Sustainable Development Goals

In 1972, governments met in Stockholm, Sweden for the United Nations Conference on the
Human Environment, to consider the rights of the family to a healthy and productive
environment. In 1983, the United Nations created the World Commission on Environment and
Development (later known as the Brundtland Commission), which defined sustainable
development as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs. In 1992, the first United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED) or Earth Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro, where
the first agenda for Environment and Development, also known as Agenda 21, was developed
and adopted.

In 2012, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), also known as
Rio+20, was held as a 20-year follow up to UNCED. Colombia proposed the idea of the SDGs at
a preparation event for Rio+20 held in Indonesia in July 2011.In September 2011, this idea was
picked up by the United Nations Department of Public Information 64th NGO Conference in
Bonn, Germany. The outcome document proposed 17 sustainable development goals and
associated targets. In the run-up to Rio+20 there was much discussion about the idea of the
SDGs. At the Rio+20 Conference, a resolution known as "The Future We Want" was reached by
member states. Among the key themes agreed on were poverty eradication, energy, water and
sanitation, health, and human settlement.

The Rio+20 outcome document mentioned that "at the outset, the OWG [Open Working Group]
will decide on its methods of work, including developing modalities to ensure the full
involvement of relevant stakeholders and expertise from civil society, Indigenous Peoples, the
scientific community and the United Nations system in its work, in order to provide a diversity
of perspectives and experience".

In January 2013, the 30-member UN General Assembly Open Working Group on Sustainable
Development Goals was established to identify specific goals for the SDGs. The Open Working
Group (OWG) was tasked with preparing a proposal on the SDGs for consideration during the
68th session of the General Assembly, September 2013 – September 2014. On 19 July 2014, the
OWG forwarded a proposal for the SDGs to the Assembly. After 13 sessions, the OWG
submitted their proposal of 17 SDGs and 169 targets to the 68th session of the General Assembly
in September 2014. On 5 December 2014, the UN General Assembly accepted the Secretary
General's Synthesis Report, which stated that the agenda for the post-2015 SDG process would
be based on the OWG proposals.
Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations Secretary-General from 2007 to 2016, has stated in a
November 2016 press conference that: "We don’t have plan B because there is no planet B. This
thought has guided the development of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Post-2015 Development Agenda was a process from 2012 to 2015 led by the United Nations
to define the future global development framework that would succeed the Millennium
Development Goals. The SDGs were developed to succeed the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs) which ended in 2015. The gaps and shortcomings of MDG Goal 8 (To develop a global
partnership for development) led to identifying a problematic "donor-recipient" relationship.
Instead, the new SDGs favor collective action by all countries.

The UN-led process involved its 193 Member States and global civil society. The resolution is a
broad intergovernmental agreement that acts as the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The SDGs
build on the principles agreed upon in Resolution A/RES/66/288, entitled "The Future We
Want". This was a non-binding document released as a result of Rio+20 Conference held in 2012

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 global goals designed to be a
"blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The SDGs, set in 2015 by the
United Nations General Assembly and intended to be achieved by the year 2030, are part of UN
Resolution 70/1, the 2030 Agenda.

Ratification
Negotiations on the Post-2015 Development Agenda began in January 2015 and ended in August
2015. The negotiations ran in parallel to United Nations negotiations on financing for
development, which determined the financial means of implementing the Post-2015
Development Agenda; those negotiations resulted in adoption of the Addis Ababa Action
Agenda in July 2015. A final document was adopted at the UN Sustainable Development
Summit in September 2015 in New York.
On 25 September 2015, the 193 countries of the UN General Assembly adopted the 2030
Development Agenda titled "Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development". This agenda has 92 paragraphs. Paragraph 51 outlines the 17 Sustainable
Development Goals and the associated 169 targets and 232 indicators.

The Sustainable Development Goals are:

 No Poverty
 Zero Hunger
 Good Health and Well-being
  Quality Education
 Gender Equality
 Clean Water and Sanitation
 Affordable and Clean Energy
 Decent Work and Economic Growth
 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
 Reducing Inequality
 Sustainable Cities and Communities
 Responsible Consumption and Production
 Climate Action
 Life Below Water
 Life On Land
 Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
 Partnerships for the Goals

The goals are broad based and interdependent. The 17 sustainable development goals each have
a list of targets which are measured with indicators. In an effort to make the SDGs successful,
data on the 17 goals has been made available in an easily-understood form. A variety of tools
exist to track and visualize progress towards the goals.

