THE 17 GOALS

A diagram listing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals

On 25 September 2015, the 194 countries of the UN General Assembly adopted the 2030 Development
Agenda titled Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Following the
adoption, UN agencies under the umbrella of the United Nations Development Group, decided to support
an independent campaign to help communicate the agreed Sustainable Development Goals to a wider
constituency. Known as Project Everyone, the independent campaign introduced the term Global
Goals and was supported by corporate institutions and other International Organizations. Because this
decision was made without the approval of the member states, it met resistance. In addition, several
sections of civil society and governments felt the UNDG ignored "sustainability," even though it was the
most important aspect of the agreement. That the term "Global Goals" also refers to several other
processes not related to the United Nations was another concern.
The Official Agenda for Sustainable adopted on 25 September 2015 has 92 paragraphs. Paragraph 51
outlines the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the associated 169 targets.
The 17 SDGs are listed below, together with some of their key facts and figures:

Goal 1: No Poverty
No Poverty - End poverty in all its forms everywhere
 Extreme poverty has been cut by more than half since 1990- however, more than 1 in 5 people live
on less than $1.25 a day
 Poverty is more than lack of income or resources- it includes lack of basic services, such as education,
hunger, social discrimination and exclusion, and lack of participation in decision making.
 Gender inequality plays a large role in the perpetuation of poverty and its risks; They then face
potentially life-threatening risks from early pregnancy, and often lost hopes for an education and a
better income.
 Age groups are affected differently when struck with poverty; its most devastating effects are on
children, to whom it poses a great threat. It affects their education, health, nutrition, and security. It
also negatively affects the emotional and spiritual development of children through the environment
it creates.
Goal 2: Zero Hunger
Zero Hunger - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable
agriculture
 Globally, 1 in 9 people are undernourished, the vast majority of these people live in developing
countries
 Agriculture is the single largest employer in the world, providing livelihoods for 40 per cent of today’s
global population. It is the largest source of income and jobs for poor rural households. Women
comprise on average 43 per cent of the agricultural labor force in developing countries, and over 50
per cent in parts of Asia and Africa, yet they only own 20% of the land.
 Poor nutrition causes nearly half (45 per cent) of deaths in children under five – 3.1 million children
each year.
Goal 2 targets :
 By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable
situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round
 By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed
targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs
of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons
 By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular
women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and
equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets
and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment
 By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices
that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity
for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that
progressively improve land and soil quality
 By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated
animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and
plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and
equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated
traditional knowledge, as internationally agreed
 Increase investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure,
agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and livestock gene
 banks in order to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries, in particular least
developed countries
 Correct and prevent trade restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets, including
through the parallel elimination of all forms of agricultural export subsidies and all export measures
with equivalent effect, in accordance with the mandate of the Doha Development Round
Adopt measures to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets and their derivatives and
facilitate timely access to market information, including on food reserves, in order to help limit extreme
food price volatility

Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being

Good Health and Well-being - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Significant strides have been made in increasing life expectancy and reducing some of the common killers
associated with child and maternal mortality, and major progress has been made on increasing access to
clean water and sanitation, reducing malaria, tuberculosis, polio and the spread of HIV/AIDS.
However, only half of women in developing countries have received the health care they need, and the
need for family planning is increasing exponentially, while the need met is growing slowly - more than 225
million women have an unmet need for contraception.
An important target is to substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from pollution-related
diseases.
 3.1 By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births
 3.2 By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries
aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality
to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births
 3.3 By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and
combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases
 3.4 By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through
prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being[
 3.5 Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and
harmful use of alcohol
 3.6 By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents
 3.7 By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for
family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national
strategies and programs
 3.8 Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential
health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and
vaccines for all
 3.9 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and
air, water and soil pollution and contamination

Goal 4: Quality Education

Quality Education - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong
learning opportunities for all
 Major progress has been made for education access, specifically at the primary school level, for both
boys and girls. However, access does not always mean quality of education, or completion of primary
school. Currently, 103 million youth worldwide still lack basic literacy skills, and more than 60 per
cent of them are women
 Target 1 "By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and
secondary education leading to relevant and Goal-4 effective learning outcomes"- shows the
commitment to nondiscriminatory education outcomes

Goal 5: Gender Equality

Gender Equality - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
 Providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, decent work, and
representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies
and benefit societies and humanity at large
 While a record 143 countries guaranteed equality between men and women in their Constitutions
by 2014, another 52 had not taken this step. In many nations, gender discrimination is still woven
through legal and social norms
 Though goal 5 is the gender equality stand-alone goal, the SDG's can only be successful if women are
completely integrated into each and every goal
 Eliminating violence such as trafficking and sexual exploitation and abolishing harmful traditional
practices against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, such as child, early and forced
marriage and female genital mutilation.
 Adopting and strengthening sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender
equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels.
 Putting a stop to all forms of discrimination against all women and girls globally.
 Compulsory completion of secondary education for the girl child
 Implementation and accessibility of the Sexual and Reproductive health Rights to women and girls
globally
 Aiding women and girls empowerment through technology
 Listen to girls: SDGs can deliver transformative change for girls only if they have been consulted and
their priorities and needs have been taken into account. Girls should be viewed as agents of change
and not as beneficiaries – therefore their engagement in the implementation of the SDGs is crucial.
For this we need to recognize the leadership potential of girls. We have witnessed firsthand the
massive contributions that girls and young women as volunteers delivered for MDGs

Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

Clean Water and Sanitation - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for
all
The first three out of eight targets include:
 "By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all."
 "By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open
defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable
situations."
 "By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release
of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and
substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally."
WASH experts have stated that without progress on Goal 6, the other goals and targets cannot be
achieved. Safe drinking water and hygienic toilets protect people from disease and enable societies to be
productive. Attending school and work without disruption is a precursor to education and employment,
both of which are the foundation of alleviating poverty. A study from 2016 showed how sanitation, when
done with a resource recovery and reuse focus can contribute towards achieving at least fourteen of the
SDGs, especially in an urban context. Recovering the resources embedded in excreta and wastewater like
nutrients, water and energy contributes towards achieving Goal 12 (sustainable consumption and
production) and Goal 2 (zero hunger) while ensuring adequate sanitation and wastewater management
along the entire value chain in cities contributes to Goal 11 (sustainable cities and communities), Goal 1
(no poverty) and Goal 8 (decent work and economic growth).

Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Affordable and Clean Energy - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 7 targets :
 By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services
 By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
 By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency
 By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and
technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel
technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology
 By 2030, expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy
services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island
developing States, and land-locked developing countries, in accordance with their respective
programmes of support

Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Decent Work and Economic Growth - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full
and productive employment and decent work for all
World Pensions Council (WPC) development economists have argued that the twin considerations of long-
term economic growth and infrastructure investment weren’t prioritized enough: "More worryingly,
‘Work and Economic Growth’ and ‘Technological Innovation and Infrastructure Investment’ joined
the [SDGs] priority list at number 8 and number 9 respectively, a rather mediocre ranking which defies
economic common sense"
Goal 8 targets :
Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in particular, at least
7 per cent gross domestic product growth per annum in the least developed countries
Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and
innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation,
entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small-
and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and
endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-
year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, with developed countries
taking the lead
 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including
for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
 By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training
 Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human
trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including
recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms
 Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including
migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
 By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and
promotes local culture and products
 Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking,
insurance and financial services for all
 Increase Aid for Trade support for developing countries, in particular least developed countries,
including through the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance to
Least Developed Countries
 By 2020, develop and operationalize a global strategy for youth employment and implement the
Global Jobs Pact of the International Labour Organization

Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable
industrialization and foster innovation

Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities

Reduced Inequalities - Reduce income inequality within and among countries

Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Sustainable Cities and Communities - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and
sustainable

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Responsible Consumption and Production - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Goal 13: Climate Action

Climate Action - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts by regulating emissions and
promoting developments in renewable energy
Nations and other parties negotiating at the UN have highlighted the links between the post-2015 SDG
process, the Financing for Development process to be concluded in Addis Ababa in July 2015, and the COP
21 Climate Change conference in Paris in December 2015.
In May 2015, a report concluded that only a very ambitious climate deal in Paris in 2015 will enable
countries to reach the sustainable development goals and targets. The report also states that tackling
climate change will only be possible if the SDGs are met. Further, development and climate are
inextricably linked, particularly around poverty, gender equality, and energy. The UN encourages the
public sector to take initiative in this effort to minimize negative impacts on the environment.
This renewed emphasis on climate change mitigation was made possible by the partial Sino-
American convergence that developed in 2015-2016, notably at the UN COP21 summit (Paris) and
ensuing G20 conference (Hangzhou).

Goal 14: Life Below Water

The future we want Sustainable Development Goal number 14; LIFE BEYOND WATER is to conserve and
sustainably use the worlds oceans, seas and marine resources.
The oceans cover 71% of the earth surface. The worlds ocean is essential for all life on earth making earth
livable as rainwater, drinking water and climate are all regulated by the oceans. The ocean temperature,
life and currents are all affected by humankind as over 3 billion people depend on marine life as their
livelihood and oceans absorb 30% of all carbon dioxide produced by humans,.
The oceans contains more than 200 000 identified species, but there might be thousands of species that
are yet to be discovered. The ocean serves as the worlds largest source of protein. However the world
population is not taking care of this important source of life as there has been an 26% increase in
acidification since the industrial revolution, 30% of marine habits have been destroyed, 30% of the worlds
fish stocks are overexploited. Marine pollution has reached horrifying levels as each minute 15 tons of
plastic ends up in the ocean. The sad part is that some things are irreversible, 20% of the worlds coral
reefs are destroyed another 24% are at a immediate risk of collapse. Approximately 1 million sea birds,
100 000 marine mammals and an unknown number of fish and other animals is harmed or dies
unnecessary annually. Number from WWF shows that 95% of fulmars in Norway have plastic in their
stomachs.
There is a need for international cooperation to protect the oceans. Individually we can choose ocean
friendly food, reduce energy use and reduces plastic usage. In Norway for instance you get paid for picking
up plastic on the beach side by a web page called finn.no. Kenya is the latest country where the
government is forbidding plastic bags
Beyond this facts, the world’s oceans contributes to poverty reduction as it gives poor people a source of
income and healthy food. Furthermore in poor tropical parts of the world clean beaches and clean waters
around the beach might attract tourist which again will lead to increased income which can reduce
poverty,.
Short sum up of some of the targets:
 By 2025 Prevent and reduce marine pollution of all kinds.
 By 2020 Sustainable manage and protect marine and costal ecosystem.
 Minimize acidification of the oceans.
 By 2020 Regulate overfishing.
 Increase scientific knowledge on the area.
Life Below Water - Conserve and sustainable use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable
development.
The United Nations Ocean Conference of 2017 sought to find ways and call for the implementation of
Sustainable Development Goal 14.

Goal 15: Life on Land

Life on Land - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage
forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable
development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at
all levels

Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Partnerships for the Goals - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership
for sustainable development

TARGETS AND INDICATORS

As of August 2015, there were 169 proposed targets for these goals and 304 proposed indicators to show
compliance.