Stocktaking | What it will take to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals? | United Nations

Summary

In 2015, global leaders pledged to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 to improve life, health, and the environment. Despite progress in life expectancy, gender equality, and technology access, only 15% of SDG targets are on track. Challenges like hunger, displacement, inadequate social services, and climate change persist. Urgent action is needed for increased investment in social protection, education, digitalization, energy, food systems, and environmental protection to fulfill promises for future generations.

Takeaways

• 🌐 In 2015, world leaders pledged to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 for the betterment of people and the planet.
• 📈 There's been progress in life expectancy, disease prevention, gender parity in management, and a growing middle class in developing countries.
• 🚽 Basic sanitation and hygiene are becoming more widespread, and mobile broadband access has reached over 95% of the global population.
• 🌿 The energy sector is moving towards cleaner solutions.
• 🚨 At the halfway point to 2030, only 15% of SDG targets are on track, with over a third stagnated or regressing.
• 🌾 More than 780 million people are suffering from chronic hunger.
• 🏡 Over 100 million families are displaced due to war, conflict, and human rights violations.
• 🏥 Access to social protection, education, and healthcare remains elusive for many.
• 🌡️ The Earth has warmed by 1.1 degrees Celsius, leading to extreme weather and global devastation.
• 🐦 Biodiversity is being lost at an alarming rate, posing a significant threat to ecosystems.
• 💡 To overcome these challenges, there's a call for smarter solutions, increased ambition, and a recognition of past failures.
• 💸 A massive scale-up of investments from billions to trillions is needed in social protection, job creation, education transformation, digitalization, energy transition, food system transition, and environmental protection.
• 🤝 Global solidarity is essential for the planet, people, and future generations.
• ⏰ There should be no excuses or delays; promises made must be promises kept.

Q & A

What promise did world leaders make in 2015 regarding the well-being of people and the planet?

In 2015, world leaders made a commitment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 for the well-being of all people and the planet.

What is the current status of the SDG targets halfway through the timeline?

At the halfway point, only 15% of the SDG targets are on track, and more than a third are stagnated or in regression.

What are some areas of progress mentioned in the script?

Areas of progress include increased life expectancy, disease prevention, gender parity in management positions, a growing middle class in developing economies, improved sanitation, and access to mobile broadband networks.

What are some of the challenges that are still faced in achieving the SDGs?

Challenges include chronic hunger affecting over 780 million people, displacement due to war and human rights violations, lack of social protection, education, and healthcare, and human rights abuses.

How is climate change impacting the world according to the script?

The planet is warming at 1.1 degrees Celsius, leading to extreme weather events causing devastation globally.

What is the alarming rate at which biodiversity is being lost?

The script mentions that biodiversity is being lost at an alarming rate, indicating a significant ecological crisis.

What solutions are proposed to overcome global threats?

The proposed solutions include smarter solutions, renewed ambition and determination, and recognizing past failures. It also calls for a significant increase in investments in social protection, jobs, education, digitalization, energy transition, food system transition, and environmental protection.

What is the call to action for global solidarity?

The script calls for global solidarity for the planet, for people, and for future generations, emphasizing the urgency of the situation with no excuses or delays.

What is the urgency conveyed in the script regarding the promises made by world leaders?

The script emphasizes that promises made by world leaders must be kept, indicating a strong sense of urgency and accountability.

How does the script suggest transforming education?

While the script does not provide specific details on transforming education, it implies the need for significant changes to improve access and quality in line with the SDGs.

What is the role of digitalization in the script's vision for the future?

Digitalization is seen as a key component of the future, with the script highlighting the need to invest in it as part of the broader transformation towards achieving the SDGs.