOST REGIONS
HAVE REACHED GENDER PARITY IN PRIMARY EDUCATION.

• BUT ALTHOUGH THERE ARE MORE WOMEN THAN EVER IN THE LABOUR MARKET, THERE ARE STILL LARGE
INEQUALITIES IN SOME REGIONS, WITH WOMEN SYSTEMATICALLY DENIED THE SAME WORK RIGHTS AS MEN.
SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND EXPLOITATION, THE UNEQUAL DIVISION OF UNPAID CARE AND DOMESTIC WORK, AND
DISCRIMINATION IN PUBLIC OFFICE ALL REMAIN HUGE BARRIERS. CLIMATE CHANGE AND DISASTERS CONTINUE
TO HAVE A DISPROPORTIONATE EFFECT ON WOMEN AND CHILDREN, AS DO CONFLICT AND MIGRATION.

• IT IS VITAL TO GIVE WOMEN EQUAL RIGHTS LAND AND PROPERTY, SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, AND
TO TECHNOLOGY AND THE INTERNET. TODAY THERE ARE MORE WOMEN IN PUBLIC OFFICE THAN EVER BEFORE,
 GOAL 6
CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION

• WATER SCARCITY AFFECTS MORE THAN 40 PERCENT OF PEOPLE, AN ALARMING FIGURE THAT IS PROJECTED
TO RISE AS TEMPERATURES DO. ALTHOUGH 2.1 BILLION PEOPLE HAVE IMPROVED WATER SANITATION
SINCE 1990, DWINDLING DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES ARE AFFECTING EVERY CONTINENT.

• MORE AND MORE COUNTRIES ARE EXPERIENCING WATER STRESS, AND INCREASING DROUGHT AND
DESERTIFICATION IS ALREADY WORSENING THESE TRENDS. BY 2050, IT IS PROJECTED THAT AT LEAST ONE
IN FOUR PEOPLE WILL SUFFER RECURRING WATER SHORTAGES.

• SAFE AND AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER FOR ALL BY 2030 REQUIRES WE INVEST IN ADEQUATE
INFRASTRUCTURE, PROVIDE SANITATION FACILITIES, AND ENCOURAGE HYGIENE. PROTECTING AND
RESTORING WATER-RELATED ECOSYSTEMS IS ESSENTIAL.

• ENSURING UNIVERSAL SAFE AND AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER INVOLVES REACHING OVER 800 MILLION
PEOPLE WHO LACK BASIC SERVICES AND IMPROVING ACCESSIBILITY AND SAFETY OF SERVICES FOR OVER
TWO BILLION.

• IN 2015, 4.5 BILLION PEOPLE LACKED SAFELY MANAGED SANITATION SERVICES (WITH ADEQUATELY
 GOAL 7
AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY

