Following an inspirational and ambitious series of meetings the UN today approved the official Agenda to replace the eight Millennium Development Goals, which expire at the end of 2015, with 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The document,
Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda For Sustainable Development will be formally adopted at the Sept. 25-27 UN Summit as a major part of the post-2015 development framework and is a highlight of the #Action2015 movement.
The Agenda, finalized at the seventh session of the intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development which began at July 20, includes:
* a preamble
*a declaration
*Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
* targets, and indicators
* means of implementation (MOI)
* a new global partnership; and a framework for follow-up and review of implementation.
Along with addressing poverty and hunger, gender equity and improvements in water access and energy, the Agenda calls for bold and urgent action to address climate change and equal rights and empowerment to all people regardless of age, displacement, disability and other vulnerabilities.
"We are setting out together the path towards sustainable development, devoting ourselves collectively to the pursuit of global development and of 'win-win' cooperation which can bring huge gains to all countries and all parts of the world," the official paper notes. "
A sampling of the highlights quoted directly from the document contextualizes the new goals:
"We are determined to address decisively the threat caused by climate change and environmental degradation ... Looking ahead to the COP21 conference in December in Paris, we underscore the commitment of all States to work for an ambitious and universal climate agreement.
"We recognize that social and economic development depends on the sustainable management of our planet's resources."
"Sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth is essential for prosperity. This will only be possible if wealth is shared and income inequality is addressed."
"... we must achieve universal health coverage and access to quality health care. No one must be left behind."
In praise of the Agenda, India's Counsellor Amit Narang expresses his country's excitement over the new framework which has "enabled us to dream of a new world, a new future in 2030. It is founded on our common belief that our common vision of a world free of poverty is achievable, that a sustainable future for the planet is possible.
"It is India’s hope that this agenda will lead us to a world without poverty and hunger in 2030. A world which is in harmony with nature, having halted climate change and altered unsustainable consumption patterns; a world where the poor do not have to pay the bill for the excesses of the rich; a world where the international system redistributes wealth not poverty; a world where every developing country is not just an emerging economy, but an emerged one; a world where there is no more a Least Developed Country (all having graduated), where all Landlocked Developing Countries are structurally resilient, where the survival and sustainable development of all Small Island Developing States is ensured; a world where there is no North and no South, a world that is truly flat!"
The People's Climate March
Climate change is wreaking havoc on our planet and recent reports predict unavoidable multi-meter sea level rise unless global warming remains below 2°C. Citizens around the world are uniting on November 29, 2015 on the eve of the biggest climate summit of the decade to pressure negotiators to reach agreement and ratify a universally binding treaty to accomplish this goal. Sign up for or organize a march near you! Follow the progress on Twitter via the COP21 hashtag |