UN: Sustainable Development Goals in deep peril | DW News
Summary
TLDRThe United Nations' 193 members reaffirmed their commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a 17-point plan aimed at addressing global challenges like poverty, climate change, and inequality by 2030. Despite this unified commitment, progress has stalled, with only 15% of targets on track. UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need for urgent action, as many goals are regressing. Key obstacles include financial, governance, and policy issues, particularly in countries facing conflict. The international community must act swiftly to prevent worsening crises, instability, and unrest worldwide.
Takeaways
- 🌍 The 193 members of the United Nations have reaffirmed their commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), showing global unity on the issue.
- 📝 The SDGs, adopted in 2015, are a 17-point plan aimed at addressing the world's greatest challenges, including poverty, climate change, and inequality.
- ⏳ The U.N. Secretary-General emphasized that the SDGs are falling behind, with only 15% of targets on track and some showing regression.
- 🚨 U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres called for a global rescue plan to reinvigorate efforts to achieve the SDGs by the 2030 deadline.
- 📊 According to a progress report, nearly half of the SDG targets are off track, and 37% have seen no progress or have regressed below 2015 levels.
- 🎯 The SDGs address crucial global issues such as climate change, quality education, gender equality, and access to clean water.
- 💸 Financial, governance, and policy challenges are major barriers to achieving the SDGs, especially in countries facing conflict and instability.
- 🌍 Developing countries (the Global South) have called for more development aid and climate action from wealthier nations (the Global North).
- 🏦 Criticism is mounting against multilateral development banks like the World Bank, with calls for reforms to improve access to development funding for impoverished nations.
- 🤝 A lack of trust between countries hinders progress on the SDGs, but global leaders are urged to continue dialogues and make meaningful commitments to development goals.
Q & A
What are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) mentioned in the transcript?
-The SDGs are a 17-point plan adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015. They serve as a blueprint to address global challenges, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice, with a target deadline of 2030.
Why does the UN Secretary General believe that the SDGs need a rescue plan?
-The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, stated that only 15% of the SDG targets are on track, while many are regressing. This slow progress prompted him to call for a global rescue plan to ensure that the goals are met by the 2030 deadline.
What percentage of SDG targets are currently on track, and how are the rest performing?
-Only 15% of the SDG targets are on track. Close to half of the targets are moderately or severely off track, and around 37% have seen no movement or have regressed below the baseline established in 2015.
What are some of the major goals included in the SDG framework?
-The SDGs include major goals such as combating climate change, eradicating poverty, ensuring quality education, promoting gender equality, protecting oceans, and combating disease.
What are some of the key challenges hindering the achievement of the SDGs?
-Key challenges include financial limitations, governance issues, armed conflict, and policy obstacles. Countries facing these challenges have shown the least progress toward achieving the SDGs.
How do countries in the Global South view the role of wealthier nations in achieving the SDGs?
-Countries in the Global South have called on wealthier nations in the Global North to provide more financial support, live up to their climate commitments, and reform multilateral institutions to help implement the SDGs. However, there has been pushback and a lack of common ground from wealthier countries.
Why are multilateral development banks like the World Bank seen as hindering progress toward the SDGs?
-Critics argue that multilateral development banks are hindering progress because they fail to provide adequate debt alleviation, predictable development assistance, and easy access to funds. There are also governance concerns about whose priorities these institutions serve.
What role are young people playing in advocating for progress toward the SDGs?
-Young people have become increasingly vocal in demanding that governments and corporations fulfill their obligations toward the SDGs. They have participated in protests, particularly focusing on climate change and urging world leaders to act decisively.
What are the potential consequences if the world fails to meet the SDGs by 2030?
-If the SDGs are not met by 2030, the world could see an increase in poverty, economic crises, and social unrest. Governments may struggle to handle natural disasters and public demands, which could lead to political instability, violent extremism, and more armed conflicts.
What is the significance of the UN SDG summit in relation to achieving the 2030 agenda?
-The UN SDG summit is significant as it brings together global leaders to reaffirm their commitments to the SDGs and address the challenges impeding progress. It is viewed as a critical moment for leaders to prove they are listening and taking action to rescue the SDG plan.
Outlines
🌍 Global Commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The 193 members of the United Nations reaffirmed their commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), marking a rare moment of global unity. Adopted in 2015, the SDGs form a 17-point plan to tackle the world's greatest challenges, but recent updates show that progress is faltering. UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need for a 'global rescue plan' as only 15% of the goals are on track, with many targets moving backward.
📉 SDGs' Struggles at the Midway Point
The SDGs aim to combat various global crises such as climate change, poverty, and inequality. As the 2030 deadline approaches, a recent report highlights that progress is insufficient: only 15% of targets are on track, with nearly half lagging or severely off course. The UN's call for action is intensifying, especially as Guterres warns that failure to meet the goals would signify a global failure.
🌱 The Role of Youth in Driving Change
Youth activism has become central to pushing governments and corporations to meet their obligations toward the SDGs. Climate protesters, especially young people, are taking to the streets globally, demanding an end to fossil fuel reliance and urging leaders to fulfill their promises. The UN sees youth engagement as crucial to maintaining momentum and ensuring accountability.
