If you haven’t heard of the 17 United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), this is the right article for you to understand the reasons why these goals are important to our humanity and also to our Mother Earth.
Global citizens are made of multiracial with differences in languages, skin colours, cultures, believes and uniqueness, but we are all looking for the same thing in life: a peaceful and sufficient life. As the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, the SDGs are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.
The 17 goals act as an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. These goals are all interconnected, and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve them all by 2030.
17 UNSDGs:
1. No Poverty
Donate what you don’t use. More than 700 million people still live in extreme poverty. Economic growth must be inclusive to provide sustainable jobs and promote equality.
2. No Hunger
Waste less food and support local farmers. A third of the world’s food is wasted, yet 821 million people are undernourished. The food and agriculture sector offers key solutions for development and is central for hunger and poverty eradication.
3. Good Health
Vaccinate your family. Vaccinations resulted in an 80% drop in measles deaths between 2000 and 2017. Ensuring the healthy lives and promoting the well-being for all at all ages is essential to sustainable development.
4. Quality Education
Help educate the children in your community. 617 million children and adolescents lack minimum proficiency in reading and mathematics. Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to improving people’s lives and sustainable development.
5. Gender Equality
Empower women and girls and ensure their equal rights. 1 in 3 women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence. Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.
6. Clean Water And Sanitation
Avoid wasting water. Water scarcity affects more than 40% of the world’s population. Clean, accessible water for all is an essential part of the world we want to live in.
7. Renewable Energy
Use only energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs. Three billion people still lack clean cooking fuels and technologies. Energy is central to nearly every major challenge and opportunity.
8. Good Jobs And Economic Growth
Create job opportunities for youth. One-fifth of young people are not in education, employment or training. Sustainable economic growth will require societies to create conditions that allow people to have quality jobs.
9. Innovation And Infrastructure
Fund projects that provide basic infrastructure. Roads, water, sanitation and electricity remain scarce in many developing countries. Investments in infrastructure are crucial to achieving sustainable development.
10. Reduced Inequalities
Support the marginalised and disadvantaged. The poorest 40% of the population earn less than 25% of global income. To reduce inequalities, policies should be universal in principle, paying attention to the needs of disadvantaged and marginalised populations.
11. Sustainable Cities And Communities
Bike, walk or use public transportation. 9 out of 10 urban residents breathe polluted air. There needs to be a future in which cities provide opportunities for all, with access to basic services, energy, housing, transportation and more.
12. Responsible Consumption
Recycle paper, plastic, glass and aluminium. By 2050, the equivalent of almost three planets could be required to sustain current lifestyles. Take charge in responsible production and consumption.
13. Climate Action
Act now to stop global warming. Global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) have increased by almost 50% since 1990. Climate change is a global challenge that affects everyone, everywhere.
14. Life Below Water
Avoid plastic bags to keep the ocean clean. Over three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods. Careful management of this essential global source is a key feature of a sustainable future.
15. Life On Land
Plant a tree and help protect the environment. Forest is home to more than 80% of all terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects. Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss.
16. Peace And Justice
Stand up for human rights. In 2018, the number of people fleeing war, persecution and conflict exceeded 70 million. Access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable institutions at all levels.
17. Partnerships For The Goals
Lobby your government to boost development financing. Achieving the SDGs could open up US$12 trillion of market opportunities and create 380 million new jobs by 2030. Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
Today, the Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DSDG) in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) provides substantive support and capacity-building for the SDGs and their related thematic issues, including water, energy, climate, oceans, urbanization, transport, science and technology, the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR), partnerships and Small Island Developing States.
Ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. In order to make the 2030 Agenda a reality, broad ownership of the SDGs must translate into a strong commitment by all stakeholders to implement the global goals.
Therefore, we must empower our citizens by tackling issues referring to the SDGs. Every global citizen has to take lead in this matter, and SDGs will be the key guideline to achieve a world that will last longer for our humanity.
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