The 193 member states of the United Nations adopted 17 new development goals to be achieved by 2030. The goals were added to the world agenda at a global summit just before the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly. They replace and expand on the United Nations’ previous road map, the Millennium Development Goals that were adopted in 2000. Those were aimed mainly at developing countries, and met with widely varying degrees of success.
The new global goals are more ambitious, and are meant to apply to every country, not just the developing world. Stated in broad terms, the goals are accompanied by 169 specific targets meant to advance the goals in concrete ways. Most are meant to be achieved by 2030, though some have shorter deadlines
Here are the 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 sustained, inclusive and 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 inclusive, safe, resilient 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
