United Nations New Development Goals

NEW PROBLEMS, NEW SOLUTIONS: THE UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

The United Nations, since its establishment in 1945, has been a world stage or a global platform for the countries of the World to come together, collaborate and cooperate on numerous issues that affect the world at large. The working mechanism of the UN is such, as would suggest the working of a world community, which aims at the greater good of the world and its people, at large, transcending boundaries and borders.

MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS 

In September 2000, leaders of 189 countries gathered at the United Nations headquarters and signed the historic Millennium Declaration, in which they committed to achieving a set of eight measurable goals that ranged from halving extreme poverty and hunger to promoting gender equality and reducing child mortality, by the target date of 2015.  Countries of the world worked towards ratifying this declaration in their respective states by formulating plans and their consequent application.
The MDGs were revolutionary in providing a common language to reach global agreement. The 8 goals were realistic and easy to communicate, with a clear measurement/monitoring mechanism.  The MDGs established measurable, universally-agreed objectives for eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, preventing deadly but treatable disease, and expanding educational opportunities to all children, among other development imperatives.
Substantial progress has been made regarding the MDGs. The world realized the first MDG of halving the extreme poverty rate by 2015.
The MDG Fund contributed directly and indirectly to the achievement of the MDGs. It adopted an inclusive and comprehensive approach to the MDGs. The approach was guided by the Millennium Declaration and its emphasis on development as a right, with targeted attention directed towards traditionally marginalized groups such as ethnic minorities, indigenous groups, and women.
 However, the achievements have been uneven. Despite some initial success, the goals could not be fulfilled by the countries in entirety in the 15 years that they had in hand, since the inception of the plan.

 The causes for this incomplete implementation ranged from wars, economic crises, epidemics, lack of cooperation and collaboration, poor plans of implementation and the like. As a consequence, most countries remain in the same state, as they did 15 years ago, if not worse.

The MDGs, set to expire in 2015 gave way to the discussion of a post-2015 agenda. On completing 70 years of its inception and reaching the end of the duration/ the implementation period of 15 years for these goals, the diplomats from over 195 countries came together and worked on newer goals that need to be achieved.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS 

Voices around the world are demanding leadership on poverty, inequality and climate change. To turn these demands into actions, world leaders gathered on 25 September 2015, at the United Nations in New York to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The focus has now shifted towards building a sustainable world where environmental sustainability, social inclusion, and economic development are equally valued.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

 The concept of the SDGs was born at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, in 2012. The objective was to produce a set of universally applicable goals that balances the three dimensions of sustainable development: environmental, social, and economic.

THE RIO +20 CONFERENCE 

 The Rio+20 conference (the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development) in Rio de Janeiro, June 2012, galvanized a process to develop a new set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which will carry on the momentum generated by the MDGs and fit into a global development framework beyond 2015.

In the interest of creating a new, people-centeric development agenda, a global consultation was conducted online and offline. Civil society organizations, citizens, scientists, academicians, and the private sector from around the world were all actively engaged in the process.

Activities included thematic and national consultations, and the My World survey led by the United Nations Development Group. Specialized panels were also held and provided ground to facilitate intergovernmental discussions. The UN Secretary General presented a synthesis of the results of these consultation processes.

In July 2014, the UN General Assembly Open Working Group (OWG) proposed a document containing 17 goals to be put forward for the General Assembly’s approval in September 2015. This document set the ground for the new SDGs and the global development agenda spanning from 2015-2030.
Resolution No. A/RES/70/1, titled ‘Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ was passed in the General Assembly which encapsulates the 17 SDGs that have been set out to be fulfilled by 2030.
The 2030 Agenda comprises 17 new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), or Global Goals, which will guide policy and funding for the next 15 years, beginning with a historic pledge to end poverty. Everywhere. Permanently.
The Preamble reads,
“The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets which we are announcing today demonstrate the scale and ambition of this new universal Agenda. They seek to build on the Millennium Development Goals and complete what they did not achieve. They seek to realize the human rights of all and to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. They are integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental.”

This new development agenda applies to all countries, promotes peaceful and inclusive societies, creates better jobs and tackles the environmental challenges of our time—particularly climate change. The Sustainable Development Goals must finish the job that the Millennium Development Goals started, and leave no one behind.

THE GOALS 

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as proposed by the OWG :-

Goal 1
End poverty in all its forms everywhere

Goal 2
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture

Goal 3
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

Goal 4
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all

Goal 5
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Goal 6
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Goal 7
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all

Goal 8
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all

Goal 9
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation

Goal 10
Reduce inequality within and among countries

Goal 11
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Goal 12
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Goal 13
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Goal 14
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development

Goal 15
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss

Goal 16
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Goal 17
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FUNDS 

The SDG Funds is an international cooperation mechanism that supports sustainable development. It facilitates UN agencies to collaborate with national partners to build integrated and sustainable responses to development challenges.

It has been described as,
“The first cooperation mechanism specifically designed to achieve the future SDGs. Building upon the experience and lessons learned of the previous MDG Achievement Fund (2007-2013), the SDG Fund intends to act as a bridge in the transition from MDGs to SDGs, providing concrete experiences on how to achieve a sustainable and inclusive world post-2015 through its integrated and multidimensional joint programmes.”

Effect

It is too early in time to gauge the impact that the Global Goals are likely to have as the brainchild is still in its very latent stage. However, considering the increased cooperation among nation states, more dedicated funds for the cause, the increased realisation of a “community sentiment” among nation states, experiences of the past and better implementation programmes seem to suggest that the plan will be quite effective in achieving the objectives that it sets out to.

The UN has certainly been instrumental in getting the world to where it stands as of today. The countries, now realising the duty they owe, not only to a people, but to the human race at large, will most certainly cooperate towards achieving this novel-noble objective. However, the extent of its effectiveness, only time will tell.
Stay tuned to The InfoMission Project’s Blog for detailed analyses of the Goals!