Goal 1: No poverty
End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
Extreme poverty has been cut by more than half since 1990. Still, around 1 in 10 people live on
less than the target figure of international-$1.90 per day. A very low poverty threshold is
justified by highlighting the need of those people who are worst off. SDG 1 is to end extreme
poverty globally by 2030.
That target may not be adequate for human subsistence and basic needs, however. It is for this
reason that changes relative to higher poverty lines are also commonly tracked. Poverty is more
than the lack of income or resources: People live in poverty if they lack basic services such as
healthcare, security, and education. They also experience hunger, social discrimination, and
exclusion from decision-making processes. One possible alternative metric is the
Multidimensional Poverty Index.
Children make up the majority – more than half – of those living in extreme poverty. In 2013, an
estimated 385 million children lived on less than US$1.90 per day. Still, these figures are
unreliable due to huge gaps in data on the status of children worldwide. On average, 97 percent
of countries have insufficient data to determine the state of impoverished children and make
projections towards SDG Goal 1, and 63 percent of countries have no data on child poverty at
all.
Women face potentially life-threatening risks from early pregnancy and frequent pregnancies.
This can result in lost hope for an education and for a better income.[citation needed] Poverty
affects age groups differently, with the most devastating effects experienced by children. It
affects their education, health, nutrition, and security, impacting emotional and spiritual
development.

Achieving Goal 1 is hampered by lack of economic growth in the poorest countries of the world,
growing inequality, increasingly fragile statehood, and the impacts of climate change.

Goal 2: Zero hunger

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 2 states that by 2030 we should end hunger and all forms of malnutrition. This would be
accomplished by doubling agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers
(especially women and indigenous peoples), by ensuring sustainable food production systems,
and by progressively improving land and soil quality. Agriculture is the single largest employer
in the world, providing livelihoods for 40% of the global population. It is the largest source of
income for poor rural households. Women make up about 43% of the agricultural labor force in
developing countries, and over 50% in parts of Asia and Africa. However, women own only 20%
of the land.
.

Goal 3: Good health and well-being for people

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
Significant strides have been made in increasing life expectancy and reducing some of the
common killers associated with child and maternal mortality. Between 2000 and 2016, the
worldwide under-five mortality rate decreased by 47 percent (from 78 deaths per 1,000 live
births to 41 deaths per 1,000 live births). Still, the number of children dying under age five is
extremely high: 5.6 million in 2016 alone. Newborns account for a growing number of these
deaths, and poorer children are at the greatest risk of under-5 mortality due to a number of
factors. SDG Goal 3 aims to reduce under-five mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live
births. But if current trends continue, more than 60 countries will miss the SDG neonatal
mortality target for 2030. About half of these countries would not reach the target even by 2050.
Goal 3 also aims to reduce maternal mortality to less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Though the maternal mortality ratio declined by 37 percent between 2000 and 2015, there were
approximately 303,000 maternal deaths worldwide in 2015, most from preventable causes. In
2015, maternal health conditions were also the leading cause of death among girls aged 15–19.
Data for girls of greatest concern – those aged between 10-14 - is currently unavailable. Key
strategies for meeting SDG Goal 3 will be to reduce adolescent pregnancy (which is strongly
linked to gender equality), provide better data for all women and girls, and achieve universal
coverage of skilled birth attendants.
Similarly, progress has been made on increasing access to clean water and sanitation and on
reducing malaria, tuberculosis, polio, and the spread of HIV/AIDS. From 2000-2016, new HIV
infections declined by 66 percent for children under 15 and by 45 percent among adolescents
aged 15–19. However, current trends mean that 1 out of 4 countries still won't meet the SDG
target to end AIDS among children under 5, and 3 out of 4 will not meet the target to end AIDS
among adolescents. Additionally, only half of women in developing countries have received the
health care they need, and the need for family planning is increasing exponentially as the
population grows. While needs are being addressed gradually, more than 225 million women
have an unmet need for contraception.
Goal 3 aims to achieve universal health coverage, including access to essential medicines and
vaccines.[34] It proposes to end the preventable death of newborns and children under 5 and to
end epidemics such as AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and water-borne diseases, for example.[34]
2016 rates for the third dose of the pertussis vaccine (DTP3) and the first dose of the measles
vaccine (MCV1) reached 86 percent and 85 percent, respectively. Yet about 20 million children
did not receive DTP3 and about 21 million did not receive MCV1. Around 2 in 5 countries will
need to accelerate progress in order to reach SDG targets for immunization.
Attention to health and well-being also includes targets related to the prevention and treatment of
substance abuse, deaths and injuries from traffic accidents and from hazardous chemicals and air,
water and soil pollution and contamination.

