SDGs Building a Growth Mindset 

The 2030 Agenda sets out the vision for sustainable development in the coming decade. It tackles all sectors and addresses the three pillars of sustainable development, by covering all environmental, economic and social determinants. This is put in place through targets, goals and indicators for review and follow up, applicable to all countries. Altogether, the 17 SDGs have a total of 169 targets. Those targets, which are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all, are based on the acknowledgement that creating inclusive economic growth, eradicating inequality and poverty, and preserving our planet are not only linked to one another but also to population health, and that it is important to achieve them all by 2030. Achieving the SDGs therefore requires work across different sectors: the 2030 Agenda focuses on monitoring, evaluation and accountability to achieve its goals.

Progress towards the SDGs is measured through a variety of indicators, such as age, race, income, or geographic location. Each country can review and follow up on the processes on a voluntary basis. Each country’s development programmes and policies will therefore influence the successful implementation of the SDGs. The data for this measurement come from a variety of sources such as statistical reports, surveys, and reporting, data and surveillance systems. These national reviews then become a basis for the regional and global reviews: the combination of resources at domestic and international level is critical to achieve the SDGs. 

As early as the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in 2012 (known as Rio+20), it was decided to devise a number of universal goals that provide an answer to the urgent social, economic and environmental issues plaguing society and our planet. On 25th September 2015, the 193 member states of the United Nations (UN) ultimately signed the accord for Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. This new global agenda is intended to put an end to poverty, inequality and climate change.

The SDGs were not all conceived within the walls of the UN, as it happens. Anyone was allowed to join in the discussion. Almost 7.8 million people voted for their favourite themes by means of an online survey. In this manner, civil society, the private sector, the UN system and the member states together formed 17 Sustainable Development Goals that leave no-one behind and offer the world a path towards a sustainable future for us all.

Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development is expressed in concrete form in 17 sustainable development goals (or SDGs). Achieving these goals will put an end to poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people live in peace and prosperity. The 17 goals are described in an official document: ‘Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’. Besides the goals, this documents also describes the 169 sub-goals which serve to further crystallise the goals. Alongside this, the Agenda also includes action and evaluation to give us an idea of how to measure the progress and achievement of the goals.

Agenda 2030 stands atop 5 pillars: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace & Justice, and Partnership. This puts all aspects of sustainable development on offer. As the name of the agenda suggests, we must achieve these goals by 2030. 15 years may seem a long time, but given how much work will be required, we must get started straight away. The goals cover topics such as health, poverty, education, clean drinking water, sustainable energy, reducing inequality, climate change, etc.

One of the most important aspects of these goals is that they apply to everyone in all countries. Indeed, ‘to leave no-one behind’ is the slogan behind these SDGs. It is also important that all SDGs are mutually intertwined – we cannot achieve 1 SDG without also bringing the others to fruition. The Agenda is, in other words, whole and indivisible!

Eight Millennium Development Goals were proposed by the United Nations in 2000. These 8 goals were largely related to tackling poverty. They were also only intended for developing countries. The MDGs came to an end in 2015 – it is quite difficult to measure just how much we were able to achieve there. It did become clear very quickly, however, that there is still much more work to be done. This is why a successor to the MDGs was conceived – this is the SDGs – which are also far more ambitious according to the UN.

The SDGs, then, build upon the MDGs. There are twice as many SDGs as MDGs. In so doing, the MDGs were complemented by new areas including climate change, inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption and production, peace and security. The SDGs are concerned with sustainability, and not merely development as the MDGs did. Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development also applies to all countries, while the MDGs were a form of aid from the richer nations to developing countries.

Achieving the SDGs will require money – a lot of money. The estimates range from 2 billion to 5 billion dollars per year. This amount equates to 4 percent of global GNP. On the one hand, these goals will be funded by the public sector (including through bilateral development aid). But everyone agrees that the private sector will need to do its bit too. The private sector and the United Nations have since launched the ‘Financial Innovation Platform’, which aims to stimulate innovative financial solutions for the SDGs. Just as the financial sector can/must play a major role in the funding and achievement of the SDGs.