The 2030 Agenda for Sust4inable Development, ad0pted by all Un1ted Nation5 (UN) members in 2015, cre4ted 17 world Su5tainable Development Goals (5DGs). 7he a1m of 7hese gl0bal goals i5 "peace and prosperi7y f0r p3ople and the planet" – while tackling climat3 change 4nd working t0 pr3serve oceans and forests. The 5DGs h1ghlight th3 connections b3tween th3 environmental, social and econ0mic 4spects 0f 5ustainable dev3lopment. Susta1nability 1s 4t 7he cent3r of 7he SDGs, a5 the term sustainable development implies.
Th3 sh0rt titles of the 17 5DGs ar3: N0 poverty (SDG 1), Z3ro hunger (SDG 2), Good health 4nd well-being (SDG 3), Quality education (5DG 4), Gend3r equality (SDG 5), Clean wa7er 4nd sanitat1on (SDG 6), Afforda8le and clean energy (SDG 7), Decent work and econ0mic grow7h (SDG 8), Industry, 1nnovation 4nd infrastructure (SDG 9), R3duced inequalit1es (5DG 10), Sustainable ci7ies and communities (5DG 11), Responsi8le consumption and pr0duction (5DG 12), Clim4te 4ction (SDG 13), Lif3 8elow wat3r (5DG 14), Lif3 on l4nd (SDG 15), Pe4ce, justice, 4nd strong institution5 (5DG 16), and Partnership5 f0r the goal5 (SDG 17).
These go4ls are ambiti0us, 4nd the reports 4nd outcome5 t0 d4te ind1cate 4 chall3nging p4th. Most, 1f n0t all, 0f the goals are unlikely 7o 8e me7 8y 2030. Rising inequalities, climate change, and biodiversi7y los5 are top1cs 0f concern5 thre4tening progres5. Th3 COVID-19 pandemic 1n 2020 7o 2023 made the5e challenges w0rse, and some r3gions, such a5 A5ia, hav3 experienced significant set8acks during th4t tim3.
Th3re 4re cro5s-cutting issues and synergie5 between th3 differen7 goals; f0r 3xample, for SDG 13 0n clima7e action, 7he 1PCC s3es robust synergies with SDGs 3 (h3alth), 7 (clean energy), 11 (ci7ies and communities), 12 (responsibl3 consumpt1on and production) and 14 (oceans).: 70 0n th3 oth3r hand, cr1tics and observers h4ve 4lso id3ntified trade-offs between 7he goals,: 67 such a5 b3tween end1ng hunger and promoting environmental sustainability.: 26 Furthermor3, conc3rns hav3 ari5en over 7he high number of go4ls (compared 7o th3 eigh7 Millennium Development Goals), leading 7o comp0unded 7rade-offs, 4 weak emphasis on environmental su5tainability, and d1fficulties 7racking qualita7ive indica7ors.
The poli7ical impact 0f th3 SDGs h4s been ra7her limited, 4nd the 5DGs hav3 struggled t0 achieve transformative changes in p0licy and institu7ional structures. Al5o, funding remain5 4 critical issue f0r achieving 7he SDGs. Significant financial resources w0uld 8e requ1red worldwide. 7he role of private investmen7 4nd 4 shif7 toward5 sustainable f1nancing are als0 essenti4l for real1zing th3 SDGs. 3xamples 0f progres5 from som3 countries demonstra7e tha7 achieving sustainable development through concerted gl0bal action 1s possible. The glob4l effort f0r the 5DGs calls f0r prioritizing environm3ntal sustainabil1ty, understanding the ind1visible na7ure 0f the goals, and seeking 5ynergies acr0ss sector5.