Goal 4: Quality education

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for
all.
Major progress has been made in access to education, specifically at the primary school level, for
both boys and girls. The number of out-of-school children has almost halved from 112 million in
1997 to 60 million in 2014. Still, at least 22 million children in 43 countries will miss out on pre-
primary education unless the rate of progress doubles.
Access does not always mean quality of education or completion of primary school. 103 million
youth worldwide still lack basic literacy skills, and more than 60 percent of those are women. In
one out of four countries, more than half of children failed to meet minimum math proficiency
standards at the end of primary school, and at the lower secondary level, the rate was 1 in 3
countries. Target 1 of Goal 4 is to ensure that, by 2030, all girls and boys complete free,
equitable, and quality primary and secondary education.

Additionally, progress is difficult to track: 75 percent of countries have no or insufficient data to

track progress towards SDG Goal 4 targets for learning outcomes (target 1), early childhood
education (target 2), and effective learning environments. Data on learning outcomes and pre-
primary school are particularly scarce; 70 percent and 40 percent of countries lack adequate data
for these targets, respectively.[ This makes it hard to analyze and identify the children at greatest
risk of being left behind.

Goal 5: Gender equality

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
According to the UN, "gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary
foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world."[38] Providing women and girls
with equal access to education, health care, decent work, and representation in political and
economic decision-making processes will nurture sustainable economies and benefit societies
and humanity at large. A record 143 countries guaranteed equality between men and women in
their constitutions as of 2014. However, another 52 had not taken this step. In many nations,
gender discrimination is still woven into the fabric of legal systems and social norms. Even
though SDG5 is a stand-alone goal, other SDGs can only be achieved if the needs of women
receive the same attention as the needs of men. Issues unique to women and girls include
traditional practices against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, such as female
genital mutilation.
Child marriage has declined over the past decades, yet there is no region that is currently on track
to eliminate the practice and reach SDG targets by 2030. If current trends continue, between
2017 and 2030, 150 million girls will be married before they turn 18. Though child marriages are
four times higher among the poorest than the wealthiest in the world, most countries need to
accelerate progress among both groups in order to reach the SDG Goal 5 target to eliminate child
marriage by 2030.
Achieving gender equality will require enforceable legislation that promotes empowerment of all
women and girls and requires secondary education for all girls. The targets call for an end to
gender discrimination and for empowering women and girls through technology Some have
advocated for "listening to girls". The assertion is that the SDGs can deliver transformative
change for girls only if girls are consulted. Their priorities and needs must be taken into account.
Girls should be viewed not as beneficiaries of change, but as agents of change. Engaging women
and girls in the implementation of the SDGs is crucial.

The World Pensions Council (WPC) has insisted on the transformational role gender-diverse that
boards can play in that regard, predicting that 2018 could be a pivotal year, as "more than ever
before, many UK and European Union pension trustees speak enthusiastically about flexing their
fiduciary muscles for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG5, and to achieve
gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation.

The first three targets relate to drinking water supply and sanitation. Worldwide, 6 out of 10
people lack safely managed sanitation services, and 3 out of 10 lack safely managed water
services. Safe drinking water and hygienic toilets protect people from disease and enable
societies to be more productive economically. Attending school and work without disruption is
critical to successful education and successful employment. Therefore, toilets in schools and
work places are specifically mentioned as a target to measure. "Equitable sanitation" calls for
addressing the specific needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations, such as the
elderly or people with disabilities. Water sources are better preserved if open defecation is ended
and sustainable sanitation systems are implemented.
Ending open defecation will require provision of toilets and sanitation for 2.6 billion people as
well as behavior change of the users. This will require cooperation between governments, civil
society, and the private sector.
The main indicator for the sanitation target is the "Proportion of population using safely
managed sanitation services, including a hand-washing facility with soap and water". However,
as of 2017, two-thirds of countries lacked baseline estimates for SDG indicators on hand
washing, safely managed drinking water, and sanitation services. From those that were available,
the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) found that 4.5 billion people currently do not have safely
managed sanitation. To meet SDG targets for sanitation by 2030, nearly one-third of countries
will need to accelerate progress to end open defecation, including Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India,
Indonesia, Nigeria, and Pakistan.
The Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA) has made it its mission to achieve
SDG6.SuSanA's position is that the SDGs are highly interdependent. Therefore, the provision of
clean water and sanitation for all is a precursor to achieving many of the other SDGs.

Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
Targets for 2030 include access to affordable and reliable energy while increasing the share of
renewable energy in the global energy mix. This would involve improving energy efficiency and
enhancing international cooperation to facilitate more open access to clean energy technology
and more investment in clean energy infrastructure. Plans call for particular attention to
infrastructure support for the least developed countries, small islands and land-locked developing
countries.
As of 2017, only 57 percent of the global population relies primarily on clean fuels and
technology, falling short of the 95 percent target.

Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment
and decent work for all.
World Pensions Council (WPC) development economists have argued that the twin
considerations of long-term economic growth and infrastructure investment were not prioritized
enough. The fact they were designated as the number 8 and number 9 objective respectively was
considered a rather "mediocre ranking [which] defies common sense
For the least developed countries, the economic target is to attain at least a 7 percent annual
growth in gross domestic product (GDP). Achieving higher productivity will require
diversification and upgraded technology along with innovation, entrepreneurship, and the growth
of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Some targets are for 2030; others are for 2020.
The target for 2020 is to reduce youth unemployment and operationalize a global strategy for
youth employment. Implementing the Global Jobs Pact of the International Labour Organization
is also mentioned.
By 2030, the target is to establish policies for sustainable tourism that will create jobs.
Strengthening domestic financial institutions and increasing Aid for Trade support for
developing countries is considered essential to economic development. The Enhanced Integrated
Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance to Least Developed Countries is mentioned
as a method for achieving sustainable economic development.

Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

"Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster
innovation
Manufacturing is a major source of employment. In 2016, the least developed countries had less
"manufacturing value added per capita". The figure for Europe and North America amounted to
US$4,621, compared to about $100 in the least developed countries. The manufacturing of high
products contributes 80 percent to total manufacturing output in industrialized economies but
barely 10 percent in the least developed countries.
Mobile-cellular signal coverage has improved a great deal. In previously "unconnected" areas of
the globe, 85 percent of people now live in covered areas. Planet-wide, 95 percent of the
population is covered.

Goal 10: Reducing inequalities

Reduce income inequality within and among countries.
Target 10.1 is to "sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate
higher than the national average". This goal, known as 'shared prosperity', is complementing
SDG 1, the eradication of extreme poverty, and it is relevant for all countries in the world.
Target 10.2 is to reduce the transaction costs for migrant remittances to below 3 percent. The
target of 3 percent was established as the cost that international migrant workers would pay to
send money home (known as remittances). However, post offices and money transfer companies
currently charge 6 percent of the amount remitted. Worse, commercial banks charge 11 percent.
Prepaid cards and mobile money companies charge 2 to 4 percent, but those services were not
widely available as of 2017 in typical "remittance corridors.

Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities

"Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
The target for 2030 is to ensure access to safe and affordable housing. The indicator named to
measure progress toward this target is the proportion of urban population living in slums or
informal settlements. Between 2000 and 2014, the proportion fell from 39 percent to 30 percent.
However, the absolute number of people living in slums went from 792 million in 2000 to an
estimated 880 million in 2014. Movement from rural to urban areas has accelerated as the
population has grown and better housing alternatives are available.

Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production

"Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
The targets of Goal 12 include using eco-friendly production methods and reducing the amount
of waste. By 2030, national recycling rates should increase, as measured in tons of material
recycled. Further, companies should adopt sustainable practices and publish sustainability
reports.
Target 12.1 calls for the implementation of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on
Sustainable Consumption and Production. This framework, adopted by member states at the
United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, is a global commitment to accelerate
the shift to sustainable consumption and production in developed and developing countries. In
order to generate the collective impact necessary for such a shift, programs such as the One
Planet Network have formed different implementation methods to help achieve Goal 12.