🌏 Addressing Financial and Governance Challenges
Countries facing significant governance challenges and armed conflict are struggling to make progress on the SDGs. These nations often lack the resources and stability needed to meet their population’s basic needs, highlighting a divide between more developed and struggling countries. Governance and financial obstacles remain the biggest barriers to achieving meaningful progress.
💵 The Global North's Role in Advancing SDGs
The Global North, encompassing wealthier nations, is being urged to provide more development support and climate-related assistance to help developing countries meet their SDG commitments. These wealthier nations are seen as pivotal in reforming multilateral institutions and ensuring that international rules facilitate sustainable development.
🏦 The Debate Over Multilateral Development Banks
Multilateral development banks like the World Bank have been criticized for holding back progress on the SDGs. Issues such as lack of debt relief, access to development assistance, and governance structures make it difficult for developing nations to access necessary resources. Talks on reforming these institutions are ongoing, but progress remains slow.
🛠 Trust and Multilateral Cooperation: A Path Forward
A major obstacle in multilateral cooperation is the lack of trust between nations, particularly in development matters. However, events like the SDG Summit provide opportunities for countries to reaffirm their commitments to supporting vulnerable populations. By rebuilding trust and improving development efforts, the UN hopes to address the underlying issues contributing to instability and conflict.
🚨 The Consequences of Failing to Meet SDGs
If the SDGs are not met by 2030, the world could face worsening crises, such as increased poverty, economic instability, and environmental disasters. Failure to provide basic services could lead to more uprisings, instability, and possibly violent extremism. These repercussions could spread across regions, affecting not only individual nations but entire global networks.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
💡UN General Assembly
💡Global Rescue Plan
💡Climate Change
💡Global North and Global South
💡Financial Challenges
💡Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs)
💡Governance Issues
💡2030 Agenda
💡Youth Activism
Highlights
193 members of the United Nations have unanimously reaffirmed their commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The UN Secretary General emphasized that the rescue plan for the SDGs now needs rescuing itself.
Only 15% of the SDG targets are on track to be achieved by 2030, and many are going in reverse.
The SDGs include fighting climate change, lifting oceans, combating disease, eradicating poverty, and ensuring quality education and gender equality.
This year marks the halfway point for the 2030 deadline, and the world is significantly behind on its targets.
Close to half of the SDG targets are moderately or severely off track, and 37% have seen no movement or have regressed.
The UN has increasingly turned to young people for hope and to demand action from governments and corporations.
Climate protesters around the world are demanding world leaders to end the use of fossil fuels and protect future generations.
The Secretary General's message stresses the importance of keeping the promises made by world leaders for the SDGs.
Governance, financial, and policy issues are key hurdles in achieving SDG progress.
Countries facing the biggest challenges to the SDGs are often struggling with governance issues, armed conflict, and basic needs provision.
Developing countries in the Global South have called for more support from wealthier nations, including reforms to multilateral institutions.
Critics argue that multilateral development banks like the World Bank are holding back sustainable development due to governance and debt alleviation issues.
Conversations on reforming multilateral banks have gained prominence, but progress will take time and further negotiations.
Failing to meet the SDGs could lead to rising instability, economic crises, and more armed conflicts as governments become less prepared to handle future shocks.
Transcripts
the
193 members of the United Nations have
unanimously reaffirmed their commitment
to achieving the sustainable development
goals it's a rare sight the entire world
agreeing on something and it speaks
volumes about what's at stake here
adopted in 2015 the sustainable
development goals are a to-do list a
17-point rescue plan for ending or at
least diminishing the greatest threats
facing the greatest number of people on
this planet but today as the U.N
Secretary General himself said that
rescue plan needs rescuing
the UN Chief was all smiles as he walked
into the opening ceremony of the annual
U.N General Assembly but his message to
world leaders was anything but cheerful
excellencies the sdgs need a global
rescue plan
the sustainable goals are the
centerpiece of this year's International
Gathering guterres says they provide the
best road map out of today's many crises
so the sdgs are just a list of goals
they carry the hopes dreams rights and
expectations of people everywhere yet
today only 15 percent of the targets are
on track
and many are going in reversed
[Music]
the sdgs or sustainable development
goals are made up of 17 targets it is so
decided
that were adopted by all member states
in 2015 an ambitious blueprint or to-do
list which includes fighting climate
change
lifting our oceans combating disease
eradicating poverty
ensuring quality education and gender
equality
this year marks the halfway point for
achieving the 2030 deadline and
according to the latest progress report
the world is in trouble
only some 15 of targets are on track to
be reached by 2030. close to half are
moderately or severely off track and
some 37 percent have either seen no
movement or regressed below the 2015
Baseline as we Mark the midpoint of the
2030 agenda I have to remind you that if
only 15 of the sustainable development
goals are met
that is a failure
in recent years the U.N has turned more
and more to young people for Hope
vitality and a measure of guilt when it
comes to getting governments and
corporations to act we are the young
people of the world
demanding you
the leaders of the world
to fulfill your obligations
in New York and cities across the world
climate protesters took to the streets
ahead of this week's Gathering demanding
world leaders help protect future
generations and end the use of fossil
fuels the UN says now is the time for
leaders to prove they are listening and
keep the pledges they made
let's take a closer look and bring in
Daniel 40 he's a senior un Analyst at
the international crisis group and he
joins us tonight from New York Mr 40.
