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Introduction
Now that we have looked at their predecessors, we will study the Sustainable Development Goals. We will focus on each goal, detailing exactly what needs to be achieved to reach them. You will see that the Sustainable Development Goals are expansive, and address health, education, infrastructure, security, gender and economic inequality, as well as climate change, waste, and production. The goals are also interdependent, requiring a massive coordinated effort within and across countries to achieve them.
From the last lesson, you will be able to see the evolution of development standards from 2000 until 2015, when the SDGs were created.
Now that we have looked at their predecessors, we will study the Sustainable Development Goals. We will focus on each goal, detailing exactly what needs to be achieved to reach them. You will see that the Sustainable Development Goals are expansive, and address health, education, infrastructure, security, gender and economic inequality, as well as climate change, waste, and production. The goals are also interdependent, requiring a massive coordinated effort within and across countries to achieve them.
From the last lesson, you will be able to see the evolution of development standards from 2000 until 2015, when the SDGs were created.
Aims and Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- See the progression between the MDGS to the SDGs
- Describe in detail the 17 SDGs and why they are important to achieving global sustainable development
- Understand the work of UNDP, the UN body responsible
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Click on the icon on the left to watch the video!
Before we dive into the SDGs in full, we must understand how the United Nations moved from the MDGs to the SDGs. After the end of the MDG mandate, oceans were still becoming more acidic, one out of every nine persons was hungry each night and illiteracy was still high. The United Nations, then, created a new set of goals that set out to be more interdependent and ready to face the transforming planet. |
The SDGs - diving in!
Since you now have studied the MDGs and seen how the UN transitioned from them to the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, we will now go into an in-depth study on each of the 17 SDGs.
The Sustainable Development Goals are based on the idea that we should use the resources on this planet in such a way that also preserves it for future generations. Sustainable development balances three ‘pillars’:
1) environmental sustainability, meaning responsible consumption and a lack of pollution,
2) social sustainability, meaning equal rights and social cohesion, and
3) economic sustainability, in which everybody has access to dignified work, compensated at a rate that provides for them and their families.
Since you now have studied the MDGs and seen how the UN transitioned from them to the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, we will now go into an in-depth study on each of the 17 SDGs.
The Sustainable Development Goals are based on the idea that we should use the resources on this planet in such a way that also preserves it for future generations. Sustainable development balances three ‘pillars’:
1) environmental sustainability, meaning responsible consumption and a lack of pollution,
2) social sustainability, meaning equal rights and social cohesion, and
3) economic sustainability, in which everybody has access to dignified work, compensated at a rate that provides for them and their families.
Click on each image to read more about the particular SDG... then read the corresponding "Did you know that..." section...
Did you know that…
According to the World Bank, some 1.1 billion people have moved out of extreme poverty since 1990. Despite the progress made during the MDGs, however, the number of people living on less than $1.90 is still very high, with estimates in 2013 placing this number at 767 million people. It was thus necessary to reinclude the idea of reducing poverty, in an attempt to encourage the international community to focus on this topic. Source: http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/poverty/overview |
Did you know that…
Hunger has the possibility of being a tool that armed groups and organized crime groups can use to keep societies under control and defeated. An example of this is the terrorist organization Al-Shabab in Somalia, who is denying food aid to families who are already affected by a severe drought. UNICEF estimates that in 2015, over 300,000 children under the age of five were malnourished, and with a recent increase in Al-Shabab blockades, this number is only set to grow. SDG 2 is a goal that works not only to decrease food hunger, but in turn helps increase peaceful societies. Sources: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/in-somalia-islamist-rebels-are-blocking-starving-people-from-getting-food/2017/05/26/5b5284c8-39bf-11e7-a59b-26e0451a96fd_story.html?utm_term=.823a297f8173 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-39296517 https://www.unicef.org/somalia/nutrition.htm |
Did you know that…
According to the UN, since 2000, road deaths have increased by thirteen per cent. In Malta in 2016, 6,500 traffic accidents occurred of which 23 were fatal. On a global level, in 2013, 1.25 million people died due to road traffic injuries. This has since become one of the leading causes of death for males aged 15-29. This SDG covers many various topics regarding health, including the number of accidents caused by traffic. Health is thus defined by this SDG as an overarching issue covering various aspects related to health and well-being, and not just those that can be cured in a hospital. Sources: www.independent.com.mt/articles/2016-12-24/local-news/6-500-traffic-accidents-in-2016-23-fatalities-Minister-Abela-6736168295 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg3 |
Did you know that…