• BETWEEN 2000 AND 2018, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH

ELECTRICITY INCREASED FROM 78 TO 90 PERCENT, AND THE
NUMBERS WITHOUT ELECTRICITY DIPPED TO 789 MILLION.
• YET AS THE POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW, SO WILL THE
DEMAND FOR CHEAP ENERGY, AND AN ECONOMY RELIANT ON FOSSIL
FUELS IS CREATING DRASTIC CHANGES TO OUR CLIMATE.
• INVESTING IN SOLAR, WIND AND THERMAL POWER, IMPROVING
ENERGY PRODUCTIVITY, AND ENSURING ENERGY FOR ALL IS VITAL IF
WE ARE TO ACHIEVE SDG 7 BY 2030.
• EXPANDING INFRASTRUCTURE AND UPGRADING TECHNOLOGY TO
PROVIDE CLEAN AND MORE EFFICIENT ENERGY IN ALL COUNTRIES
WILL ENCOURAGE GROWTH AND HELP THE ENVIRONMENT.
 GOAL 8
DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
• OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS THE NUMBER OF WORKERS LIVING IN EXTREME
POVERTY HAS DECLINED DRAMATICALLY, DESPITE THE LASTING IMPACT OF THE
2008 ECONOMIC CRISIS AND GLOBAL RECESSION. IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES,
THE MIDDLE CLASS NOW MAKES UP MORE THAN 34 PERCENT OF TOTAL
EMPLOYMENT – A NUMBER THAT HAS ALMOST TRIPLED BETWEEN 1991 AND
2015.
• HOWEVER, AS THE GLOBAL ECONOMY CONTINUES TO RECOVER WE ARE
SEEING SLOWER GROWTH, WIDENING INEQUALITIES, AND NOT ENOUGH JOBS
TO KEEP UP WITH A GROWING LABOUR FORCE. ACCORDING TO THE
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION, MORE THAN 204 MILLION PEOPLE
WERE UNEMPLOYED IN 2015.
• THE SDGS PROMOTE SUSTAINED ECONOMIC GROWTH, HIGHER LEVELS OF
PRODUCTIVITY AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. ENCOURAGING
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND JOB CREATION ARE KEY TO THIS, AS ARE EFFECTIVE
MEASURES TO ERADICATE FORCED LABOUR , SLAVERY AND HUMAN
 GOAL 9
INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

• INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND INNOVATION ARE CRUCIAL DRIVERS OF

ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. WITH OVER HALF THE WORLD
POPULATION NOW LIVING IN CITIES, MASS TRANSPORT AND RENEWABLE
ENERGY ARE BECOMING EVER MORE IMPORTANT, AS ARE THE GROWTH OF NEW
INDUSTRIES AND INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES.
• TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS IS ALSO KEY TO FINDING LASTING SOLUTIONS TO
BOTH ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES, SUCH AS PROVIDING
NEW JOBS AND PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY. PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE
INDUSTRIES, AND INVESTING IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND INNOVATION, ARE
ALL IMPORTANT WAYS TO FACILITATE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
• MORE THAN 4 BILLION PEOPLE STILL DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET,
AND 90 PERCENT ARE FROM THE DEVELOPING WORLD. BRIDGING THIS DIGITAL
DIVIDE IS CRUCIAL TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND
KNOWLEDGE, AS WELL AS FOSTER INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
GOAL 10
REDUCED INEQUALITIES
• INCOME INEQUALITY IS ON THE RISE—THE RICHEST 10 PERCENT HAVE UP TO 40
PERCENT OF GLOBAL INCOME WHEREAS THE POOREST 10 PERCENT EARN ONLY
BETWEEN 2 TO 7 PERCENT. IF WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT POPULATION GROWTH
INEQUALITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, INEQUALITY HAS INCREASED BY 11
PERCENT.
• INCOME INEQUALITY HAS INCREASED IN NEARLY EVERYWHERE IN RECENT
DECADES, BUT AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. IT’S LOWEST IN EUROPE AND HIGHEST IN
THE MIDDLE EAST.
• THESE WIDENING DISPARITIES REQUIRE SOUND POLICIES TO EMPOWER LOWER
INCOME EARNERS, AND PROMOTE ECONOMIC INCLUSION OF ALL REGARDLESS OF
SEX, RACE OR ETHNICITY.
• INCOME INEQUALITY REQUIRES GLOBAL SOLUTIONS. THIS INVOLVES IMPROVING
THE REGULATION AND MONITORING OF FINANCIAL MARKETS AND INSTITUTIONS,
ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE AND FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT TO
REGIONS WHERE THE NEED IS GREATEST. FACILITATING THE SAFE MIGRATION AND
 GOAL 11
SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND
COMMUNITIES
• MORE THAN HALF OF US LIVE IN CITIES. BY 2050, TWO-THIRDS OF ALL
HUMANITY—6.5 BILLION PEOPLE—WILL BE URBAN. SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT CANNOT BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT SIGNIFICANTLY
TRANSFORMING THE WAY WE BUILD AND MANAGE OUR URBAN SPACES.
• THE RAPID GROWTH OF CITIES—A RESULT OF RISING POPULATIONS AND
INCREASING MIGRATION—HAS LED TO A BOOM IN MEGA-CITIES, ESPECIALLY
IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD, AND SLUMS ARE BECOMING A MORE
SIGNIFICANT FEATURE OF URBAN LIFE.
• MAKING CITIES SUSTAINABLE MEANS CREATING CAREER AND BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITIES, SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND BUILDING RESILIENT
SOCIETIES AND ECONOMIES. IT INVOLVES INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC
TRANSPORT, CREATING GREEN PUBLIC SPACES, AND IMPROVING URBAN
PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT IN PARTICIPATORY AND INCLUSIVE WAYS.
 GOAL 12
RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND
PRODUCTION
• ACHIEVING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT REQUIRES
THAT WE URGENTLY REDUCE OUR ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT BY CHANGING THE
WAY WE PRODUCE AND CONSUME GOODS AND RESOURCES. AGRICULTURE IS THE
BIGGEST USER OF WATER WORLDWIDE, AND IRRIGATION NOW CLAIMS CLOSE TO
70 PERCENT OF ALL FRESHWATER FOR HUMAN USE.
• THE EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT OF OUR SHARED NATURAL RESOURCES, AND THE
WAY WE DISPOSE OF TOXIC WASTE AND POLLUTANTS, ARE IMPORTANT TARGETS
TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL. ENCOURAGING INDUSTRIES, BUSINESSES AND
CONSUMERS TO RECYCLE AND REDUCE WASTE IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT, AS IS
