Sustainability
What Is Sustainable Development?
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.
Sustainable development has been defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Sustainable development calls for concerted efforts towards building an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future for people and the planet.
For sustainable development to be achieved, it is crucial to harmonize three core elements: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. These elements are interconnected and all are crucial for the well-being of individuals and societies.
Eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions is an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. To this end, there must be promotion of sustainable, inclusive and equitable economic growth, creating greater opportunities for all, reducing inequalities, raising basic standards of living, fostering equitable social development and inclusion, and promoting integrated and sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystems.
The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.
The Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action by all countries – poor, rich and middle-income – to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere by promoting prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection.
Today, the Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DSDG) in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) provides substantive support and capacity-building for the SDGs and their related thematic issues, including water, energy, climate, oceans, urbanization, transport, science and technology, the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR), partnerships and Small Island Developing States. DSDG plays a key role in the evaluation of UN system wide implementation of the 2030 Agenda and on advocacy and outreach activities relating to the SDGs. In order to make the 2030 Agenda a reality, broad ownership of the SDGs must translate into a strong commitment by all stakeholders to implement the global goals. DSDG aims to help facilitate this engagement. Learn more and take action.
We Are All Connected
In this special moment in human history, we are contending with compounding social and environmental pressures, including potential climate catastrophe, global food insecurity, water pollution, and more.
But what if we utilized this era of innovation and globalization to collaborate meaningfully and coalesce the best solutions humans have to offer beyond our borders to reinvent and transform the ways our communities are built, aligning with all 17 of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.
GOAL 1: NO POVERTY
Economic growth must be inclusive to provide sustainable jobs and promote equality.GOAL 2: ZERO HUNGER
The food and agriculture sector offers key solutions for development, and is central for hunger and poverty eradication.GOAL 3: GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being for all at all ages is essential to sustainable development.GOAL 4: QUALITY EDUCATION
Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to improving people’s lives and sustainable development.GOAL 5: GENDER EQUALITY
Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.GOAL 6: CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION
Clean, accessible water for all is an essential part of the world we want to live in.GOAL 7: AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY
Energy is central to nearly every major challenge and opportunity.GOAL 8: DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
Sustainable economic growth will require societies to create the conditions that allow people to have quality jobs.GOAL 9: INDUSTRY, INNOVATION, AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Investments in infrastructure are crucial to achieving sustainable development.GOAL 10: REDUCED INEQUALITIES
To reduce inequalities, policies should be universal in principle, paying attention to the needs of disadvantaged and marginalized populations.GOAL 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
There needs to be a future in which cities provide opportunities for all, with access to basic services, energy, housing, transportation and more.GOAL 12: RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION
Responsible Production and ConsumptionGOAL 10: REDUCED INEQUALITIES
To reduce inequalities, policies should be universal in principle, paying attention to the needs of disadvantaged and marginalized populations.GOAL 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
There needs to be a future in which cities provide opportunities for all, with access to basic services, energy, housing, transportation and more.GOAL 15: LIFE ON LAND
Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity lossGOAL 16: PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS
Access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable institutions at all levels.GOAL 17: PARTNERSHIPS
Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.What Is Sustainable Development?
Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children. History will judge us by the difference we make in the everyday lives of children.”
-Nelson Mandela
