Frequently Asked Questions about
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) International
Labour
Organization
What is sustainable development? interconnected elements of sustainable development:
economic growth, social inclusion and environmental
w Sustainable development has been defined as protection.
development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to w The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets
meet their own needs. are global in nature and universally applicable, taking into
account different national realities, capacities and levels
w Sustainable development calls for concerted efforts of development and respecting national policies and
towards building an inclusive, sustainable and resilient priorities. They are not independent from each other —
future for people and planet. they need to be implemented in an integrated manner.
w For sustainable development to be achieved, it is crucial w The SDGs are the result of a three-year–long transparent,
to harmonize three core elements: economic growth, participatory process inclusive of all stakeholders and
social inclusion and environmental protection. These people’s voices. They represent an unprecedented
elements are interconnected and all are crucial for the agreement around sustainable development priorities
well – being of individuals and societies. among 193 Member States.
w Eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions is an w They have received world–wide support from civil
indispensable requirement for sustainable development. society, business, Parliamentarians and other actors. The
To this end, there must be promotion of sustainable, decision to launch a process to develop a set of SDGs
inclusive and equitable economic growth, creating greater was made by UN Member States at the United Nations
opportunities for all, reducing inequalities, raising basic Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), held
standards of living, fostering equitable social development in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012.
and inclusion, and promoting integrated and sustainable
management of natural resources and ecosystems.
What are the elements underpinning the
Sustainable Development Goals?
What are the Sustainable Development Goals?
The Goals and targets will stimulate action over the next 15
w The 193 Member States of the United Nations reached years in areas of critical importance: people, planet, prosperity,
consensus on the outcome document of a new peace and partnership.
sustainable development agenda entitled, “Transforming
Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable w People, as we are determined to end poverty and hunger,
Development”. in all their forms and dimensions, and to ensure that
all human beings can fulfil their potential in dignity and
w This agenda contains 17 goals and 169 targets. The
equality and in a healthy environment.
complete list of goals and targets are available at: http://
[Link]/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable– w Planet, to protect the planet from degradation, including
development–goals/ through sustainable consumption and production,
sustainably managing its natural resources and taking
w The outcome document is available at: https://
urgent action on climate change, so that it can support
[Link]/post2015/
the needs of the present and future generations.
transformingourworld
w Prosperity, to ensure that all human beings can enjoy
w World leaders will officially adopt this universal,
prosperous and fulfilling lives and that economic, social
integrated and transformative agenda in September
and technological progress occurs in harmony with
to spur actions that will end poverty and build a more
nature.
sustainable world over the next 15 years.
w Peace, to foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies
w This agenda builds on the achievements of the
free from fear and violence. There can be no sustainable
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were
development without peace and no peace without
adopted in 2000 and guided development action for the
sustainable development.
last 15 years. The MDGs have proven that global goals can
lift millions out of poverty. w Partnership, to mobilize the means required to
implement this Agenda through a revitalised global
w The new goals are part of an ambitious, bold sustainable
partnership for sustainable development, based on a spirit
development agenda that will focus on the three
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of strengthened global solidarity, focussed in particular on w On the other hand, the MDGs were produced by a group
the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable and with of experts behind closed doors. The SDGs are broad
the participation of all countries, all stakeholders and all in scope because they will address the interconnected
people. elements of sustainable development: economic growth,
social inclusion and environmental protection. The MDGs
focused primarily on the social agenda.
Why are new goals being adopted this year? w The MDGs targeted developing countries, particularly
the poorest, while the Sustainable Development Goals
w The Millennium Development Goals that were launched will apply to the entire world, developed and developing
in 2000 set 2015 as the target year. Recognizing countries.
the success of the Goals–and the fact that a new
development agenda was needed beyond 2015–countries
agreed in 2012 at Rio+20, the UN Conference on
Sustainable Development, to establish an open working
Aren’t 17 SDGs and 169 targets too many, too
group to develop a set of sustainable development goals ambiguous and unrealistic?
