• UGI USER
  • May 04, 2024
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THIS IS THE YEAR TO GET THE SDG GOALS BACK ON TRACK

SYLLABUS:

  • GS 2:Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
  • GS 3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Focus:

“Development Goals (SDG), that was held in New York (September 18-19), assessed progress towards achieving the SDGs.

Source: NZAIA

What is Sustainable Development?

  • ‘Development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’.
  • This most widely accepted definition of Sustainable Development was given by the Brundtland Commission in its report Our Common Future (1987).
  • Sustainable development (SD) calls for concerted efforts towards building an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future for people and planet.

United Nations Summit Overview

  • The UN summit in New York (September 18-19) focused on evaluating the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • Adopted in 2015, the Agenda-2030 set forth 17 SDGs with 169 targets, aiming for completion by 2030.
  • Though the program is non-binding, it represents a global commitment to shift towards sustainable development.
  • The summit underscored the collaborative international effort required to achieve these goals.
  • The session provided a platform for nations to reassess and recommit to the SDGs amidst varying degrees of progress.

Challenges and Slow Progress

  • Reports indicate that progress on the SDGs is significantly off track, particularly from 2015 to 2019.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic and other global crises have stalled advancements on many fronts.
  • Environmental and biodiversity-related goals like responsible consumption, climate action, and life preservation on land and below water are notably neglected.
  • The current approach to pursuing SDGs fails to honor their integrated and indivisible nature.
  • There’s a looming risk of accelerated environmental degradation if current trends continue without corrective action.

Key Areas for Urgent Action

  • The 2023 UN SDG Report calls for a commitment to seven years of intensified efforts to achieve SDGs.
  • There’s a need for concrete, integrated policies focused on eradicating poverty, reducing inequality, and halting environmental destruction.
  • Enhancing the capacity, accountability, and effectiveness of national and subnational institutions is crucial.
  • A recommitment by the international community to support developing nations is imperative.
  • Strengthening the UN development system is also recommended to better facilitate global cooperation.

Global Political Impact and Scientific Insight

  • A study led by Professor Frank Biermann analyzed the political impact of SDGs through a review of 3,000 studies, revealing the mostly discursive effects of SDGs so far.
  • The study found only isolated normative and institutional reforms attributable to SDGs, with many effects being diffuse and limited.
  • Despite limited impacts, the potential for SDGs to drive meaningful change at local and national levels remains underexplored.
  • The research encourages broader deliberations and more aggressive implementation strategies to harness the transformative potential of SDGs.

The Path Forward and Recommendations

  • The “Future is Now” report from 2019 suggests a systemic approach to realizing the transformative potential of the 2030 Agenda.
  • Identifying and leveraging co-benefits, where actions addressing one SDG aid in achieving others, is recommended.
  • Adoption of governance, economy, finance, individual and collective action, and science and technology as levers can propel sustainable development.
  • Partnerships and novel collaborations are essential to develop and implement integrated pathways tailored to specific national and regional needs.
  • The year 2024 being an election year globally, presents an opportunity for incoming leaders to prioritize sustainability and realign national policies accordingly.
India’s Progress in Achieving SDGs: A Snapshot

Positive Trends

  • India is on target for 14 out of 33 SDG indicators, notably in neonatal and under-five mortality rates, full vaccination coverage, sanitation improvement, and electricity access.
  • Significant progress has been made in reducing adolescent pregnancy, multidimensional poverty, and increasing women’s bank account ownership across many districts from 2016 to 2021.

Concerning Trends

  • The achievement of SDG targets varies widely across different districts.
  • Although national averages for neonatal and under-five mortality rates meet targets, 286 and 208 districts respectively are not on target.
  • Access to improved sanitation is lagging in 129 districts despite national gains.
  • Over two-thirds of districts (479) have not met targets for clean cooking fuel under the PM Ujjwala Yojana.
  • Inadequate progress in providing improved water (415 districts off-target) and handwashing facilities (278 districts off-target).
  • No district has successfully eradicated child marriage before the age of 18.
  • Critical issues like teenage pregnancy and partner violence, linked to child marriage, need urgent attention.
  • While mobile phone access has broadened, only 56% of women own a mobile phone, with 567 districts not achieving this target.

Source:The Hindu

Mains Practice Question:

“Despite significant global commitment, progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been uneven and is facing numerous challenges. Evaluate the factors contributing to the slow progress and discuss the strategic actions suggested by the United Nations in 2023 to reinvigorate the momentum towards achieving these goals by 2030. Additionally, elaborate on the role of national governments and international cooperation in this context.”

 

Associated Articles:

 

https://universalinstitutions.com/aligning-higher-education-with-the-united-nations-sdgs/