Sustainable Development Goals Pt. 2

In this UN Update, we review the last three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in preparation for the High-Level Political Forum. These are goals: 12: sustainable consumption and production; 16: promote just, peaceful, and inclusive societies and 17: the revitalization of global partnerships for sustainable development.

You will note that SDG 17 is what links all the SDGs.  Partnerships must be forged if the Agenda 2030 is to be accomplished. We know that the Covid 19 pandemic has played havoc with all these goals, but the countries cannot let up now.  We must work towards the fulfillment of these goals if we are to bring about a more equitable and inclusive global community.

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Goal 12 looks at our patterns of consumption and production. Are we being wasteful anywhere? How can each of us, as well as large companies, assess waste as well as production.  What tools can be implemented on a personal level that will aid us in downsizing our needs?

Target:  Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.Indicators: here are a few things to consider
12.1 Implement a 10-year framework of programs on sustainable consumption and production, all countries taking action
12.2  Achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
12.3  Halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce production of food losses .
12.4  By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, significantly reduce to limit their adverse impact on human health and the environment.
12.6 Encourage companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle.
12.A Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity for more sustainable patterns of consumption and production
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SDG Goal 16 is “dedicated to the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, the provision of access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable institutions at all levels.”

TargetIndicators
16.1 reduce violence everywhere
16.2 Conflict-related deaths 
16.3  Prevalence of all forms of violence, physical, psychological and sexual 
16.4 Public safety : how safe people feel walking alone in the area where they live
16.2 Protect children from abuse, exploitation, trafficking and violence
16:3  promote the rule of law and ensure equal access to justice
16.4 Combat organized crime and illicit financial and arms flows
16. 5 Substantially reduce corruption and bribery
16. 6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions
16.7 Ensure responsive, inclusive and representative decision-making
16.8 Strengthen the participation in global governance
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SDG 17 Each Goal has many targets and indicators. The Covid pandemic has severely limited the capacity of some countries to meet the goals. The digital divide is still present as is the financial crisis that some countries are in especially when it comes to paying down the debt each country has.

As partners we need to continually mobilize technology development, financial resources, and capacity building. It is going to take multi stakeholder partnerships to leverage the inter-linkages between all the sustainable development goals in order that they be achieved. 

The United Nations, the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), will assess the progress at the global level, identifying gaps and emerging issues, and recommending corrective action. 

Below are some of the indicators that will inform us on how things are squaring away at this time. Partnership goal assessment, finance, technology, trade, and systemic issues. The indicators below are only a few steps that must be taken to achieve SDG goal 17.

Target:  Partnerships for the GoalsIndicators:
17.1 Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, including through international support to developing countries, to improve domestic capacity for tax and other revenue
17. 2 Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments
17.3 Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources
17.4 Assist developing countries In attaining long-term debt sustainability
17.6 Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation
17.11 Significantly increase the exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries’ share of global exports by 2020

In the next UN Update we will look more closely at the HLPF, High Level Political Forum. I hope you will consider joining the forum. Here is a link to know more about how countries are faring in the achieving of the Sustainable Development Goals. Stay tuned.

If you would like to learn more about the HLPF here is the link to a simple powerpoint that presents the main concepts of a High Level Political Forum.