The Evolution of the Sustainable Development Goals

By Anna Levy

In 2012, our world’s leading scientists, civil society organizations, academics, and more came together to conceptualize the Sustainable Development goals - 17 written goals directed at a new, people-centered approach to furthering the global development agenda and creating a healthy and just world. Each of the goals address a different global challenge, whether it be poverty, inequality, environmental health, or climate change. While each goal is unique and significant on its own, the power of the Sustainability Goals is multiplied through their union as an overall strategy for achievable positive change on a global scale. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals combined make up the blueprint for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which serves as an international call to action to make our world a better place by the year 2030.

The ideological roots of the 17 Sustainable Goals formed in the year 2000, when the United Nations adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a series of 8 development goals aimed at producing tangible global change by the year 2015. The adoption of these goals was a major step forward in the international community's efforts to eradicate destructive forces like poverty and inequality and help developing nations integrate themselves further into the developed world. Not only did these 8 goals create a clear framework for implementing better government and social systems, but they also inspired developing African nations to devise their own innovative systems and strategies; in fact, African nations reflected considerable progress in areas such as education, gender equality, and the HIV/AIDS pandemic during the span of the MDGs. While the MDGS produced considerable developmental progress in African nations through the establishment of innovative economic and social systems, the global effort to combat developmental challenges was far from over. As the year 2015 approached, the United Nations took stock of the successes and failures of the MDGs as they began to develop a new set of guidelines for accelerating progress in decades to come.

The 2015 deadline of the Millenium Development Goals quickly transitioned into the beginnings of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were created by the United Nations in line with their 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The reason that the MDGs were so important is because they not only addressed and targeted developmental challenges in African nations, but also highlighted developmental areas that needed more urgent attention in the years to come. As such, the SDGs did not necessarily replace the MDGs, but rather expanded on them and molded them accordingly. Part of this expansion included recognizing the coexisting nature of developmental challenges; for example, eradicating poverty goes hand-in-hand with reducing inequalities and promoting access to education and other resources among minority groups. Moreover, we must also acknowledge the environmental factors that contribute to the health of our Earth and its creatures in order to holistically improve the conditions of our world.

While all of the Sustainable Development Goals are interconnected, the successes and failures of the Millenium Development Goals taught us that poverty is the biggest force preventing positive change on a global scale. Thus, it is no wonder that eradicating poverty is the first goal of the SDGs and critical to their overall achievement. Furthermore, no one can be left behind in the fight to end poverty and establish more sustainable government systems; the inclusivity and diversity of the SDGs is a defining feature that both differentiates them from the MDGs and characterizes the ambition and determination of our global communities in producing tangible positive change. The complexity of poverty as a world issue also illuminates the interconnected nature of the sustainable goals, as poverty is most prevalent in nations with extreme inequalities and weak economic and social systems. By beginning with eradicating poverty and expanding the discussion from human challenges to environmental challenges, the United Nations aims to evaluate all of the factors--environmental, people-centered, and their intersection--in order to achieve peace and prosperity for all people.

Many of the steps required to address these 17 goals require the actions of not individuals, but communities of people dedicated to improving our planet. Non-governmental organizations, government organizations, companies, and other organized groups can play a central role in advancing the sustainable development goals

Sources:

1. Office of the Special Adviser on Africa. Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). Available from: https://www.un.org/en/africa/osaa/peace/mdgs.shtml

2. United Nations. Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Available from: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld

3. United Nations: Sustainable Development Goals Fund. Millennium Development Goals. Available from: https://www.sdgfund.org/mdgs-sdgs

4. United Nations: Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Sustainable Development Goals. Available from: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300