How far have we accomplished Sustainable Development Goals?

Sustainable Development means development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

This definition was given by the Brundtland Commission in 1987. This definition is based on the concept that economic development and environmental conservation are not conflicting and both of these goals can move parallel. Sustainable development is not limited to the environment but is oriented for its conservation.

The vitality of this concept can be proved its international recognition in the year 1972 at the UN Conference on Human Environment held in Stockholm followed by various studies, conferences, and reports.

The sustainable development goals also known as global goals are the set of seventeen goals set up by United Nations General Assembly which aims to eradicate poverty, protect the environment and at the same time ensure global peace and prosperity.

The United Nations Development Program plays a key role in achieving these goals through its operation in approximately 170 countries and territories by providing support to the government of different countries so that they can chalk out their national plans and policies in coherence with these goals.

These goals are made on the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’. These goals are referred to as the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.

So a regular check needs to be maintained in order to ensure that these that these goals are duly and timely achieved.

Here is a list of all the proposed goals :

1. No poverty

It aims to end extreme poverty, develop policies for their development and provide equal rights and access to economic resources especially to the poor and vulnerable groups.

2. Zero hunger

It aims to end malnutrition, increase agricultural productivity to ensure food security and ensure the proper functioning of agricultural markets.

3.Good health and well- being

It aims to tackle global health issues, reduce mortality rate, reduce accidental deaths, promote mental health and provide access to affordable medical services to all.

4. Quality Education

It aims to provide quality education to all both at primary as well as secondary level supplemented by vocational training and skill development practices.

5. Gender Equality

It aims to end all forms of discrimination, violence and harmful practices prevailing against women and provide equal opportunities to women in all fields.

6. Clean water and sanitation

It aims to provide equitable and affordable access to clean water and sanitation to all as these constitute the basic amenities.

It covers the aspects of effective water management, end of open defecation, protection of water bodies and development of hygienic living conditions for all including special recognition and solution of the problems faced by women related to sanitation.

7. Affordable and clean energy

It aims to provide access to affordable, clean, modern and reliable energy to all. It has a dual aspect as on one hand, it promotes the development of renewable sources of energy and on the other, it seeks to make accessible these energy resources to all the nations of this world.

8. Decent work and economic growth

Unemployment has become a fear nowadays and a cause for bleak future of youth. To eradicate this global problem, this goal seeks to develop a strategy for sufficient job creation, development of entrepreneurial skills and the promotion of creativity and innovation.

9. Industry, innovation, and infrastructure

It aims to provide a resilient and sustainable approach to industrialization, an eco-friendly approach as a parameter for innovation, development of small enterprises through provisions of easy accessibility to finance and other required inputs and promote technological advancement.

10. Reduced inequality

Income inequality has been a problem for almost every economy of the world. This goal seeks to reduce income inequality not only at the level of an economy but also at the global platform by giving more development opportunities to the developing and underdeveloped nations.

11. Sustainable cities and communities

In the past years, there has been a massive shift of people from villages to cities. So, the need of the hour becomes the development of these cities in order to absorb this shift.

In wake of this scenario, the UN seeks to strengthen the transportation system, sustainable human accommodation planning, protection of heritage sites, improved waste management and many more.

12. Responsible consumption and production

The goal of sustainable development can’t be achieved until and unless we incorporate this goal in basic human activities- production and consumption. A move towards efficient production and planned consumption can act as a great lead in this direction.

13. Climate action

This goal aims to devise the action plan to combat climate change and its lethal consequences.

14. Life below water

The greedy motives of mankind have not even left our water bodies and its creatures unperturbed. This goal describes the methods and techniques which can be used to conserve our marine ecosystem and highlights the importance of in-depth research in this field.

15. Life on land

It includes protection of the terrestrial ecosystem and conservation of biodiversity- the very foundation of healthy living. It also aims to end land degradation and manage the forests sustainably.

16. Peace and justice strong institutions

This goal aims to develop an accountable government, corruption-free institutions, reduction in the production of unproductive goods and a platform neutral for everyone.

17. Partnerships to achieve the goal

This goal facilitates the achievement of above-mentioned goals by strengthening the means of its implementation and ensuring the availability of the resources to produce the desired outcome. This goal highlights the importance of coordination and a unified approach.

The Report of the Secretary-General, The Sustainable Development Goals highlights the importance of intensification of efforts in the sectors where the progress is slow.

According to The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2018 published by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, there has been an increase in hungry people and food insecurity.

At the same time, it was reported that there has been an improvement in the standard of living of people in comparison to a decade ago. There has been a reduction in the under-five mortality rate and access to electricity has almost doubled since 2000.

There was an increase in malaria cases and social insecurity in 2016 in comparison to 2015. The rate of child marriage is declining all around the world as per the report.

All these goals are made to achieve the target by 2030 and since a much larger period of time awaits than what has passed since the introduction of these goals, a clear judgment can’t be made as to whether these will be achieved or not but an estimate can be made of the extent to which it will be achieved through an analysis of how much we have achieved.