Goal 13: Climate action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts by regulating emissions and
promoting developments in renewable energy.
The UN discussions and negotiations identified the links between the post-2015 SDG process
and the Financing for Development process that concluded in Addis Ababa in July 2015 and the
COP 21 Climate Change conference in Paris in December 2015
In May 2015, a report concluded that only a very ambitious climate deal in Paris in 2015 could
enable countries to reach the sustainable development goals and targets. The report also states
that tackling climate change will only be possible if the SDGs are met. Further, economic
development and climate change are inextricably linked, particularly around poverty, gender
equality, and energy. The UN encourages the public sector to take initiative in this effort to
minimize negative impacts on the environment.
This renewed emphasis on climate change mitigation was made possible by the partial Sino-
American convergence that developed in 2015-2016, notably at the UN COP21 summit (Paris)
and ensuing G20 conference (Hangzhou).

Goal 14: Life below water

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
Sustainable Development Goal 14 aims “to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and
marine resources for sustainable development. Effective strategies to mitigate adverse effects of
increased ocean acidification are needed to advance the sustainable use of oceans. As areas of
protected marine biodiversity expand, there has been an increase in ocean science funding,
essential for preserving marine resources. The deterioration of coastal waters has become a
global occurrence, due to pollution and coastal eutrophication (overflow of nutrients in water),
where similar contributing factors to climate change can affect oceans and negatively impact
marine biodiversity. “Without concerted efforts, coastal eutrophication is expected to increase in
20 per cent of large marine ecosystems by 2050.

Although many participating United Nations legislative bodies comes together to discuss the
issues around marine environments and SDG 14, such as at the United Nations Ocean
Conference, it is important to consider how SDG 14 is implemented across different Multilateral
Environmental Agreements, respectively. As climate, biodiversity and land degradation are
major parts of the issues surrounding the deterioration of marine environments and oceans, it is
important to know how each Rio Convention implements this SDG.

Goal 15: Life on land

"Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage
forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
This goal articulates targets for preserving biodiversity of forest, desert, and mountain eco-
systems, as a percentage of total land mass. Achieving a "land degradation-neutral world" can be
reached by restoring degraded forests and land lost to drought and flood. Goal 15 calls for more
attention to preventing invasion of introduced species and more protection of endangered
species. Forests have a prominent role to play in the success of Agenda 2030, notably in terms of
ecosystem services, livelihoods, and the green economy; but this will require clear priorities to
address key tradeoffs and mobilize synergies with other SDGs.

Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions

"Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice
for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels."
Reducing violent crime, sex trafficking, forced labor, and child abuse are clear global goals. The
International Community values peace and justice and calls for stronger judicial systems that will
enforce laws and work toward a more peaceful and just society. By 2017, the UN could report
progress on detecting victims of trafficking. More women and girls than men and boys were
victimized, yet the share of women and girls has slowly declined (see also violence against
women). In 2004, 84 percent of victims were females and by 2014 that number had dropped to
71 percent. Sexual exploitation numbers have declined, but forced labor has increased.
SDG 16 also targets universal legal identity and birth registration, ensuring the right to a name
and nationality, civil rights, recognition before the law, and access to justice and social services.
With more than a quarter of children under 5 unregistered worldwide as of 2015, about 1 in 5
countries will need to accelerate progress to achieve universal birth registration by 2030.

Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable
development".
Increasing international cooperation is seen as vital to achieving each of the 16 previous goals.
Goal 17 is included to assure that countries and organizations cooperate instead of compete.
Developing multi-stakeholder partnerships to share knowledge, expertise, technology, and
financial support is seen as critical to overall success of the SDGs. The goal encompasses
improving North-South and South-South cooperation, and public-private partnerships which
involve civil societies are specifically mentioned

