World Leaders Adopt New Agenda for Global Sustainable Devt

Reflecting the shared hopes of men and women across the globe, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ranging from health to gender equality to climate change, are necessarily ambitious: They are also critical. The goals “are a to-do list for people and planet, and a blueprint for success”. The World Bank estimates that 20 percent of the world’s poorest people have some kind of disability, and tend to be regarded in their own communities as the most disadvantaged, while 90 percent of children with disabilities in developing countries do not attend school, according to UNESCO.

In the words of Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, non-state actors are today “duty-bearers” that share with states the responsibility to progressively realize the right to development. Sweden, according to one report, will lead the pack, while Norway, Denmark, Finland and Switzerland are likely to be close behind.

Like the MDGs, the SDGs are built on the recognition that implementation rests on a “revitalized global partnership” for development.

Amina Mohammed, the United Nations adviser on post-2015 development planning, said nobody “can put a figure on how much they will cost”, but insisted there is enough spare cash sloshing around.

“Companies need to be careful to understand how all the goals are interconnected”. The SDGS weigh in on more meaty topics, such as governance, institutions, human rights, inequality, ageing, peace and climate change.

She urged African countries to pay more attention to poverty and education.

There are more people to feed with less water, farmland and biodiversity. And, in a number of targets, there is a broader commitment that “all indicators should be disaggregated by sex, age, residence (urban/rural) and other characteristics, as relevant and possible”. It’s not about cherry picking the easiest, or most positive ones, but understanding what is material to their business. Another differentiating characteristic of the 2030 agenda is the pledge to leave no one behind. “We are determined to implement the 2030 Agenda which will shape our internal and external policies, ensuring the European Union plays its full part”.

This goal calls for universal access to electricity and more renewable energy.

The battle to end hunger and poverty must be principally fought in rural areas, which is where nearly 80% of the world’s hungry and poor live. And it’s clear that people on the margins – children, the elderly and disabled people – are being affected most seriously by global health threats, natural disasters, conflict and violence.

“The United Nations has agreed an ambitious, comprehensive set of goals”. Each United Nations member should aim, voluntarily, to achieve them by 2030.

How will we measure progress?

On September 29, 1:00-2:00 PM (EST), the Global Compact Network Canada will be hosting a free webinar providing an overview of the SDGs: What Canadian businesses need to know and what they can do. Importantly, the new goal includes targets for tackling noncommunicable diseases. As it stands, the SDGs are a philosophy of development rather than a decision-making framework for improving development outcomes.

The SDGs give us a sense of what the world could be if the chronic challenges that have plagued humanity for decades were answered through genuine action.

As USAID regards itself as one of the premier development agencies in the world, this event will serve as the capstone to the USA government’s efforts to make development a top priority for both our national and worldwide agenda, as well as to articulate our mission statement’s alignment with the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

“This year, 2015, is a watershed year”, said Mr. Montiel, describing the new agenda as “a unique agreement that will change the paradigm about development in the world”.