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United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Website:

www.globalgoals.org/goals/
Location:

New York, NY
Status:

United Nations (UN) Policy Goals
Formation:

2015
Director:

Juwang Zhu

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United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 policy goals that were adopted by all United Nations (UN) member states in 2015 as a part of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 1 The 17 SDGs include 169 policy targets and focus on issues including climate action, gender issues, energy production, government institutions, education issues, and global poverty. 2

Then-President Barack Obama committed the United States to achieve the SDGs in a September 2015 speech at the UN. 3 The Biden administration has said that SDGs work to advance the critical race theory-influenced concept of social justice and has pledged that the United States is fully committed to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the associated SDGs, 4 including the long-term environmentalist goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. 5 6

History

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 policy goals that were adopted by all United Nations (UN) member states in 2015 as a part of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 7

The 2030 Agenda broadly calls for critical race theory-influenced “just, equitable and inclusive societies,” supports the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, aims to reduce fossil fuel subsidies, attempts to implement universal health coverage, establishes international cooperation for orderly and regular migration, adopts policies to support the Paris Climate Agreement, establishes an ethic of global citizenship, and implements these objectives as a part of the 17 SDGs. 8

The 2030 Agenda and associated SDGs were developed over several decades by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs in a process that began after 178 UN member states adopted the Agenda 21 Framework at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Additional work by the member states at the Millennium Summit in 2000, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in 2012, work by a 70-member working group set up in 2013, 9 and work by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 helped lead to the creation of SDGs in their present form. 10 The Obama administration also played a key role in shaping these goals. 11

Sustainable Development Goals

Member states adopted a total of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 169 targets, and 7,808 actions as a part of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 17 SDGs are: 12

  1. Zero Poverty,
  2. Zero Hunger,
  3. Good Health and Well-Being,
  4. Quality Education,
  5. Gender Equality,
  6. Clean Water and Sanitation,
  7. Affordable and Clean Energy,
  8. Decent Work and Economic Growth,
  9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure,
  10. Reduced Inequalities,
  11. Sustainable Cities and Communities,
  12. Responsible Consumption and Production,
  13. Climate Action,
  14. Life Below Water,
  15. Life on Land,
  16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, and
  17. Partnership For the Goals.

Throughout the consideration and later implementation of these goals, the UN has stated that gender inequalities are deep-rooted in every society, 13 sought to limit carbon emissions by 45 percent to achieve a goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, 14 and called the concept of a universal basic income (UBI) a “periodically earned economic social service.” 15

Leadership and Implementation

The United Nations (UN)’s Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DSDG) within the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) provides substantiative support and capacity building for the SDGs and their thematic-related issues, including climate, energy, transportation, science, and technology. DSGD plays a role in UN systemwide implementation of the 2030 Agenda and has broad control of SDG commitments and implementation. 16 DSDG also coordinates member states’ efforts to implement SDGs, supports member states in preparing voluntary national reviews at the UN’s High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, and works to mobilize the UN’s system to support SDG strategies as a part of the broader 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 17

DSDG’s work focuses on analytical inputs for intergovernmental deliberations on sustainable development, leads the drafting of the UN Secretary-General’s reports on SDGs and SDG-related topics, and reviews SDG challenges. It also co-hosts an annual Science, Technology, and Innovation Forum for SDGs with other United Nations divisions. 18

Juwang Zhu is the officer-in-charge of DSDG, placing him in charge of efforts to implement the SDGs. He also leads the UN’s Division for Public Institutional and Digital Government. Prior to taking this role, Zhu was the chief of the office of the Under-Secretary-General of the UNDESA from 2008 to 2013. He was also a special advisor to the United Nations Secretary-General for the Rio+20 SDG Conference and the director of the SDG division from 2016 to 2019. Zhu graduated from Shanghai International Studies University in 1982. 19

United States Implementation Efforts

In September 2015, then-President Barack Obama committed the United States to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly. 20 The Biden administration has also pledged that the United States is fully committed to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. 21 These commitments include the prioritization of U.S. work on SDGs, 22 and working towards the long-term goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. 23 24

The Biden administration’s October 2022 National Security Strategy committed the U.S. to advancing towards SDGs. 25 The Biden administration also has invested in the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Gender Equity and Equality Action (GEEA) Fund 26 and the Climate Gender Equity Fund (CGEF) 27 to pursue women-related SDG issues and launched the U.S. Department of State’s Presidential Initiative for Democratic Renewal (PIDR) 28 to fund countries seeking to bolster their democratic regimes in line with SDGs. 29

