The 17 Sustainable Development Goals: Building a Better Future for All
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by the United Nations (UN) in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These goals aim to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. The SDGs are interconnected and cover a wide range of issues, from education and health to climate change and gender equality. Let's take a closer look at each of the 17 SDGs.
According to the World Bank, in 2020, about 9.2% of the world's population lived in extreme poverty (defined as living on less than $1.90 a day). Source: World Bank
2. Zero Hunger: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture
In 2020, an estimated 768 million people were undernourished globally. This represents an increase of 118 million people since 2019, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Source: FAO
3. Good Health and Well-being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
In 2020, the global maternal mortality ratio was 211 deaths per 100,000 live births. The neonatal mortality rate was 17 deaths per 1,000 live births. Source: WHO
4. Quality Education: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
In 2020, an estimated 258 million children and youth were out of school globally. Source: UNESCO
5. Gender Equality: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
In 2020, women held only 22.6% of all national parliamentary seats worldwide. Source: UN Women
6. Clean Water and Sanitation: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
In 2020, an estimated 2.2 billion people lacked access to safely managed drinking water services, and 4.2 billion people lacked safely managed sanitation services. Source: WHO/UNICEF
7. Affordable and Clean Energy: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all
In 2020, 789 million people did not have access to electricity globally. Source: IEA
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth: Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all
In 2020, the global unemployment rate was 5.7%, equivalent to 220 million people. Source: ILO
9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation
In 2020, only 19% of the population in the least developed countries had access to the internet, compared to 87% in developed countries. Source: ITU
10. Reduced Inequalities: Reduce inequality within and among countries
In 2020, the income share of the top 1% of the global population was twice as much as the bottom 50%. Source: UNDP
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable
In 2020, 55% of the global population lived in urban areas. This is projected to increase to 68% by 2050. Source: UN DESA
12. Responsible Consumption and Production: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
In 2020, the global material footprint (i.e., the amount of materials used to support human activities) was 86.9 billion metric tons. This is expected to increase to 167 billion metric tons by 2050 if current trends continue. Source: UNEP
13. Climate Action: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
In 2020, the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere was 412 parts per million (ppm), the highest in at least 3 million years. Source: NOAA
14. Life Below Water: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development
In 2020, about 32% of the world's fish stocks were being overfished, while 58% were being fished at a sustainable level. Source: FAO
15. 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
In 2020, an estimated 420 million hectares of forest were lost worldwide since 1990, with the highest losses occurring in the tropics. Source: FAO
16. 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
In 2020, about 10.1% of the world's population lived in countries affected by high levels of political violence, such as armed conflict and terrorism. Source: Vision of Humanity
17. Partnerships for the Goals: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
In 2020, official development assistance (ODA) from developed countries to developing countries was $161.2 billion, representing a decrease of 3.7% in real terms compared to 2019. Source: OECD
Conclusion:
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals are ambitious but achievable. They require action and collaboration from governments, businesses, civil society, and individuals around the world. By working together to achieve these goals, we can create a more sustainable and equitable future for all. The statistics and sources presented above illustrate the current state of each goal, highlighting areas where progress has been made and where there is still much work to be done.
Author: Hello, my name is Hari Vandana Konda and I am an IT and cloud sustainability enthusiast with a passion for maximizing the impact of technology in our world. I am a certified professional in Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Oracle. In addition, I am also a certified FinOps Practitioner which has given me a unique perspective on managing cloud costs and optimizing the overall financial health of organizations. My expertise in these cloud platforms, combined with my passion for sustainability, makes me an ideal author for discussions surrounding the intersection of technology and the environment.
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