South African President Nelson Mandela said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. From this, one can conclude that all members of the world community must have a quality education, no matter their class, gender or other marking features. In an attempt to create greater transparency, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has created on online platform that presents information about the progress various countries are making to increase the amount of girls educated. Sources: https://blog.usaid.gov/2013/04/education-the-most-powerful-weapon/ http://uis.unesco.org/en/news/uis-launches-eatlas-gender-inequality-education |
Did you know that…
While the view on gender equality can often be measured in terms of women politicians, the presence of women in politics does not always real reflect advancement in terms of gender equality in the greater society. A perfect example is of Rwanda. While 64% of women made up the parliament in 2016, this idea of women leaders has not yet become accepted by the greater Rwandan society, where traditional gender roles are often found at home. It is thus necessary for SDG to include ‘all forms of discrimination based on gender’ for this will go beyond just politicians but also reach the average citizen. Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/apr/07/rwanda-women-empowered-impoverished http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/07/29/487360094/invisibilia-no-one-thought-this-all-womans-debate-team-could-crush-it 
Did you know that…
Many countries around the world have the opportunity to swap out current energy producers for clean ones. The International Renewable Energy Agency released a report entitled Africa 2030: Roadmap for a renewable energy future. This report creates a roadmap that discusses the massive potential African states have to create clean energy. When thinking of the Global Commons, this idea that some resources such as the air are beyond political reach, is also important in remember that every country must make an effort to create clean energy so that this global common remains accessible not just until 2030, but for centuries to come. Sources: http://www.irena.org/DocumentDownloads/Publications/IRENA_Africa_2030_REmap_2015_low-res.pdf http://staging.unep.org/delc/GlobalCommons/tabid/54404/Default.asp 
Did you know that…
This topic seeks to improve infrastructure across the international community. This will ensure that developing countries have a louder voice during discussions on international economic and financial institutions to create a more holistic decision that does not simply affect developed states. Additionally, this SDG is set to be one of the topics of the High Political Forum at the United Nations in 2019. One of the targets is “Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets”. Sources: http://edition.cnn.com/2017/02/21/africa/mpesa-10th-anniversary/index.html http://news.mit.edu/2016/mobile-money-kenyans-out-poverty-1208 
Did you know that…
By the end of the SDG mandate, it is expected that some 60% of the world’s population will live in cities. Rapid urbanization is affecting water ways and the environment at large. It is essential, therefore, for the success of all the other SDGs that large cities become more sustainable and take into account their impact on the environment. In 2016, the UN held its first global summit on Urbanization in Quito, Ecuador. In Quito, those present discussed the best ways to implement the sustainable urbanization practices that were required not only by the SDGs, but also by the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Another effort in a private setting has been the creation of the group known as the 100 Resilient Cities. This group provides the resources necessary to develop a sustainable development roadmap through financial and logistical guidance, expert support on resilience and more. 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) recognizes the difficulties that large cities face. As an organization sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation, 100RC strives to share the burden with these 100 cities with whom they work. Sources: http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/cities/ http://www.100resilientcities.org/about-us/ 
Did you know that…
The Paris Agreement was a major step in ensuring climate action remaining at the forefront of political discourse. This agreement aims to strengthen the ability of countries to handle climate change. To date, 160 of the 197 parties to the convention have ratified it. The Agreement hoped to bring all states together to undertake the mission of combatting climate change. Countries rely on each other to mitigate the possible damaging effects of climate change, with developed countries offering financial and structural support to developing states. Source: http://unfccc.int/paris_agreement/items/9485.php 
Did you know that…
There are a plethora of socioeconomic benefits to taking care of our land, especially forests. They keep the air clean, they fight against erosion, and more. It has become popular of late to destroy forested areas in favour of building new housing sites or large scale farming. It is imperative, according to the SDGs, that all forested areas are protected so to ensure that life on land, besides humans, can continue for the centuries. A report by the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) entitled “Living Planet Report 2016: Risk and resilience in a new era” highlights the decline of abundance in various mammals by over 58% between 1970 until 2012. The report goes on to highlight how protecting biodiversity will help to ensure that this number does not continue to grow. The WWF goes on to underline the many implications that an affected biodiversity can have on the planet, including erosion of land and increased pollution to name a few. Life on land goes beyond just human beings, and one must include all animal and plant life when conceding sustainable development Source: http://www.fao.org/forestry/socioeconomic-benefits-forests/en/ http://d2ouvy59p0dg6k.cloudfront.net/downloads/summary_wwf_living_planet_report_2016.pdf 
Did you know that…