SUPPORTING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO MOVE TOWARDS MORE SUSTAINABLE
PATTERNS OF CONSUMPTION BY 2030.
• A LARGE SHARE OF THE WORLD POPULATION IS STILL CONSUMING FAR TOO
LITTLE TO MEET EVEN THEIR BASIC NEEDS. HALVING THE PER CAPITA OF GLOBAL
FOOD WASTE AT THE RETAILER AND CONSUMER LEVELS IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR
CREATING MORE EFFICIENT PRODUCTION AND SUPPLY CHAINS. THIS CAN HELP
 GOAL 13
CLIMATE ACTION
• THERE IS NO COUNTRY THAT IS NOT EXPERIENCING THE DRASTIC EFFECTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ARE MORE THAN 50 PERCENT HIGHER THAN IN 1990.
GLOBAL WARMING IS CAUSING LONG-LASTING CHANGES TO OUR CLIMATE SYSTEM, WHICH
THREATENS IRREVERSIBLE CONSEQUENCES IF WE DO NOT ACT.
• THE ANNUAL AVERAGE ECONOMIC LOSSES FROM CLIMATE-RELATED DISASTERS ARE IN THE
HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THIS IS NOT TO MENTION THE HUMAN IMPACT OF GEO-
PHYSICAL DISASTERS, WHICH ARE 91 PERCENT CLIMATE-RELATED, AND WHICH BETWEEN 1998
AND 2017 KILLED 1.3 MILLION PEOPLE, AND LEFT 4.4 BILLION INJURED. THE GOAL AIMS TO
MOBILIZE US$100 BILLION ANNUALLY BY 2020 TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES TO BOTH ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND INVEST IN LOW-CARBON DEVELOPMENT.
• SUPPORTING VULNERABLE REGIONS WILL DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE NOT ONLY TO GOAL 13 BUT
ALSO TO THE OTHER SDGS. THESE ACTIONS MUST ALSO GO HAND IN HAND WITH EFFORTS TO
INTEGRATE DISASTER RISK MEASURES, SUSTAINABLE NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, AND
HUMAN SECURITY INTO NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES. IT IS STILL POSSIBLE, WITH
STRONG POLITICAL WILL, INCREASED INVESTMENT, AND USING EXISTING TECHNOLOGY, TO
LIMIT THE INCREASE IN GLOBAL MEAN TEMPERATURE TO TWO DEGREES CELSIUS ABOVE PRE-
INDUSTRIAL LEVELS, AIMING AT 1.5°C, BUT THIS REQUIRES URGENT AND AMBITIOUS
COLLECTIVE ACTION.
 GOAL 14
LIFE BELOW WATER
• THE WORLD’S OCEANS – THEIR TEMPERATURE, CHEMISTRY, CURRENTS AND LIFE – DRIVE
GLOBAL SYSTEMS THAT MAKE THE EARTH HABITABLE FOR HUMANKIND. HOW WE MANAGE
THIS VITAL RESOURCE IS ESSENTIAL FOR HUMANITY AS A WHOLE, AND TO
COUNTERBALANCE THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
• OVER THREE BILLION PEOPLE DEPEND ON MARINE AND COASTAL BIODIVERSITY FOR THEIR
LIVELIHOODS. HOWEVER, TODAY WE ARE SEEING 30 PERCENT OF THE WORLD’S FISH
STOCKS OVEREXPLOITED, REACHING BELOW THE LEVEL AT WHICH THEY CAN PRODUCE
SUSTAINABLE YIELDS.
• OCEANS ALSO ABSORB ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF THE CARBON DIOXIDE PRODUCED BY
HUMANS, AND WE ARE SEEING A 26 PERCENT RISE IN OCEAN ACIDIFICATION SINCE THE
BEGINNING OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION. MARINE POLLUTION, AN OVERWHELMING
MAJORITY OF WHICH COMES FROM LAND-BASED SOURCES, IS REACHING ALARMING
LEVELS, WITH AN AVERAGE OF 13,000 PIECES OF PLASTIC LITTER TO BE FOUND ON EVERY
SQUARE KILOMETRE OF OCEAN.
• THE SDGS AIM TO SUSTAINABLY MANAGE AND PROTECT MARINE AND COASTAL
ECOSYSTEMS FROM POLLUTION, AS WELL AS ADDRESS THE IMPACTS OF OCEAN
ACIDIFICATION. ENHANCING CONSERVATION AND THE SUSTAINABLE USE OF OCEAN-BASED
RESOURCES THROUGH INTERNATIONAL LAW WILL ALSO HELP MITIGATE SOME OF THE
GOAL 15
LIFE ON LAND
• HUMAN LIFE DEPENDS ON THE EARTH AS MUCH AS THE OCEAN FOR OUR SUSTENANCE
AND LIVELIHOODS. PLANT LIFE PROVIDES 80 PERCENT OF THE HUMAN DIET, AND WE
RELY ON AGRICULTURE AS AN IMPORTANT ECONOMIC RESOURCES. FORESTS COVER 30
PERCENT OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE, PROVIDE VITAL HABITATS FOR MILLIONS OF
SPECIES, AND IMPORTANT SOURCES FOR CLEAN AIR AND WATER, AS WELL AS BEING
CRUCIAL FOR COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE.
• EVERY YEAR, 13 MILLION HECTARES OF FORESTS ARE LOST, WHILE THE PERSISTENT
DEGRADATION OF DRYLANDS HAS LED TO THE DESERTIFICATION OF 3.6 BILLION
HECTARES, DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTING POOR COMMUNITIES.