As of February 2024, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is tasked with leading the U.S. Government’s efforts on international assistance, 30 but non-government actors are also playing a role in SDG implementation in the United States. 31

The left-of-center United Nations Foundation and Brookings Institution’s Center for Sustainable Development are leading various efforts to expand SDG-related projects within the U.S. Their joint project proposals are based on SDG-influenced projects that have taken place in Hawaii; Los Angeles, California; New York City; Orlando, Florida; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 32 These efforts are also supported by United to Act’s network of supporters. 33

2023 Sustainable Development Goals Report

In 2023, the United Nations (UN) released a report outlining progress towards accomplishing the 2030 Agenda items, with a focus on hunger, poverty, and climate-related issues. The report calls the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs the clearest blueprint of humanity’s highest aspirations and says that it is up to the whole world to achieve SDGs in full and on time for the future of humanity and the planet. 34

The report claims that developing countries are bearing the brunt of developed countries’ failure to meet SDGs, that climate financing is far below a $100 billion commitment that was made in 2020, and that middle-income countries are denied debt relief, which is a possible indictment against the Group of Twenty (G20) Common Framework for Debt Treatment. 35

To address these supposed shortcomings, the SDG goals report calls for the international community to move towards creating an SDG Stimulus Program, which would finance weather-dependent energy, services, and digital transformation programs in developing countries. It also calls to change what it calls “dysfunctional and unfair international finance architecture” to ensure that globalization efforts go to all countries, a new Bretton Woods movement to reshape global finance, domestic movements for poverty eradication, and multilateral support for the UN’s development system. 36

The report also asks governments to commit to five actions to achieve their SDGs by 2030: seven years of transformative action to deliver on SDG goals; advancing targeted policies to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality; strengthening national subnational capacity to deliver accelerated progress towards achieving SDGs; recommitting to mobilize resources in support for the SDGs; and facilitating the strengthening of the UN development system to address SDGs. 37

Funding

Many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are funded through donations to the Joint Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Fund, which is the United Nations’ flagship global fund aimed at supporting the UN’s progress towards SDGs. The Joint SDG Fund is housed at the United Nations Foundation. 38

The Joint SDG’s partners include the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Convergence Global Financing, Islamic Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Bamboo Capital, the left-of-center Rockefeller Foundation, Visa Foundation, Harvard University Business School, and others. 39

