Introducing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

“We don’t have plan B because there is no planet B.”

^{– Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General 2007–2016}

On the 25th of September 2015, 193 countries came together and agreed to tackle world inequality, poverty, and climate justice. They aimed to achieve this by working together on a sustainable development agenda, putting together 17 goals for sustainable development.

These goals are known as the SDGs, or Sustainable Development Goals.

What does the word sustainable mean?

• Development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
• Working towards a safe and stable future for people and the planet, now and in the future.
• Thinking about economic, social and environmental conditions.

How can we know if we are acting in a sustainable way?

The goals provide a compass to guide our actions and hold us to account for our commitments.

Some countries have developed their own national indicators on sustainability so that they can monitor progress made on the goals and targets, with two indicators for each target. This brings us to a total of around 300 indicators for all of the 169 targets! It is an enormous task. These indicators are then fed into annual meetings of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. This forum plays a central role in reviewing progress towards the SDGs at the global level.

But the way we think about and monitor sustainability is no easy task and remains complex. Even if we look at our own lives, thinking about sustainability is challenging.

• Take a look at the 17 SDGs here, and think about your own life for a moment.
• Which SDG, if achieved, will have the biggest impact on your daily life? Why?

You can read more about the details of SDG targets and indicators here.