• WHILE 15 PERCENT OF LAND IS PROTECTED, BIODIVERSITY IS STILL AT RISK. NEARLY
7,000 SPECIES OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS HAVE BEEN ILLEGALLY TRADED. WILDLIFE
TRAFFICKING NOT ONLY ERODES BIODIVERSITY, BUT CREATES INSECURITY, FUELS
CONFLICT, AND FEEDS CORRUPTION.
• URGENT ACTION MUST BE TAKEN TO REDUCE THE LOSS OF NATURAL HABITATS AND
BIODIVERSITY WHICH ARE PART OF OUR COMMON HERITAGE AND SUPPORT GLOBAL
FOOD AND WATER SECURITY, CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION, AND
 GOAL 16
PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG
INSTITUTIONS
• WE CANNOT HOPE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT PEACE, STABILITY,
HUMAN RIGHTS AND EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE, BASED ON THE RULE OF LAW. YET
OUR WORLD IS INCREASINGLY DIVIDED. SOME REGIONS ENJOY PEACE, SECURITY AND
PROSPERITY, WHILE OTHERS FALL INTO SEEMINGLY ENDLESS CYCLES OF CONFLICT
AND VIOLENCE. THIS IS NOT INEVITABLE AND MUST BE ADDRESSED.
• ARMED VIOLENCE AND INSECURITY HAVE A DESTRUCTIVE IMPACT ON A COUNTRY’S
DEVELOPMENT, AFFECTING ECONOMIC GROWTH, AND OFTEN RESULTING IN
GRIEVANCES THAT LAST FOR GENERATIONS. SEXUAL VIOLENCE, CRIME,
EXPLOITATION AND TORTURE ARE ALSO PREVALENT WHERE THERE IS CONFLICT, OR
NO RULE OF LAW, AND COUNTRIES MUST TAKE MEASURES TO PROTECT THOSE WHO
ARE MOST AT RISK
• THE SDGS AIM TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE ALL FORMS OF VIOLENCE, AND WORK
WITH GOVERNMENTS AND COMMUNITIES TO END CONFLICT AND INSECURITY.
PROMOTING THE RULE OF LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS ARE KEY TO THIS PROCESS, AS
IS REDUCING THE FLOW OF ILLICIT ARMS AND STRENGTHENING THE PARTICIPATION
OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN THE INSTITUTIONS OF GLOBAL GOVERNANCE.
 GOAL 17
PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS
• THE SDGS CAN ONLY BE REALIZED WITH STRONG GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS AND
COOPERATION. OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE REMAINED STEADY BUT
BELOW TARGET, AT US$147 BILLION IN 2017. WHILE HUMANITARIAN CRISES
BROUGHT ON BY CONFLICT OR NATURAL DISASTERS CONTINUE TO DEMAND
MORE FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND AID. MANY COUNTRIES ALSO REQUIRE
OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE TO ENCOURAGE GROWTH AND TRADE.
• THE WORLD IS MORE INTERCONNECTED THAN EVER. IMPROVING ACCESS TO
TECHNOLOGY AND KNOWLEDGE IS AN IMPORTANT WAY TO SHARE IDEAS AND
FOSTER INNOVATION. COORDINATING POLICIES TO HELP DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES MANAGE THEIR DEBT, AS WELL AS PROMOTING INVESTMENT FOR
THE LEAST DEVELOPED, IS VITAL FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND
DEVELOPMENT.
• THE GOALS AIM TO ENHANCE NORTH-SOUTH AND SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION
BY SUPPORTING NATIONAL PLANS TO ACHIEVE ALL THE TARGETS. PROMOTING
INTERNATIONAL TRADE, AND HELPING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES INCREASE
 CONCLUSION
This concluding chapter argues that a successful
implementation of the SDGs will have to address at least
four challenges: (a) How can we bring together the right
stakeholders at the right time in the right place?, (b) How do
we make difficult trade-offs?, (c) How do we build in
accountability and transparency for action?, and (d) How to
organize this in a participatory and democratic way? It
argues that a participatory approach is about dialogue,
participation and the sharing of knowledge and information
in a specific context, and briefly positions seven new
challenges which emerged during the last decade, as a
consequence of globalization, media liberalization,
mediatization, rapid economic and social change, and the
emergence of new social media and information and
communication technologies (ICTs). It reiterates that, in the
final analysis, the SDGs appeal to moral and ethical
principles which we should share as people on this planet.