Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) & Bangladesh
Introduction : The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a new
universal set of goals, targets and indication that will be expected to be
used by UN member to frame their agenda and political policies over the next
15 years. The countdown has begun to September’s summit on the Sustainable
Development Goals with national government now discussing the 17 goals the
could transform the world by 2030.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) : The Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) are a proposed set of targets relating to future international
development. They are to replace the Millennium Development Goals after they
expire at the end of 2015. On 19 July 2014, the UN General Assembly’s Open
Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals forwarded a proposal for
the SDGs to the Assembly. The proposal contained 17 goals with 169 targets
covering a broad range of sustainable development issues.
Proposed goals : On 2nd of August 2015, 193 countries agreed to the
following 17 goals –
- End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
- End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
- Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
- Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
- Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
- Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
- Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
- Promote sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
- Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
- Reduce inequality within and among countries.
- Make cities and human settlements safe and sustainable.
- Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
- Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
- Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
- Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
- Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
- Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
Background : The current international development agenda is centred on
the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that were officially established
following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations (UN) in 2000. The target
data for the achievement of the MDGs is at the end of 2015. Discussion on the
post-2015 framework for international development began well in advance.
Formal debate concerning the SDGs first occurred at the 2012 United Nations
Conference in Rio de Janeiro.
How the goals will be funded : That’s the trillion-dollar question.
Rough calculations from the inter-governmental committee of experts on
sustainable development financing have put the cost of providing a Social
Safety Net to eradicate extreme poverty at about 66 USD bn a year while annual
investments in improving infrastructure (water, agriculture, transport, power)
could be up to a total of 7 USD tr globally.
The SDGs Framework : The proposed Sustainable Development Goals offer
major improvements in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The SDGs
framework address key systemic barriers to sustainable development such as
inequality, unsustainable consumption patterns, weak institutional capacity
and environmental degradation that the MDGs neglected. The SDGs framework
would benefit from an overall narrative articulation how the goals will lead
to broader outcomes for people and the planet. The current SDGs framework does
not identify the wide range of social groups that will need to be mobilized to
deliver on the goals as agents of change alongside governments.
The SDGs Targets : Out of 169 targets, 49 (29%) are considered well
developed, 91 targets (54%) could be strengthened by being more specific and
29 (17%) require significant work.
The success of the SDGs is partly depended on aligning targets and goals with
existing international agreements and processes. Many of the targets may also
contribute to several goals and some goals and targets may conflict. Action to
meet one target could have unintended consequences on other of they are
pursued separately. Research suggests that most goal areas are interlinked,
that many targets might contribute to several goals and that there are
important trade-offs among several goals and targets. By tackling targets in
an integrated way, the desired results can be achieved for many targets.
When the new goals will come into force : The United Nations Summit for
the adoption of the post-2015 Development Agenda will be held from September
25-27, 2015 in New York. SDGs will become applicable from January 2016. The
expected deadline for the SDGs is 2030.
SDGs and Bangladesh : Bangladesh is a star performer in relation to the
MDGs. According to the Millennium Development Goals : Bangladesh Progress
Report 2012, Bangladesh has already met or is on track to meet a significant
number of key targets under different MDGs by the end of 2015. Encouraged by
its notable achievements in relation to the implementation of the MDGs,
Bangladesh very active in the run-up to the formulation of the Post-2015
Sustainable Development Agenda. Two major inputs forwarded to the UN from
Bangladesh are:
“Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda : Bangladesh proposal to UN”
submitted by the Government of Bangladesh and
“Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda : Perspectives and
Recommendations from Bangladesh Civil Society”
submitted by the People’s Forum on MDGs, (PFM), Bangladesh.
Both of the documents include goals and associated targets and indicators
which are very relevant to the countries like Bangladesh. Bangladesh may
develop a set of its own Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals with
associated targets and indicators.
Conclusion : Although the MDGs deadline finished, around 1 billion
people still live on less than 1.25 USD a day and more than 800 million people
do not have enough food to eat. Women are still fighting hard for their right
and millions of women still die during childbirth. It will be possible to
tackle the above situations if the SDGs are met. So, every country should work
towards achieving the SDGs.
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