News
United Nations Sustainable Development Summit 2015: Resource box
A bold new global agenda to end poverty by 2030 and pursue a sustainable future was unanimously adopted by the 193 Member States of the United Nations on 25 September 2015 at the start of a three-day Summit on Sustainable Development at the UN headquarters in New York. The historic adoption of the new Sustainable Development Agenda, with 17 global goals at its core, ushers in a new era of national action and international cooperation. More than 150 world leaders addressed the Summit, which ended on Sunday.
“The new agenda is a promise by leaders to all people everywhere. It is a universal, integrated and transformative vision for a better world.”
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
The sustainable development goals (SDGs) follow, and expand on, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were agreed by governments in 2000, and are due to expire at the end of this year. Recognizing the success of the MDGs – and the fact that a new development agenda was needed beyond 2015 – countries agreed in 2012 at Rio+20, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, to establish an open working group to develop a set of sustainable development goals.
After more than a year of negotiations, the Open Working Group presented its recommendation for the 17 sustainable development goals. In early August 2015, the 193 member states of the United Nations reached consensus on the outcome document of the new agenda, “Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.
There are 17 sustainable development goals with 169 targets. The complex challenges that exist in the world today demand that a wide range of issues is covered. The goals are broad in scope because they will address the interconnected elements of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. The SDGs aim to achieve three extraordinary things in the next 15 years: End extreme poverty, Fight inequality & injustice, and Fix climate change.
» Open Working Group proposal for Sustainable Development Goals
» Report of the Open Working Group of the General Assembly on Sustainable Development Goals
» Sustainable Development Goals Factsheet
» Sustainable Development Goals Booklet (UNDP)
Building on the many successes of the past 15 years and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), world leaders have adopted a new set of goals, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim to end poverty and hunger by 2030. Recognizing the connection between people and planet, leaders have set goals for the land, the oceans and the waterways. That future is one where everybody has enough food, and can work, and where living on less than $1.25 a day is a thing of the past.
Summit Outcome Document
» Outcome document of the United Nations summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, 21 October 2015
Resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. It also seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom. Eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. All countries and all stakeholders, acting in collaborative partnership, will implement this plan.
Reports and studies
Projecting progress: Reaching the SDGs by 2030 | ODI Development Progress, September 2015
This flagship report from the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) offers a first systematic attempt to project progress across the full SDG agenda, showing where – if current trends continue – the world will be in 15 years’ time. The findings serve as a wake-up call on just how much more effort will be needed to reach the new goals. Gathering together the best available projections, we provide a ‘scorecard’ against 17 targets – one per goal. This shows that, without increased effort, none of the goals and examined targets will be met. The scorecard reveals how much faster progress will need to be, classing targets as needing ‘reform’, ‘revolution’ and ‘reversal’. [Download Annex]
As the international community is considering the structure and scope of a post-2015 development agenda, the final report of the MDG Gap Task Force has undertaken the responsibility of extracting lessons from its monitoring of Goal 8 that may be useful in monitoring the future global partnership for development.
The Millennium Development Goals Report 2015
As we reach the end of the MDG period, the world community has reason to celebrate. The data and analysis presented in this report prove that, with targeted interventions, sound strategies, adequate resources and political will, even the poorest countries can make dramatic and unprecedented progress. The report also acknowledges uneven achievements and shortfalls in many areas. The work is not complete, and it must continue in the new development era.
Global Sustainable Development Report 2015 (advance version)
The GSDR brings together a broad range of existing scientific assessments and reviews global progress and future sustainable development pathways in an integrated way, taking into account the perspectives of scientific communities across the globe. 2015 is a historic year. We are set to adopt an ambitious agenda that will move us towards a sustainable future for people and planet. But adopting the agenda is only the first step. Making it a reality will require work and dedication from all of us.
The DATA Report 2015: Putting the Poorest First
2015 is a year that will shape the course of history. A new set of Global Goals – the Sustainable Development Goals – will be launched in September, which will set out the path to a fairer, more prosperous world and an end to extreme poverty. But goals alone are not enough – they need a clear plan of action and the determination to deliver it, ONE Campaign says.