for consideration and appropriate action. Poverty eradication, shared prosperity and planetary
w After more than a year of negotiations, the Open sustainability cannot be reduced to a simple formula. The
Working Group presented its recommendation for the SDGs represent the shared global goals and targets that will
17 sustainable development goals. In early August 2015, be tailored at the country level, informed by context–based
the 193 member states of the United Nations reached evidence.
consensus on the outcome document of the new
agenda “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development”. How are the SDGs different from the MDGs?
w Member States decided that the UN summit for the
adoption of new sustainable development agenda with its w The 17 Sustainable Development Goals with 169
17 goals will be held from 25 to 27 September 2015, in targets are broader in scope and will go further than the
New York and convened as a high–level plenary meeting MDGs by addressing the root causes of poverty and the
of the General Assembly. universal need for development that works for all people.
These goals will cover the three dimensions of sustainable
development: economic growth, social Inclusion and
environmental protection.
Why are the Sustainable Development Goals
so broad in comparison to the Millennium w Building on the success and momentum of the MDGs, the
Development Goals which were very specific? new global goals will cover more ground with ambitions
to address inequalities, economic growth, decent jobs,
w There are 17 sustainable development goals with 169 cities and human settlements, industrialization, energy,
targets, in contrast to the 8 Millennium Development climate change, sustainable consumption and production,
Goals with 21 targets. The complex challenges that exist peace and justice.
in the world today demand that a wide range of issues
w The new goals are universal and apply to all countries,
be covered. It is, also, critical to address the root causes of
whereas the MDGs were intended for action in
the problems and not only the symptoms.
developing countries only.
w The Sustainable Development Goals are the result of a
w A core feature of the SDGs has been the means of
negotiation process that involved the 193 UN Member
implementation–the mobilization of financial resources–
States and also saw unprecedented participation
as well as capacity–building and the transfer of
of civil society and other stakeholders. This led to
environmentally sound technologies.
the representation of a wide range of interests and
perspectives. w The new goals recognize that tackling climate change
is essential for sustainable development and poverty
eradication. SDG 13 aims to promote urgent action to
combat climate change and its impacts.
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How much will the implementation of this new
sustainable development agenda cost? w A Technology Facilitation Mechanism, to be launched at
the September Summit, will address the technology needs
w The means of implementation–how to mobilize of developing countries, the options to address those
the financial resources to achieve the sustainable needs and capacity building.
development agenda–is a core feature of the new agenda.
w Recognizing the central role of technological cooperation
w This ambitious agenda will require the mobilization of for the achievement of sustainable development,
significant resources—in the trillions of dollars. But these countries agreed on this mechanism at the Financing for
resources already exist. There are far more than enough Development Conference.
savings in the world to finance the new agenda.
w Resources need to be mobilized from domestic and
international sources, as well as from the public and What have the MDGs accomplished?
private sectors. Official development assistance is still
necessary to help finance sustainable development to w The MDGs have produced the most successful anti–
assist the least developed countries. poverty movement in history and will serve as the
w The agenda can be met within the framework of a springboard for the new sustainable development agenda.
revitalized global partnership for sustainable development, w Poverty and hunger: only two short decades ago, nearly
supported by the concrete policies and actions as half of the developing world lived in extreme poverty.
outlined in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the outcome The number of people now living in extreme poverty has
document of the Third International Conference on declined by more than half, falling from 1.9 billion in 1990
Financing for Development held in July. to 836 million in 2015.
w Gender equality: The world has also witnessed dramatic
improvement in gender equality in schooling since
How will the new development agenda be
the MDGs, and gender parity in primary school has
implemented?
been achieved in the majority of countries. More girls
w Implementation and success will rely on countries’ own are now in school, and women have gained ground in
sustainable development policies, plans and programmes, parliamentary representation over the past 20 years in
and will be led by countries. The SDGs will be a compass nearly 90% of the 174 countries with data.
for aligning countries’ plans with their global commitments. w Child mortality: globally, the under–five mortality rate
w Nationally owned and country–led sustainable dropped from 90 to 43 deaths per 1,000 live births
development strategies will require equivalent resource between 1990 and 2015.
mobilization and financing strategies. w Maternal health: the maternal mortality ratio shows a
w The 17 SDGs and 169 targets of the new agenda will be decline of 45% worldwide, with most of the reduction
monitored and reviewed using a set of global indicators. occurring since 2000.
