Write an essay about Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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“Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” is a famous quote by Gro Harlem Brundtland. According to Fonseca et al. (2020), “S ustainable Development (SD) was first defined as “the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” in the document “Our Common Future” by the United Nations Commission on Environment and Development (Brundtland Commission)” (p.1). According to Smith et al. (2017), “On 25 September 2015, world leaders met at the United Nations in New York, where they adopted the Sustainable Development Goals” (p.1). “These 17 goals and 169 targets set an agenda for sustainable development for all nations that embraces economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection” (Smith et al., 2017, p.1). “As part of this agreement, all United Nations Member States, after a participated process involving multiple stakeholders, agreed upon the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which can be used to provide an indication and measure of progress towards the main objective of sustainable development” (Fonseca et al., 2020, p.1). Fonseca et al. (2020) also stated that SD aims to address humanity’s aspirations of a better life within the limitations imposed by nature and subsequently, in 1997, the United Nations Agenda for Development building on the Brundtland SD definition and the Elkington [2] triple bottom line approach (people, planet, profit) approach, stated that: “Development is a multidimensional undertaking to achieve a higher quality of life for all people” (p.1). “Sustainable development addresses humanity’s aspiration for a better life while observing the limitations imposed by nature” (Fonseca et al., 2020, p.1). “In 2015, the U nited Nations General Assembly approved the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the aim to foster the organizational operationalization and integration of sustainability and, therefore, to address the current and forthcoming stakeholder needs and ensure a better and sustainable future for all, balancing the economic, social, and environmental development” (Fonseca et al., 2020, p.1). “The SDGs aim to inspire the o perationalization and integration of Sustainability into organizations worldwide, addressing current and future stakeholder needs and contributing to the achievement of sustainable development for society at large” (Fonseca et al., 2020, p.1). The main aims of Sustainable Development Goals were economic, social and environmental developments and environmental sustainability was one of the main goals of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
The main aims of Sustainable Development Goals were economic, social and environmental developments o the whole world. “Economic development, social development, and environmental protection are interdependent and mutually reinforcing components of sustainable development, and each of these factors has played a major role in recent years in terms of efforts for innovation, financing and global development” (Fonseca et al. 2020, p.1). “In terms of social development, besides the eradication of poverty and well-being of the population, quality education is another significant factor nowadays that is bringing also innovation in ways of teaching, especially in terms of digital teaching, but also increased mobility of pupils and students, notably since the integration in the European Union and the Bologna process started” (Fonseca et al., 2020, p.1). “In the economic field, entrepreneurial entries, innovation, knowledge economy development and digitalization, such as the introduction of robotic automation processes for the business have become some of the main variables for enhancing competitiveness and further market and business development” (Fonseca et al., 2020, p.1). “Another main focus point today is the environmental protection and sustainable development in the form of renewable energy, such as wind, solar and other forms of green energy, for which also a sustainable development has to be ensured through diverse support policies, community project inclusion and financing programs” (Fonseca et al., 2020, p.1). “Moreover, research has shown that, at country level, there is high correlation (and a possible relationship) between social sustainability, innovation and competitiveness” (Fonseca et al., 2020, p.1). “The SDGs represent a shared expression of stakeholder needs at a global level balancing economic, social, and environmental development” (Fonseca et al., 2020, p.1). According to Hák et al. (2016) “At the UN in New York the Open Working Group created by the UN General Assembly proposed a set of global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which comprises 17 goals and 169 targets” (p.1). “Further to that, a preliminary set of 330 indicators was introduced in March 2015 and some SDGs build on preceding Millennium Development Goals while others incorporate new ideas” (Hák et al., 2016, p.1). Thus, the main aims of Sustainable Development Goals were economic, social and environmental developments of the whole world.
One of the main goals of the S ustainable Development Goals 2030 was to ensure environmental sustainability. According to Hák et al. (2016) “Historically, the concept of sustainable development (SD) emerged in the context of environmental concerns as witnessed by the first appearance of the term in the World Charter for Nature (UN, 1982)” (p.1). According to Filho et al. (2018), “The main goals to address present and future sustainability challenges, on a global scale, are molded within a series of objectives adopted by the United Nations in the scope of the document “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable 95 Development”, where the adherent states manifest a clear intention of creating a connection between the three levels of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental, throughout 17 goals and 169 objectives” (p.3). Filho et al. (2018) also stated that “the SDGs will mainly act in the areas of environmental justice, governance, and partnership among the subscribing states” (p.3). Hák et al. (2016) also stated that “These concerns were addressed in Our Common Future (WCED, 1987) and further elaborated in 40 Chapters of Agenda 21 of the Earth Summit in 1992” (p.1). According to Arora et al. (2019), “United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), established on September 15, 2015 entitled as “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, are a follow-up of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) but with some major differences” (p.1). “That may be seen as a successful attempt to reconcile the two seemingly contrasting paradigms: lasting economic growth and an efficient protection of environment and natural resources what was forcefully exposed in The Limits to Growth” (Hák et al., 2016, p.1). “Following this, the World Summit on Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995 (UN, 1995) stressed SD’s key role in securing global social development and effectively added the “third pillar” to the current definition of SD endorsed by the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002 and many subsequent statements and documents. It was recently fully embraced by the Rio + 20 outcome document “The Future We Want” (Hák et al., 2016, p.1). “The social pillar received prominent attention, as witnessed by the title of the main topic of the Summit: Green economy in the context of sustainable development and eradication of poverty” (Hák et al., 2016, p.1). Arora et al. (2019) also stated that “on one hand, where MDGs were mainly focussed on poverty and hunger (largely of less developed countries), SDGs have 17 agendas covering around 169 targets and applies to all the countries and regions of the globe” (p.1). Thus, one of the main goals of the S ustainable Development Goals 2030 was to ensure environmental sustainability
In conclusion, Sustainable Development Goals was launched by the United Nations, and its main goal was to create a sustainable world economically, socially and environmentally. The goals of the Sustainable Development were to eradicate poverty and provide financial prosperity for all nations. Environmental sustainability was one of the main goals of Sustainable Development by reducing the volumes of greenhouse emissions. It emphasized on the importance of protecting the ecosystem and natural resources. By addressing the problems and challenges of the environment, we can all protect and sustain the earth for our future generations.
Arora, N. K., & Mishra, I. (2019). United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and environmental sustainability: race against time. Environmental Sustainability, 2(4), 339-342.
Hák, T., Janoušková, S., & Moldan, B. (2016). Sustainable Development Goals: A need for relevant indicators. Ecological indicators, 60, 565-573.
Leal Filho, W., Tripathi, S. K., Andrade Guerra, J. B. S. O. D., Giné-Garriga, R., Orlovic Lovren, V., & Willats, J. (2019). Using the sustainable development goals towards a better understanding of sustainability challenges. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 26(2), 179-190.
Stafford-Smith, M., Griggs, D., Gaffney, O., Ullah, F., Reyers, B., Kanie, N., … & O’Connell, D. (2017). Integration: the key to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainability science, 12, 911-919.
Stafford-Smith, M., Griggs, D., Gaffney, O., Ullah, F., Reyers, B., Kanie, N., … & O’Connell, D. (2017). Integration: the key to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainability science, 12, 911-919.
Swain, R. B. (2018). A critical analysis of the sustainable development goals. Handbook of sustainability science and research, 341-355.