References

  1. “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda.
  2.  “The 17 Goals.” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://sdgs.un.org/goals.
  3. “Remarks by the President on Sustainable Development Goals.” Obama White House Records. September 27, 2015. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/09/27/remarks-president-sustainable-development-goals.
  4. “FACT SHEET: U.S. Action on Global Development.” The White House. September 20, 2023. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/09/20/fact-sheet-u-s-action-on-global-development/#:~:text=The%20Biden%20Administration%20is%20also,renewable%20energy%20capacity%20by%202030.
  5. “FACT SHEET: THE Biden-Harris Administration Advances Equity and Opportunity for Black Americans and Communities Across the Country.” The White House. February 27, 2023. Accessed February 10, 2024.  https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/02/27/fact-sheet-the-biden-%E2%81%A0harris-administration-advances-equity-and-opportunity-for-black-americans-and-communities-across-the-country/.
  6. “Third Global Conference on Strengthening the Synergies Between the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 2022. Accessed February 10, 2024. https://sdgs.un.org/publications/third-global-conference-strengthening-synergies-between-paris-agreement-and-2030.
  7. “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda.
  8. [1] “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda.
  9. “Background on the Goals.” SDG Accelerator. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://www.undp.org/sdg-accelerator/background-goals.
  10. “The 17 Goals.” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development. Accessed February 10, 2024. https://sdgs.un.org/goals.
  11. Sarah E. Mendelson and Anthony F. Pipa. “How to renew American leadership on the SDGs.” Brookings Institution. April 5, 2023. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-to-renew-american-leadership-on-the-sdgs/.
  12. “The 17 Goals.” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://sdgs.un.org/goals.
  13. “Gender equality and women’s empowerment.” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Accessed February 10, 2024. https://sdgs.un.org/topics/gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment.
  14. “SDG Goals.” United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Accessed February 11, 2024 https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2019/goal-13/#:~:text=To%20limit%20global%20warming%20to,net%20zero%20emissions%20by%202050.
  15. “Implementing the Universal Basic Income in Catalonia.” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://sdgs.un.org/partnerships/implementing-universal-basic-income-catalonia.
  16. “The 17 Goals.” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development. Accessed February 10, 2024. https://sdgs.un.org/goals.
  17. “About.” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Accessed February 10, 2024. https://sdgs.un.org/about.
  18.  “About.” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Accessed February 10, 2024. https://sdgs.un.org/about.
  19. “Director.” United Nations Division for Sustainable Development Goals. Accessed February 10, 2024. https://sdgs.un.org/about#director.
  20. “Remarks by the President on Sustainable Development Goals.” Obama White House Records. September 27, 2015. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/09/27/remarks-president-sustainable-development-goals.
  21. “FACT SHEET: U.S. Action on Global Development.” The White House. September 20, 2023. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/09/20/fact-sheet-u-s-action-on-global-development/#:~:text=The%20Biden%20Administration%20is%20also,renewable%20energy%20capacity%20by%202030.
  22. Kristen Cordell and Christine Li. “It’s Time for the United States to Reengage with the SDGs, Starting with SDG16.” Center for Strategic and International Studies. April 12, 2021. Accessed February 10, 2024. https://www.csis.org/analysis/its-time-united-states-reengage-sdgs-starting-sdg-16.
  23. [1] “FACT SHEET: THE Biden-Harris Administration Advances Equity and Opportunity for Black Americans and Communities Across the Country.” The White House. February 27, 2023. Accessed February 10, 2024.  https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/02/27/fact-sheet-the-biden-%E2%81%A0harris-administration-advances-equity-and-opportunity-for-black-americans-and-communities-across-the-country/.
  24. “Third Global Conference on Strengthening the Synergies Between the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 2022. Accessed February 10, 2024. https://sdgs.un.org/publications/third-global-conference-strengthening-synergies-between-paris-agreement-and-2030.
  25. “National Security Strategy.” The White House. October 2022. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Biden-Harris-Administrations-National-Security-Strategy-10.2022.pdf.
  26.  [1] “Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund.” USAID. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://www.usaid.gov/geeafund.
  27. “Climate Gender Equity Fund.” USAID. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://www.usaid.gov/gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment/climate-gender-equity-fund-cgef.
  28. “Presidential Initiative for Democratic Renewal: DRL Office of Global Program Efforts.” U.S. Department of State Fact Sheet. May 11, 2022. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://www.state.gov/presidential-initiative-for-democratic-renewal-drl-office-of-global-programs-efforts/.
  29. “FACT SHEET: U.S. Action on Global Development.” The White House. September 20, 2023. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/09/20/fact-sheet-u-s-action-on-global-development/#:~:text=The%20Biden%20Administration%20is%20also,renewable%20energy%20capacity%20by%202030.
  30. “The U.S. Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.” USAID. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://www.usaid.gov/sdgs.
  31. Sarah E. Mendelson and Anthony F. Pipa. “How to renew American leadership on the SDGs.” Brookings Institution. April 5, 2023. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-to-renew-american-leadership-on-the-sdgs/.
  32. “Local Action for Global Solutions.” United Nations Foundation. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://unfoundation.org/what-we-do/issues/sustainable-development-goals/u-s-leadership-on-the-sdgs/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA_aGuBhACEiwAly57MePnABrIRfDS5rHCOOE98vcBD8acOu2vKQ7xWQKbqly4CaucLhr9FBoCVwwQAvD_BwE.
  33. “Home.” Unite To Act. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://unitetoact.org/.
  34. “The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special edition.” United Nations. 2023. Accessed February 10, 2024. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2023.pdf.
  35. “The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special edition.” United Nations. 2023. Accessed February 10, 2024. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2023.pdf.
  36. “The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special edition.” United Nations. 2023. Accessed February 10, 2024. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2023.pdf.
  37.  “The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special edition.” United Nations. 2023. Accessed February 10, 2024. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2023.pdf.
  38. “Donate.” Joint Sustainable Development Goals Fund. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://donate.jointsdgfund.org/.
  39.  “Partnerships.” Joint Sustainable Development Goal Fund. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://sdginvest.jointsdgfund.org/partnerships.
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United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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