Implementation and support

Implementation of the SDGs started worldwide in 2016. This process can also be called
"Localizing the SDGs". All over the planet, individual people, universities, governments and
institutions and organizations of all kinds work on several goals at the same time. In each
country, governments must translate the goals into national legislation, develop a plan of action,
establish budgets and at the same time be open to and actively search for partners. Poor countries
need the support of rich countries and coordination at the international level is crucial.
The independent campaign "Project Everyone" has met some resistance. In addition, several
sections of civil society and governments felt the SDGs ignored "sustainability" even though it
was the most important aspect of the agreement.
A 2018 study in the journal Nature found that while nearly all African countries demonstrated
improvements for children under 5 years old for stunting, wasting, and underweight... much, if
not all of the continent will fail to meet the Sustainable Development Goal target—to end
malnutrition by 2030
There have been two books produced one by each of the co-chairs of the negotiations to help
people to understand the Sustainable Development Goals and where they came from:
"Negotiating the Sustainable Development Goals: A transformational agenda for an insecure
world" written by Ambassador David Donoghue, Felix Dodds and Jimena Leiva as well as
"Transforming Multilateral Diplomacy: The Inside Story of the Sustainable Development Goals"
by Macharia Kamau, David O'Connor and Pamela Chasek.
Tracking progress
The online publication SDG-Tracker was launched in June 2018 and presents data across all
available indicators. It relies on the Our World in Data database and is also based at the
University of Oxford. The publication has global coverage and tracks whether the world is
making progress towards the SDGs. It aims to make the data on the 17 goals available and
understandable to a wide audience.

The website "allows people around the world to hold their governments accountable to achieving
the agreed goals. The SDG-Tracker highlights that the world is currently (early 2019) very far
away from achieving the goals.

The Global SDG Index and Dashboards Report is the first publication to track countries'
performance on all 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The annual publication, co-produced by
Bertelsmann Stiftung and SDSN, includes a ranking and dashboards that show key challenges for
each country in terms of implementing the SDGs. The publication features trend analysis to
show how countries performing on key SDG metrics has changed over recent years in addition to
an analysis of government efforts to implement the SDGs.

Criticisms
The SDGs have been criticized for setting contradictory goals and for trying to do everything
first, instead of focusing on the most urgent or fundamental priorities. The SDGs were an
outcome from a UN conference that was not criticized by any major non-governmental
organization (NGO). Instead, the SDGs received broad support from many NGOs.
1. Competing goals
Some of the goals compete with each other. For example, seeking high levels of quantitative
GDP growth can make it difficult to attain ecological, inequality reduction, and sustainability
objectives. Similarly, increasing employment and wages can work against reducing the cost of
living.

Continued global economic growth of 3 percent (Goal 8) may not be reconcilable with ecological
sustainability goals. This is because the required rate of absolute global eco-economic
decoupling is far higher than any country has achieved in the past. Little empirical evidence
supports the idea that it can be attained in the future. Instead of targeting aggregate GDP growth,
the goals could instead target resource use per capita, with "substantial reductions in high‐
income nations.

2. Too many goals

A commentary in The Economist in 2015 argued that 169 targets for the SDGs is too many,
describing them as "sprawling, misconceived" and "a mess. The goals are said to ignore local
context. All other 16 goals might be contingent on achieving SDG 1, ending poverty, which
should have been at the top of a very short list of goals. In addition, Bhargava (2019) has
emphasized the inter-dependence between the numerous sub-goals and the role played by
population growth in developing countries in hampering their operationalization.
On the other hand, nearly all stakeholders engaged in negotiations to develop the SDGs agreed
that the high number of 17 goals was justified because the agenda they address is all-
encompassing

3. Weak on environmental sustainability

Environmental constraints and planetary boundaries are underrepresented within the SDGs. For
instance, the paper "Making the Sustainable Development Goals Consistent with Sustainability
points out that the way the current SDGs are structured leads to a negative correlation between
environmental sustainability and SDGs. This means, as the environmental sustainability side of
the SDGs is underrepresented, the resource security for all, particularly for lower-income
populations, is put at risk. This is not a criticism of the SDGs per se, but a recognition that their
environmental conditions are still weak.

4. Comparison with Millennium Development Goals

A commentary in The Economist in 2015 said that the SDGs are "a mess" compared to the eight
MDGs used previously. The MDGs were about development while the SDGs are about
sustainable development.[clarification needed] Finally, the MDGs used a sole approach to
problems, while the SDGs take into account the inter-connectedness of all the problems.
Whilst the MDGs were strongly criticized by many NGOs as only dealing with the problems, the
SDGs deal with the causes of the problems.[citation needed] Another core feature of the SDGs is
their focus on means of implementation, or the mobilization of financial resources, along with
capacity building and technology.