The UN's Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), established by the Rio+20 conference in 2012, has concluded its 13th and final session with agreement over 17 new development goals to replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) when they expire in 2015.
The goals are as follows:
Proposed goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Proposed goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture
Proposed goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Proposed goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all
Proposed goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Proposed goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Proposed goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all
Proposed goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Proposed goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Proposed goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
Proposed goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Proposed goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Proposed goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Proposed goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Proposed goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Proposed Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Proposed goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
These draft goals represent a significant widening in scope, addressing some of the criticisms levied against the MDGs. For example, the proposed goal on education has qualitative targets that span a wider range of issues than MDG 2, which concentrated largely on primary school enrolment. The draft list also incorporates goals and targets on peace, good governance, justice and equality. And the new goals are intended to be universal in application.
However, many campaigners still feel that the language in this latest draft is weak and ill-defined, with plenty of work left to be done in deciding how these goals will be delivered. From UNA-UK's perspective, three issues need greater attention:
- Meaningful participation in the design, delivery and evaluation of the goals by civil society and the wider public
- The roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders, including how to leverage partnerships and blend traditional and innovative sources of financing
- How the transition from MDGs to SDGs will be managed, and how the SDGs can / will complement UN climate processes, including in terms of funding
The OWG's recommended 17 goals and their accompanying 169 targets will now be forwarded to the General Assembly for its consideration, alongside the outcome documents of a number of other SDG processes. These will then be synthesised into one report of the UN Secretary-General in time for intergovernmental negotiations, due to start in earnest early next year.
For more on this process and what it could deliver, check out UNA-UK's publication Global Development Goals: leaving no one behind.