The global indicator framework, to be developed by the w Fighting diseases: new infection rates from HIV fell
Inter Agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators, will approximately by 40% between 2000 and 2013.
be agreed on by the UN Statistical Commission by March
2016. w Over 6.2 million malaria deaths were averted between
2000 and 2015, while tuberculosis prevention, diagnosis
w Governments will also develop their own national and treatment interventions saved an estimated 37
indicators to assist in monitoring progress made on the million lives between 2000 and 2013.
goals and targets.
w Sanitation: Worldwide, 2.1 billion have gained access
w The follow–up and review process will be undertaken to improved sanitation and the proportion of people
on an annual basis by the High Level Political Forum practicing open defecation has fallen almost by half since
on Sustainable Development through a SDG Progress 1990.
Report to be prepared by the Secretary–General.
w Global partnership: official development assistance from
w The means of implementation of the SDGs will be developed countries saw an increase of 66% in real terms
monitored and reviewed as outlined in the Addis Ababa from 2000 and 2014, reaching $135.2 billion.
Action Agenda, the outcome document of the Financing
for Development Conference, to ensure that financial
resources are effectively mobilized to support the new
sustainable development agenda.
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What are the remaining gaps left by the MDGs? How will progress of the SDGs be measured?
How many indicators will be developed for the
w About 800 million people still live in extreme poverty and 169 targets of the Sustainable Development
795 million still suffer from hunger. Goals?
w Between 2000 and 2015, the number of children out of
w The 17 goals and 169 targets will be monitored and
school declined by almost half. However, there are still
reviewed using a set of global indicators. These will be
57 million children who are denied the right to primary
complemented by indicators at the regional and national
education.
levels, which will be developed by Member States.
w Gender inequality persists in spite of more representation
w The Inter Agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators
of women in parliament and more girls going to school.
will develop the global indicator framework which the
Women continue to face discrimination in access to work,
UN Statistical Commission will subsequently agree on in
economic assets and participation in private and public
March 2016. Thereafter, the Economic and Social Council
decision–making.
and the General Assembly will adopt these indicators.
w Economic gaps still exist between the poorest and richest
w Chief statisticians from Member States are working on
households, and rural and urban areas.
the identification of the targets with the aim to have 2
w Children from the poorest 20% of households are more indicators for each target. There will be approximately
than twice as likely to be stunted as those from the 300 indicators for all the targets. Where the targets cover
wealthiest 20% and are also four times as likely to be out cross–cutting issues, however, the number of indicators
of school. Improved sanitation facilities are only covering may be reduced.
half of rural population, as opposed to 82% in urban
areas.
w While the mortality rate for children under five dropped When are the SDGs expected to start and end?
by 53 per cent between 1990 and 2015, child deaths
The SDGs are expected to start on 1 January 2016 and to be
continue to be increasingly concentrated in the poorest
achieved by 31 December 2030. However, some targets that
regions and in the first month of life.
build on pre–set international agreements are expected to be
achieved even earlier than the end of 2030.
NO ZERO GOOD HEALTH QUALITY GENDER CLEAN WATER
POVERTY HUNGER AND WELL-BEING EDUCATION EQUALITY AND SANITATION
AFFORDABLE AND DECENT WORK AND INDUSTRY, INNOVATION REDUCED SUSTAINABLE CITIES RESPONSIBLE
CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMIC GROWTH AND INFRASTRUCTURE INEQUALITIES AND COMMUNITIES CONSUMPTION
AND PRODUCTION
CLIMATE LIFE LIFE PEACE, JUSTICE PARTNERSHIPS
ACTION BELOW WATER ON LAND AND STRONG FOR THE GOALS
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