Unlock the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals – keys to a better and more sustainable future. Access a brighter tomorrow, today!
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26 Oct 2023
6 Min Read
Adryna Chin Yee Shin (Herald's Writer), Teoh Jin (Herald's Writer), Michelle Lee Shu Ling (Student Editor)
Unlock the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals – keys to a better and more sustainable future. Access a brighter tomorrow, today!
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, constitute a comprehensive framework comprising 17 goals, 169 specific targets, and 232 measurable indicators. These elements serve one sole purpose: to address the environmental, political, and economic challenges facing humanity. Essentially, they provide a blueprint for nations to structure their policies and to monitor progress that will be reported to the international community.
The creation of the SDGs, along with the agreement reached during COP21 and the adoption of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, all in 2015, marked a new chapter in the global management of environmental crises. In this third article of our series, let’s explore the expansive realm of SDGs, their intricate interplay, and their potential to drive positive global change. We will also consider their evolution, criticisms, and their practical impact on society.
Created at the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro (Rio+20), the SDGs represented a universal call to action to address a wide range of global issues. They superseded the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were in effect from 2000 to 2015. The MDGs helped lift over one billion people out of extreme poverty and eliminated global consumption of ozone-depleting substances, among other achievements, which was truly a testament to their success.
However, the MDGs were faulted for being vague, overambitious, and unrealistic. Simultaneously, some condemned them to be unambitious when assessing the extent of unmet human needs. Ultimately, the MDGs went unrealised due to the aforementioned limitations, in addition to a lack of political will and financial crises. Notably, the early 2000s recession, triggered by the burst of the dot-com bubble among other factors, resulted in the NASDAQ Composite index losing more than 75% of its value.
The difference between the SDGs and the MDGs lies in their scope. The SDGs constitute a global and universal agenda, whereas the MDGs focused solely on developing countries. The SDGs were unique in their inclusivity, addressing everyone. Furthermore, the SDGs also relied on the private sector, alongside government funding, to achieve these goals that have a significant focus on sustainable production and consumption.
Building on this inclusive approach, the SDGs entailed the largest consultation in history, spanning a transparent three-year process involving governments, businesses, communities, universities, NGOs, and youth in designing the goals and targets. Over 7 million people participated in over 80 national surveys to gather public opinion. After meticulous drafting, all 193 Member States agreed to sign the SDGs and made a commitment to achieve them by 2030.
All 17 SDGs are interconnected. To put it into perspective, progress on one SDG would mean progress on another, and another, meaning if one succeeds, so will the rest. Therefore, it is important to regard the SDGs as collective and not individual goals waiting to be achieved. For example, if businesses practise responsible consumption and production (Goal 12), it would consequently lead to sustainable cities and communities (Goal 11).
Therefore, if achieved, the SDGs are quite literally the greatest hope for both current and future generations. But to do so, the world will need an estimated $2.5 trillion (US dollars) per year, which is about 3% of the world's economy. Albeit a hefty sum, it can be argued that this might be the world's biggest and most important investment for the future.
As a continuation of the MDGs, let's delve into the challenges that led to their replacement with the more widely supported SDGs. In 2013, a review conducted by several universities outlined some of the limitations of the MDGs. Firstly, progress across the MDGs was limited and uneven across countries. Secondly, hunger, child mortality, and maternal mortality remained alarmingly high in regions plagued by extreme poverty. Moreover, the development of the MDGs faced criticism for being puppeteered by the United States, Europe, Japan, and the World Bank. Some countries resisted more progressive goals related to gender equality and reproductive health, while the World Bank set a very conservative poverty indicator, defined as living below $1 per day. These concerns raised questions about whether the MDGs might have unintentionally perpetuated inequalities.
The development of the SDGs can be seen as an improvement since they incorporated the opinions of more than 7 million individuals, aiming to reflect a more representative view of society. However, like their predecessor, the SDGs face challenges of being broad and open to misinterpretation. Unlike their predecessor, the SDGs are interconnected, meaning that failure to achieve one goal could lead to the failure of others. Some goals may have contradictory effects, making it harder to achieve both at the same time. For instance, the pursuit of social development and justice, alongside environmental protection and sustainable development, presents significant logistical challenges. It is worth noting that the SDGs are merely recommendations by the UN and are not legally binding.
While critics of the UN may scrutinise and dwell upon every small fault of the SDGs, it is important to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. The SDGs have created a focal point for all countries to work together. Rather than focusing on their imperfections, let’s recognise that a perfect solution does not exist and use them as a foundation to build upon what they were meant to accomplish. After all, the only wrong solution is to do nothing.
In 2021, the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability found an increase in the ‘mainstreaming’ of SDGs at a local level in Japan. For example, Kitakyushu, once a polluted industrial site, has developed environmentally beneficial agendas, even incorporating SDGs in its policies such as the Kitakyushu City Basic Environmental Plan, its budgets, and its political leadership. All in all, Kitakyushu has been touted as a success story of the implementation of the SDGs.
The UN recently delivered a sobering report In its 78th General Assembly, revealing that only 15% of the SDGs have been successfully achieved. As we sit behind our screens, the UN behind its authoritative podium, and colossal corporations behind their executive desks, it may seem as if the world is moving smoothly along. However, these statistics prompt us to ponder whether the efforts thus far have been insufficient or untimely in the face of mounting global challenges.
Amid this uncertainty, it becomes increasingly crucial for all of us to play our part in a collective endeavour toward making marginally wiser decisions. Together, we can aspire to shape a future that truly embodies the essence of sustainability, fostering a world where the SDGs are not merely goals on paper but tangible realities that benefit all of humanity.
TLMUN Herald is a youth-led, non-profit publication under the Taylor’s Lakeside Model United Nations (TLMUN) Club, dedicated to amplifying the voices of today’s youth. Within TLMUN Herald, we have a committed team of editors, feature writers, marketing associates, and creative directors who work together to publish factual articles.
