What is the progress in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) post Covid-19?

Summary

The video discusses the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing the global setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which reversed six years of progress. With escalating conflicts and climate crises, the need for strategic interventions in key areas like poverty, malnutrition, and education is critical. The SDGs remain a comprehensive framework for a fairer, more sustainable world. India, ranked 121st in SDG performance, faces significant challenges, but a focused push could help accelerate progress. By targeting key SDG parameters, nations can regain momentum and work toward achieving these global goals by 2030 and beyond.

Takeaways

• 😀 The SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) have been facing a significant setback since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2019.
• 😀 The COVID-19 pandemic has erased six years of global progress on SDGs, impacting poverty, malnutrition, and other key areas.
• 😀 Climate change, conflicts, and geopolitical tensions have further exacerbated the challenges in achieving SDGs globally.
• 😀 Despite the setbacks, recovery funds totaling $17 trillion were mobilized globally, with the majority directed to wealthier countries.
• 😀 The SDGs remain the only comprehensive, universal framework to guide global efforts towards sustainable development.
• 😀 Focusing on six critical SDG parameters—poverty, malnutrition, maternal mortality, education, sex ratio, and water & sanitation—can help accelerate recovery.
• 😀 A strategic push on these six SDGs can offset the impact of the pandemic and help return to a path of progress by 2030.
• 😀 The 'No COVID-19 scenario' shows potential economic growth without pandemic impacts, while the 'COVID-19 scenario' illustrates severe long-term setbacks.
• 😀 India ranks 121st among 163 nations in the SDG Sustainability Index, with challenges in areas like malnutrition and child mortality.
• 😀 India's progress has been uneven: while climate action and resource consumption have improved, there are significant setbacks in areas like sustainable city management.
• 😀 The only way forward for global SDG progress is through targeted, strategic interventions to create a fairer, greener, and more resilient future.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)?

The SDGs consist of 17 goals established by 193 U.N. member states to promote global development in areas like eradicating poverty, saving wildlife, and ensuring environmental sustainability. They serve as a blueprint for achieving an equitable world.

How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect global progress on the SDGs?

The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating effect, wiping out six years of progress on the SDGs globally. It exacerbated existing challenges, increasing poverty, hunger, and malnutrition, and set back development efforts significantly.

What are the six SDG parameters that the world should focus on to recover from the COVID-19 setback?

The six key SDG parameters are poverty, malnutrition, maternal mortality, education, sex ratio, and water and sanitation. Focusing on these can help recover lost progress and transform the pandemic into long-term gains.

What are the three growth scenarios used to assess the impact of the SDG push?

The three growth scenarios are: 1) The 'No COVID-19' scenario, which represents economic growth without the pandemic’s effects; 2) The 'Baseline COVID-19' scenario, which shows significant increases in poverty and hunger due to the pandemic; and 3) The 'SDG Push' scenario, which outlines the impact of targeted policies aimed at accelerating progress towards a more resilient and green future.

How can targeted SDG interventions help address poverty by 2030?

Without SDG interventions, poverty was projected to rise to 11.9% by the end of 2020. However, through an SDG push, this could be reduced to 6.9% by 2030, compared to 8.4% if no action is taken.

Where does India stand in terms of SDG performance?

India ranks 121st among 163 countries in the SDG performance index with a score of 60.3. While India has made progress in areas like climate action and responsible consumption, it still faces challenges in sustainable city management and other areas affected by COVID-19.

What impact did COVID-19 have on India’s progress on SDGs?

The COVID-19 pandemic caused setbacks in India's SDG progress, particularly in terms of child malnutrition and child mortality rates. Projections show that nearly 8% of children were malnourished in 2015, and despite efforts, child mortality rates may not improve significantly by 2050.

What is the 'SDG Push' scenario, and how does it benefit global development?

The 'SDG Push' scenario emphasizes the need for strategic policy interventions to accelerate progress towards the SDGs. It aims to tackle urgent issues like poverty and hunger and help recover lost ground by fostering a fairer, more resilient, and environmentally sustainable future.

What role do SDGs play in global cooperation?

The SDGs act as a universal framework for international cooperation. In a multi-polar world with rising geopolitical tensions, they provide the only comprehensive and inclusive vision for fostering global dialogue, ensuring sustainable development, and maintaining peace and prosperity.

What are the challenges and opportunities presented by the SDGs in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic?

The pandemic has heightened challenges like poverty and malnutrition, but it also offers an opportunity to refocus global efforts on SDG targets. A strategic SDG push can turn the crisis into long-term gains by addressing these challenges through policy interventions, particularly in areas like poverty reduction and healthcare.