This last SDG emphasizes the need of the global community to work together to sustainably develop the planet. As we discussed in SDG 7, the environment knows no nationality or political affiliation. Therefore, the entire international community must work together, be it developed countries helping developing countries or developing countries helping developed countries. This SDG discusses just how important the partnerships between states is in an attempt to achieve all the other 16 goals. It is no secret that there is a great economic disparity between the Global North (highly developed countries) and the Global South (developing countries). Various groups have claimed that the Global North is preventing the Global South from developing by creating unequal trade deals that simply benefit the North, and not helping the South develop in a sustainable manner. This SDG calls for equal trade partnerships, to ensure all corners of the globe have an equal support system for development. Source: https://www.healthpovertyaction.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Honest-Accounts-2017-1.pdf |
Did you know that…
This SDG is heavily interconnected with others, such as clean energy, reduced inequalities and more. So much of world processes rely on the availability of clean water. For development to continue for centuries, it is imperative that clean water be taken into account. The implementation of integrated water resource management is one of the targets of this SDG. The efficiency of water use has to be increased, especially in terms of farming and agriculture. In Senegal, various retention basins have been built as well as other water retention facilities on farms and other agricultural areas to reduce the pressure agriculture puts on fresh water resources. Sources: http://www.fao.org/land-water/water/water-management/en/ https://www.btcctb.org/story/water-agriculture 
Did you know that…
In 2015, the World Bank reported that 13.6 per cent of those aged between 19-25 were unemployed, with countries such as Italy reaching almost 40%. One of the goals of this SDG is to substantially reduce the number of youth unemployed by 2020. It is important to recognize all those of working age in creating legislation, and not simply those who are currently working but also those who are young and looking to start a career. Source: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.1524.ZS 
Did you know that…
Inequalities are rife in our modern society, and this SDG strives to reduce these inequalities. In a recent report by the NGO Oxfam, it was published that 8 men own half of the worlds wealth. Considering that roughly 1 in 10 people live on less than $2 per day, inequality continues to be a present phenomenon. The report goes on to say that these large inequalities have impacted the global political setting, with the topic of inequality often being used in campaign propaganda. From this report, one can see how reducing inequality is an important aspect of sustainable development that goes on to inform other efforts such as creating peace and justice. Source: https://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressreleases/2017-01-16/just-8-men-own-same-wealth-half-world 
Did you know that...
On 2 August 2017, people on earth used more from nature than our planet can renew in a whole year. We have done this through overfishing, overharvesting forests, and emitting more carbon dioxide that forests are unable to handle. The Earth Overshoot Campaign attempts to bring attention to this idea of responsible consumption, by reminding the world’s population that natural resources are finite. By eating a more plant based diet, using public transport, along with other steps. This date of 2 August can be pushed back. Take a moment to follow the link below to calculate your personal ecological footprint. Link for Calculator: http://www.footprintcalculator.org/ Source: http://www.overshootday.org/ 
Did you know that…
While most of the time we are concerned with life on land, we must also take into account the importance of life in the earth’s waterways. In Malta, there exists fish4tomorrow, an organization that strives to provide tools necessary to consumers to make responsible choices to ensure the continued life of local fish. This NGO recognizes the danger of overfishing, and how this greatly affects not only life below water, but in turn how the entire ecosystem operates. This locally-based NGO lobbies and campaigns for increased protection for fish as well as environmentally sustainable seafood in Malta. Fish4tomorrow and their mission show how important it is to protect and sustain life below water. Source: http://fish4tomorrow.com/ 
Did you know that…
In this SDG, it is imperative to include an access to justice, fairness and transparency. To ensure these ideals, various non-governmental organizations, such as Transparency International, were created to act as a monitor for peace, just, and institutions. Transparency International publishes every year a table the seeks to chart the perception of corruption in various countries. This table, the “Corruption Perception Index”, analyses the interplay of corruption and inequality, as well as how politicians deal with corruption. In 2016, Denmark and New Zealand ranked first, Malta fell at number 47, and Somalia took the final spot with the least transparent government according to Transparency International. This chart shows that there still is a lot of work to be done, and that all countries (even Denmark and New Zealand) have areas in which they could improve. Sources: https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_perceptions_index_2016#table https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20170125/local/malta-drops-10-places-in-corruption-index.637515 |
Case Study
Now that we have studied all 17 SDGs, we will read about one UN body that is making great strides in achieving them.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is an arm of the United Nations that aims to eradicate poverty and reduce inequalities. UNDP works directly with governments and non-governmental organisations in 170 countries to develop policies and capabilities that lead to development. It especially works in three main areas:
1) sustainability,
2) democratic governance and peacebuilding, and
3) climate and disaster resilience.
