Sustainability Agenda

What is the 2030 Agenda?

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals set out by the United Nations at the Sustainable Development summit, held in September 2015. The agenda was designed to bring about a more sustainable future for the entire planet; in the UN’s own words, simply, ‘This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity.’

The UN Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-Moon, described this landmark agreement, saying, ‘It is a roadmap to ending poverty, building a life of dignity for all and leaving no one behind. It is also a clarion call to work in partnership and intensify efforts to share prosperity, empower people’s livelihoods, ensure peace and heal our planet for the benefit of this and future generations.’

Who Signed the 2030 Agenda?

The Sustainable Development agenda, officially entitled ‘Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’, was signed by all 193 of the UN’s member states. This means countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Germany, China, France, India and Japan, as well as many others, all agreed to adhere to the 17 Goals (and 169 targets) included in the agenda.

The goals include things such as ending poverty in all its forms, making quality education accessible for all, reducing inequality within and among countries, promoting sustainable economic growth and taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Global Goals for Sustainable Development

The full list of 17 global goals for sustainable development are:

• Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere

• Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

• Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

• Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

• Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

• Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

• Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

• Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

• Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation

• Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries

• Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

• Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

• Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

• Goal 14: Conserve and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

• Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

• Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

• Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

Agenda 2030

What Agenda 2030 Really Means?

Where the 2030 Agenda covers such a broad range of political, economic, social and environmental issues, the implications of it are vast and diverse. To achieve its goals would require great reforms in the way governments, economies and even entire societies are structured.

Items such as Goal 9 and the call for sustainable industrialisation, or Goal 13 and the pledge to tackle climate change, are perfect examples of this. To reach these goals would require a commitment from individuals around the world to make more environmentally conscious decisions, as well as from governments to regulate and incentivise economies in more circular directions.

2030 Agenda Circular Economy Action Plan

Prioritising the shift towards a circular economic model at the regional, national and, eventually, global level will be the most important aspect of achieving the environmental Goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda. Increasing circularity will mean that we minimise the amount of waste we produce and reduce the amount of carbon emissions we release into the atmosphere, with an end goal of reaching net zero for both.

It will also mean, among many other positive consequences, that we manage our natural resources far more efficiently and end our current pattern of over-consumption (Goal 12). Holding circular economics as a core value of the decisions we make over the next decade will be crucial in realising the environmental and sustainability goals outlined in the agenda. This will require governments to invest in sustainable manufacturing practices and to work closely with recyclers to make recycling an economically viable practice for all the resources we consume.

Circular Economy Examples

WasteTrade is the perfect real-world example of global circular economics in action. WasteTrade is a pioneering tech platform that brings waste producers and waste processors together from all around the world, making the sustainable, circular handling of waste easier than ever before. It makes it quick and straightforward for waste producers to find the most carbon-efficient outlet for their waste and for waste processors to source the materials they need, while also allowing both parties to cut out the middleman and get the best prices available. This keeps waste out of landfill, keeps the resources in use in the economy and makes the recycling industry more profitable for all involved.

FAQs

What is the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development?

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a set of 17 goals and 169 targets outlined by the United Nations in 2015 designed to bring about an end to poverty around the world, ensure equal rights for all people, to create more sustainable economic practices and to tackle climate change.

How to Cite the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development?

United Nations, 2015. Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. New York: UN Publishing.

What is 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda?

The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda is an agreement between the 193 member states of the United Nations to bring about an end to global poverty and inequality, as well as to tackle climate change and reverse the impacts.