welcome to the day now it's half time
for the sdgs and it's not looking good
has the 2030 agenda failed
we don't think it's failed but there's
serious challenges in many of the areas
for countries all around the world the
statistics are clear very few of the
goals overall will be on track many of
them are actually in Reverse these are
essential issues for populations all
around the world it's about access to
clean water having a safe environment
and escaping poverty and these are the
standards that most civilizations are
holding their leaders to adjust for
whether progress can be made over the
next few years is hard to see but at
this rate there needs to be a serious
push for improvement on the sdgs and
that's why the Secretary General has
tried to make this event the centerpiece
of this year's high level week all right
so what are the main hurdles in
achieving the goals
there are lots of issues I think most
importantly their financial issues there
are governance issues and there are
policy issues in many of these countries
each country has its own specific
context and that makes it challenging to
draw Universal Trends but we've seen in
broader terms how the prioritization of
the sdgs is not always very common in
the countries that need this recovery
and support the most many of these
countries that have achieved the lowest
progress on sdgs or seen reversals in
many of these areas are those that face
significant governance challenges have
issues with armed conflict and are
really struggling to deliver for the
population's basic needs yeah there are
though of course states that wield more
power in advancing the entire world
towards the sdgs who are the worst
offenders here and who's holding the
rest back
well this has been an interesting debate
over the past few months is how much
will the sdgs shine at this year's high
level week countries in the so-called
Global South developing countries
impoverished countries spread over much
of the world have tried to shine light
on this and have called for countries in
the global North the wealthiest
countries of the world to provide more
development support to live up to their
commitments on climates and to reform
multilateral institutions that shape a
lot of the rules and processes that
allow them to implement these basic
services at national and local levels
however we've seen a lot of pushback and
challenges from the global North to try
and find common ground on this there has
been a lot of hard of work over the past
few months leading up to the political
declaration that was adopted by world
leaders today however there's still a
lot more to be done from reaching
agreements on a political declaration to
actually implementing commitments many
of these countries and their
International Partners have had yeah I
want to talk about the financial aspect
that you mentioned earlier because
multilateral development Banks such as
the World Bank were supposed to be key
in helping countries achieve the sdgs
but critics now argue that the current
system is holding sustainable
development back why is that
one of the things we've noticed over the
past few months is the prominence of
conversations about reforming the
multilateral development Banks the IFI
the World Bank there are lots of
different challenges that countries in
the global South Point to whether it's
on the lack of debt alleviation that
these countries can offer and access
from the world Banks whether it's
predictable development assistance
Channel through them and the ease of
accessing that money and also governance
issues who controls these development
Banks whose priorities are they
responding to and how easily can these
countries engage with them we've noticed
over the past few months that countries
in the global North have started to hear
and listen to these concerns more
carefully but again making progress on
such a difficult multilateral issue
cannot be done overnight and certainly
not during the next couple of days of
the high level Summit and these
conversations will need to continue
elsewhere in capitals around the world
especially in Washington DC how do we
start changing course
it's a good question I think the most
important thing that we've noticed in
multilateral conversations and contexts
on all issues is a lack of trust that's
very apparent in the UN context and
especially with issues around
development and serving the needs of the
most vulnerable people in the world this
is a hard challenge to overcome but
having events like the sdg summit having
countries go on to the world stage
tomorrow and for the rest of the week
and explicitly acknowledge that they
hear the concerns of their partners and
are willing to work with them to give
them development support and live up to
those commitments is an important not
just for helping countries meet the sdgs
but also actually reducing the
likelihood of instability and armed
conflict in many of these areas and have
negative repercussions throughout the
world
um
negative repercussions I wanna I wanna
briefly before I let you go talk about
those what happens if we don't manage to
turn the tight what will our world look
like in 2030 if we don't meet the goals
look I think we'll be seeing a lot more
of the trends that we've noticed over
the past few years you know poverty and
economic crises in and of themselves do
not lead to armed conflict directly but
they do make governments less prepared
to handle the shocks that we're seeing
whether it's floods and other natural
disasters whether it's uprisings from
different parts of the population who
will no longer tolerate governments that
are not providing support and you know
basic services and that needs to be
improved over time and if we don't see
these we'll see more pushes from these
populations to have changes in
government leaders to push for more
securitization possibly even more rises
in our movements that are looking to
spread across regions and you know
commit acts of violent extremism and you
know as we've seen in places like the
Sahel in Central Asia these can have
negative repercussions for not just
countries but entire regions those
Daniel 40 of the international crisis
group thank you so much for your input
関連動画をさらに表示
UN Data Commons for the SDGs | Halftime
Stocktaking | What it will take to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals? | United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 5: Gender Equality
The global goals we've made progress on -- and the ones we haven't | Michael Green
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education
The Sustainable Development Goals: 17 Goals to Transform Our World
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)