About Sustainable Development Goals
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.
SDGs Are Participatory Designed
Unlike its predecessor, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are designed to engage all development actors, including governments, civil society organizations (CSOs), the private sector, academics, and others. Approximately 8.5 million votes from citizens worldwide also contributed to the formulation of the SDGs' Goals and Targets.
Leave No One Behind
A key principle of the SDGs is "Not Leaving Anyone Behind." This principle requires the SDGs to address at least two main aspects: procedural justice and substantive justice. Procedural justice refers to the degree to which all stakeholders, especially those previously excluded, can participate in the entire development process. Substantive justice pertains to the extent to which development policies and programs effectively address the issues faced by citizens, particularly those in marginalized groups.
End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG 1) aims to end poverty in all its forms everywhere. It seeks to eradicate extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $1.25 a day, and reduce the overall poverty rate by half by 2030. The goal emphasizes the importance of social protection systems, access to essential services, and building the resilience of the poor to economic, social, and environmental shocks, ensuring inclusive growth and sustainable development.
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2) aims to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. It focuses on ensuring everyone has access to sufficient and nutritious food all year round, particularly the poor and vulnerable, including infants. The goal emphasizes sustainable food production systems, resilient agricultural practices, and improving the productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, ensuring a sustainable future for all.
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. It focuses on reducing maternal and child mortality, combating communicable and non-communicable diseases, and ensuring universal access to health services and medications. The goal emphasizes the importance of health systems strengthening, addressing health risks, and promoting mental health and well-being to achieve a healthier, more equitable world.
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. It focuses on providing free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education, improving access to early childhood development, and ensuring equal access to affordable technical, vocational, and higher education. The goal emphasizes the importance of eliminating gender disparities, enhancing literacy and numeracy skills, and fostering a culture of lifelong learning to support sustainable development and individual empowerment.
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. It focuses on ending all forms of discrimination, violence, and harmful practices against women and girls. The goal emphasizes ensuring women's full and effective participation in leadership and decision-making, securing equal opportunities in all areas of life, and addressing barriers to gender equality such as unequal access to education, healthcare, and economic resources. Promoting gender equality is seen as essential for building a just, inclusive, and prosperous society.
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. It focuses on providing universal access to safe and affordable drinking water, adequate sanitation, and hygiene. The goal emphasizes improving water quality, reducing pollution, minimizing the release of hazardous chemicals, and increasing water-use efficiency across all sectors. It also highlights the importance of protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems and supporting local communities in improving water and sanitation management to ensure a sustainable and equitable future.
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. It focuses on increasing the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix, improving energy efficiency, and enhancing international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology. The goal emphasizes expanding infrastructure and upgrading technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services, particularly in developing countries, to support economic growth, human well-being, and environmental sustainability.
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8) aims to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. It focuses on increasing economic productivity, creating quality jobs, and ensuring safe and secure working environments. The goal emphasizes the need for innovation, entrepreneurship, and encouraging formalization and growth of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. It also addresses the eradication of forced labor, modern slavery, and child labor, ensuring that economic growth benefits everyone and contributes to sustainable development.
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG 9) aims to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation. It focuses on developing quality, reliable, and sustainable infrastructure to support economic development and human well-being. The goal emphasizes promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, increasing the access of small-scale industries to financial services, and enhancing scientific research and technological capabilities. It also highlights the importance of fostering innovation and ensuring equal access to information and communication technologies, particularly in developing countries, to drive sustainable and inclusive growth.
Reduce inequality within and among countries
Sustainable Development Goal 10 (SDG 10) aims to reduce inequality within and among countries. It focuses on addressing the disparities in income and wealth distribution, improving the social, economic, and political inclusion of all individuals, regardless of their background. The goal emphasizes the need for equitable policies and increased support for marginalized groups to promote equal opportunities and reduce inequalities. It also highlights the importance of ensuring that growth and development benefits are shared more fairly to foster social cohesion and sustainable development.
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11) aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. It focuses on ensuring access to safe and affordable housing, improving urban infrastructure, and enhancing the safety and sustainability of urban environments. The goal emphasizes the need to reduce the number of people living in slums, promote sustainable urban planning, and support community-led development to create resilient and vibrant cities that offer quality of life for all residents.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12) aims to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. It focuses on promoting resource and energy efficiency, reducing waste, and encouraging environmentally friendly practices across industries and communities. The goal emphasizes the need for a shift towards sustainable practices in production and consumption, minimizing the environmental impact of economic activities, and fostering a circular economy that reduces waste and optimizes resource use to support long-term environmental sustainability.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13) aims to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. It focuses on strengthening resilience and adaptive capacities to climate-related hazards, integrating climate change measures into national policies and strategies, and enhancing international cooperation to support developing countries. The goal emphasizes the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing climate finance, and promoting climate action to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change, ensuring a sustainable future for all.
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) aims to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources. It focuses on reducing marine pollution, protecting marine ecosystems, and promoting sustainable fishing practices. The goal emphasizes the importance of preserving marine biodiversity, managing and protecting coastal and marine areas, and increasing scientific knowledge to support the health and sustainability of ocean environments, ensuring they can continue to provide vital resources and ecosystem services for future generations.
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Sustainable Development Goal 15 (SDG 15) aims to protect, restore, and promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, manage forests sustainably, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss. It focuses on conserving natural habitats, combating deforestation, and supporting biodiversity to ensure ecosystem resilience and the provision of essential services. The goal emphasizes the importance of sustainable land management practices and protecting the world’s flora and fauna to maintain ecological balance and support human well-being.
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16) aims to promote peace, justice, and strong institutions. It focuses on reducing violence, ensuring access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels. The goal emphasizes the importance of promoting the rule of law, combating corruption and bribery, and enhancing transparency and participation in decision-making processes. It seeks to foster peaceful and inclusive societies where human rights are respected and governance is effective and accountable.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
Sustainable Development Goal 17 (SDG 17) aims to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development. It focuses on enhancing cooperation among governments, the private sector, and civil society to mobilize resources, share knowledge, and build capacity for achieving the SDGs. The goal emphasizes the need for financial support, technology transfer, and equitable trade partnerships to address global challenges collaboratively and ensure that sustainable development efforts are effective and inclusive.