In 2015-6, UNDP helped to develop measures that reduced carbon emissions in 94 countries, ensured nearly 2 million people had access to anti-retroviral drugs (the drugs that combat and control HIV), and developed over 1,200 disaster risk reduction policies, ensuring lives, jobs, and infrastructure was less likely to be destroyed by natural disasters.
The UNDP is the key UN organisation that coordinates and supports countries to implement programmes to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It works with governments, the private sectors, and civil society to mainstream the agenda into all programmes. It monitors global trends, aims to accelerate programmes of sustainable development, and offers policy support.
For example, some of their projects include:
Learn more at: http://www.undp.org/
Sources:
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/ourwork/ourstories/in-egypt--adapted-technology-improves-women-s-lives.html
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/ourwork/ourstories/Ampliando-los-horizontes-laborales-en-Guatemala.html
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/ourwork/ourstories/mosuo-in-the-world-market--from-remote-village-in-china-to-moder.html
http://www.ug.undp.org/content/uganda/en/home/operations/projects/SustainableInclusiveEconomicDevelopmentProgramme/EnhancingAdaptationtoClimateSmartAgriculturePracticesinthefarmingsystemsofUganda.html
Now that we have studied all 17 SDGs, we will read about one UN body that is making great strides in achieving them.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is an arm of the United Nations that aims to eradicate poverty and reduce inequalities. UNDP works directly with governments and non-governmental organisations in 170 countries to develop policies and capabilities that lead to development. It especially works in three main areas:
1) sustainability,
2) democratic governance and peacebuilding, and
3) climate and disaster resilience.
In 2015-6, UNDP helped to develop measures that reduced carbon emissions in 94 countries, ensured nearly 2 million people had access to anti-retroviral drugs (the drugs that combat and control HIV), and developed over 1,200 disaster risk reduction policies, ensuring lives, jobs, and infrastructure was less likely to be destroyed by natural disasters.
The UNDP is the key UN organisation that coordinates and supports countries to implement programmes to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It works with governments, the private sectors, and civil society to mainstream the agenda into all programmes. It monitors global trends, aims to accelerate programmes of sustainable development, and offers policy support.
For example, some of their projects include:
- Training farmers in Uganda about good practices
- Supporting access to global markets for local artisan craftsmen and women from China
- Providing skills training and workshops for jobs for young people in Guatemala
- Improving women’s literacy through ICT in Egypt
Learn more at: http://www.undp.org/
Sources:
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/ourwork/ourstories/in-egypt--adapted-technology-improves-women-s-lives.html
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/ourwork/ourstories/Ampliando-los-horizontes-laborales-en-Guatemala.html
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/ourwork/ourstories/mosuo-in-the-world-market--from-remote-village-in-china-to-moder.html
http://www.ug.undp.org/content/uganda/en/home/operations/projects/SustainableInclusiveEconomicDevelopmentProgramme/EnhancingAdaptationtoClimateSmartAgriculturePracticesinthefarmingsystemsofUganda.html
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Creative Thinking Exercise
Now that you are familiar with the SDGs and have looked at a UN body working in this field, we can consider how these goals affect our daily lives. Before finishing this course, reflect on the following questions: 1. What is the biggest difference you noticed between the MDGs and the SDGs? 2. How would you approach the topic of sustainability and sustainable practices while preparing lessons in the classroom? How would you encourage your students to reflect on sustainable development in their daily lives? 3. Are their small aspects you can do every day to ensure the future of a productive planet? |
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Summary
In this module, we have looked at the SDGs in detail, finding out what world leaders want the world to look like by 2030. We have seen that the goals are far reaching and interdependent, a crucial fact if we are to achieve the goals.
The third module localises the issues to Malta. What does Sustainable Development look like here, and what do we need to do to ensure we achieve the SDG targets.
In this module, we have looked at the SDGs in detail, finding out what world leaders want the world to look like by 2030. We have seen that the goals are far reaching and interdependent, a crucial fact if we are to achieve the goals.
The third module localises the issues to Malta. What does Sustainable Development look like here, and what do we need to do to ensure we achieve the SDG targets.
Additional Reading
What is sustainable development? —Video that explains sustainable development to younger audiences
Global AIDS reporting-2001 to 2015: Lessons for Monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals
Ted Talk by Patrick Paul Walsh: UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda
International Migrant Remittances and their Role in Development
What is sustainable development? —Video that explains sustainable development to younger audiences
Global AIDS reporting-2001 to 2015: Lessons for Monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals
Ted Talk by Patrick Paul Walsh: UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda
International Migrant Remittances and their Role in Development
