The Sustainable Development Goals – Action Towards 2030 | CAFOD and SDGs

Summary

In 2015, leaders from 193 countries adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a universal framework to combat issues like extreme poverty, hunger, and climate change over 15 years. Building on the Millennium Development Goals, the 17 SDGs emphasize inclusivity, integration of economic, social, and environmental dimensions, and the importance of participation from all sectors of society. Key principles include leaving no one behind and addressing the needs of marginalized groups. The SDGs aim for collaborative global efforts, creating a sustainable future that benefits everyone while protecting the planet.

Takeaways

• 🌍 In 2015, world leaders from 193 countries adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a global action plan for the next 15 years.
• 🚫 The SDGs aim to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, address inequality, combat climate change, and promote sustainable development for all.
• 📉 The SDGs follow the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which had mixed success, with over 800 million people still living in extreme poverty.
• 👧 More girls and boys are attending primary school than ever before, and access to water and essential medicines has increased significantly.
• ⚖️ The SDGs include 17 specific goals addressing various global issues such as health, education, gender equality, and climate action.
• 🌱 The principles of the SDGs emphasize universality, integration, leaving no one behind, and the importance of participation from all sectors of society.
• 💧 The SDGs recognize that economic growth must occur alongside environmental protection and social progress.
• 👥 The SDGs focus on ensuring that marginalized groups, including indigenous communities and people with disabilities, have access to opportunities and resources.
• 🕊️ There is a strong sense of ownership of the SDGs due to their participatory development process involving various stakeholders.
• 🤝 Successful implementation of the SDGs requires ongoing collaboration at national and local levels, with all stakeholders playing a role.

Q & A

What are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

The SDGs are a set of 17 goals adopted by world leaders in 2015 as part of a global action plan to eradicate extreme poverty, fight inequality, tackle climate change, and achieve sustainable development for all by 2030.

How do the SDGs relate to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)?

The SDGs build upon the MDGs, which were established in 2000. While the MDGs focused on reducing extreme poverty and improving basic living standards, the SDGs encompass a broader range of global challenges and emphasize the need for sustainability.

What progress has been made since the introduction of the MDGs?

Since the MDGs, the number of people living in extreme poverty has decreased by more than half compared to 1990, and there has been an increase in primary school enrollment and access to clean water and essential medicines.

What challenges remain despite progress with the MDGs?

Despite progress, over 800 million people still live in extreme poverty, and regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia have consistently achieved less progress compared to others. Vulnerable groups remain at risk from climate change and other crises.

What are the 17 SDGs?

The 17 SDGs include: End poverty, End hunger, Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being, Ensure quality education, Achieve gender equality, Ensure availability and sustainable management of water, Ensure access to affordable and sustainable energy, Promote sustained economic growth and decent work, Build resilient infrastructure, Reduce inequality, Make cities inclusive and sustainable, Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, Combat climate change, Conserve and sustainably use oceans, Protect ecosystems and biodiversity, Promote peaceful and inclusive societies, and Strengthen global partnerships.

What are the four underlying principles of the SDGs?

The four underlying principles are: universality (applicable to all countries), integration (combining economic, social, and environmental sustainability), leaving no one behind (ensuring goals are met for everyone), and participation (involving all stakeholders in the process).

Why is it important for the SDGs to be universal?

The universality of the SDGs recognizes that global challenges like climate change require coordinated global solutions, and that domestic policies in one country can have effects on other nations.

How do the SDGs address inequality?

The SDGs aim to tackle inequality by ensuring that no goal is achieved unless it is met for all, particularly marginalized groups such as women, indigenous communities, and people with disabilities.

What role does participation play in the implementation of the SDGs?

Participation is crucial for the successful implementation of the SDGs. It involves ongoing engagement from all stakeholders, including governments, civil society, the private sector, and local communities.

How do the SDGs relate to environmental protection?

The SDGs integrate environmental protection with economic development and social progress, emphasizing that sustainable practices must be adopted to ensure that development does not come at the cost of the planet's health.