In 2015, 193 heads of state signed off on an unprecedented agreement: the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The 17 goals are a road-map to a just and healthy world, providing clear targets and indicators to measure and direct global progress. They are all interconnected, and together provide building blocks towards a vision for the year 2030.
The goals also offer a framework for those of us motivated to ‘do good’. If you, as a lawyer, are contributing to any one of these goals, you already are a lawyer for good. Thank you! But all of us can always do better, so here’s a quick overview of all 17 goals. We can treat them as pillars from which to gain clarity and focus on the meaningful work that we do.
Goal #1: End poverty in all its forms, everywhere
Poverty is defined as living on less than US$1.25 a day. It’s an unimaginably stark amount for many of us, but it’s the reality for 11% of the world’s population. The good news is that global poverty rates have more than halved in the past two decades.
Actions: fighting for fair trade, social security measures, equal rights to basic services and economic resources.
Goal #2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Malnourishment rates are actually on the rise. Agricultural security around the world is susceptible to climate change, market distortion, conflict and natural disasters.
Actions: protecting the rights of small-scale farmers, implementing sustainable production methods, correcting trade restrictions and monopolies.
Goal #3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Global mortality rates are falling, including infant deaths and childbirth-related maternal mortality. Figures are still high for many preventable deaths, however, and access to healthcare is imperative for a satisfactory quality of life.
Actions: reduce pollution, improve access to sanitation and policy around universal healthcare, support research into vaccinations and medicines.
Goal #4: Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning
Education is the undeniable driving force for development, especially when it comes to addressing gender imbalance in this area. Over half of children worldwide are not meeting minimum literacy and numeracy standards.
Actions: improve relevance and affordability of education at all levels including technical and vocational, promote education in sustainable lifestyles, culture and diversity.
Goal #5: Achieve gender equality and empower women and girls
Many countries’ legal frameworks do not grant equal rights to women. This is on top of unfair, global and cultural attitudes and customs surrounding the treatment and expectations of women.
Actions: eliminate violence against women and girls, stop trafficking and exploitation, recognise unpaid domestic work, ensure full participation of women in political and economic decision-making, access to sexual and reproductive health and education, reforms on rights surrounding ownership, property, land and resources, sound legislation for equality.
Goal #6: Ensure access to clean water and sanitation for all
Almost a third of the world’s population lack access to safely managed drinking water, while 22 countries are facing water scarcity in the coming years.
Actions: protect water-related ecosystems, eliminate pollution and dumping of hazardous waste, effective transboundary water supply management, promote sanitation programmes and education.
Goal #7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Almost 1 billion people currently live without access to electricity. Improving access, however, must run in line with developing renewable energy sources.
Actions: research into clean energy, promote investment in renewable energy, improve international cooperation on infrastructure.
Goal #8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all
Unemployment rates are slowly decreasing globally, and GDP is on the rise. However, youth unemployment is high, and the gender pay gap is universal. Informal employment leaves millions of people in an economically vulnerable position.
Actions: protect employment rights, fair pay, support policy around job creation, innovation and entrepreneurship, increase access to financial services, promote sustainable production and consumption, eliminate modern slavery and child labour.
Goal #9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
Continued industrialisation and the growth of emerging markets threatens to further the environmental decline of the planet, although carbon intensity has been decreasing. Continued technological growth and innovation must get smart.
Actions: adopt environmentally-sound technologies, promote industrial diversification, support scientific research and access to the internet.
Goal #10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
The 80 wealthiest people in the world have the same combined value as the 3.5 billion least wealthy people. This disparity is utterly unfair and unnecessary. Financial regulations play a key part of redressing the balance.
Actions: eliminate discriminatory laws, promote social security, tighten global trade and financial regulations, lobby for safe, responsible migration policies, encourage investment in less developed countries.
Goal #11: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
The global urban population continues to grow, putting a strain on infrastructure, ecology and even cultural legacy. The number of people living in slums has increased in the past two decades, and the majority of urban dwellers are exposed to unsafe levels of air pollution.
Actions: build affordable housing, accessible public transport, protect vulnerable people, promote sustainable planning, safeguard cultural and natural heritage.
Goal #12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Dramatic changes are needed to current trends in mass consumption, but this requires a profound shift in attitudes, processes and policies.
Actions: reduce food waste and food losses on the supply chain, responsible waste management, promote sustainable lifestyles, build responsible tourism frameworks.
Goal #13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Rising sea levels and extreme weather patterns due to global warming put billions of people at risk, and it is a matter of urgency to slow or halt the situation.
Actions: implement policy on climate strategy and planning, raise awareness and education.
Goal #14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources
Do we want to live in a world where there’s more plastic in the ocean than fish? Marine life is under threat from the pollution of our consumption habits.
Actions: protect coastal ecosystems, tighten regulations on fishing, eliminate marine pollution.
Goal #15: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss
The loss of natural habitats threatens our entire ecosystem. Many species are under threat from shrinking forest areas and illegal trade.
Actions: promote conservation and restoration, halt deforestation, protect threatened species, integrate biodiversity values in town planning.
Goal #16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies
Peace is the word. It’s the backbone of a society that’s fair, happy and healthy – and the key to this is respecting and upholding each individual’s human rights.
Actions: eradicate violence, abuse, exploitation, protect vulnerable adults and children, reduce and regulate arms trade, combat organised crime, hold institutions accountable, eliminate corruption, ensure representative decision-making at all levels, provide legal identity for all, protect fundamental freedoms.
Goal #17: Revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
The final UN Sustainable Development Goal is about ensuring each country has the means to work towards these goals. The responsibility to achieve these goals falls across governments and corporations, public and private sectors, society and the individual.
Actions: capacity building, sustainable financial assistance, promote knowledge sharing in science and tech, regulate fair trade, enhance policy coherence, promote effective public-private partnerships.
Stay tuned… Lawyers for Good will be profiling each goal in-depth on our blog over the coming months. We will explore what the measures and targets mean, how these are relevant to our profession, and how practising lawyers are making an impact.