This report serves to review the experiences of recent years in pursuing a global partnership for development, focusing on the gap between commitments made and cooperation delivered, with the ultimate goal of helping the international community bridge the difference.
The Millennium Development Goals Report 2014
This report examines the latest progress towards achieving the MDGs. It reaffirms that the MDGs have made a profound difference in people’s lives. The concerted efforts of national governments, the international community, civil society and the private sector have helped expand hope and opportunity for people around the world. But more needs to be done to accelerate progress. We need bolder and focused action where significant gaps and disparities exist.
Accelerating Action: Global Leaders on Challenges and Opportunities for MDG Achievement
Secretary-General Reports
Mainstreaming of the three dimensions of sustainable development throughout the United Nations system: Report of the Secretary-General, 30 March 2015
This report highlights the role of the sustainable development goals at the core of the post-2015 development agenda and their potential to inject new impetus for embracing integrated approaches to development and to marshal a range of existing policy tools and guidance for collaboration.
Strategic foresight for the post-2015 development agenda: Report of the Secretary-General, 23 February 2015
This report identifies, analyses and presents for discussion key issues concerning the role of strategic foresight for policymakers, particularly in developing countries.
Drawing from the experience of two decades of development practice and from the inputs gathered through an open and inclusive process, the report charts a road map to achieve dignity in the next 15 years. The report proposes one universal and transformative agenda for sustainable development, underpinned by rights, and with people and the planet at the centre.
Trends and progress in international development cooperation: Report of the Secretary-General, 15 May 2014
Post-2015 Process
The process of arriving at the post-2015 development agenda has been member state-led with broad participation from major groups and other civil society stakeholders. This led to the representation of a wide range of interests and perspectives. In Africa, CSOs played an active role in coming up with the Common African Position on the post-2015 Development Agenda (CAP) providing them with full ownership of the process.
In anticipation of the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda at the UN Summit in September 2015, the HLPF discussed how best to prepare for implementing the agenda and to shape its own work to promote and review the implementation of the agenda.
Strengthening integration and implementation: Role of sustainable development bodies after 2015, June 2015
Note prepared by the UN Economic Commission for Africa for the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, held from 17-18 June 2015 in Addis Ababa.
This document is a compilation of the written contributions of various major groups and other relevant stakeholders that have autonomously established and maintained effective coordination mechanisms for participation in the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development on the theme, “Strengthening integration, implementation and review: the high-level political forum on sustainable development after 2015”.
This technical report is provided by the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) in response to a special request by the Co-facilitators of the intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda for the development of a provisional proposal in relation to indicators for sustainable development goals and targets. The Commission, at its 46th session (3-6 March 2015), endorsed a roadmap for the development and implementation of a global indicator framework.
Report of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing, 15 August 2014
This report presents a “strategic approach” to the flow of funds from sources to uses and considers policy options to strengthen the four basic categories of financial resource mobilization available for financing sustainable development, namely, domestic public, domestic private, international public, and international private finance.
Outcome document of the special event to follow up efforts made towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, October 2013
Heads of State and Government gathered at UN Headquarters in New York at the special event convened by the President of the General Assembly to review progress made towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and to chart the way forward. The leaders welcomed what has been achieved so far but expressed concern about unevenness and gaps in achievement and about the immense challenges that remain.
Sustainable Development Agenda in Africa
MDG Report 2015: Assessing Progress in Africa Toward the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), September 2015
This year’s report highlights innovative policies and progammes which countries have adopted to accelerate progress on the MDGs. The report demonstrates that sustaining and advancing beyond the gains made under the MDGs require new approaches which embrace all three dimensions of sustainability – the environmental, economic and social. Progress under the SDGs will be assessed not only by the results achieved, but also by considering how they were achieved. Method will assume greater relevance in the post-2015 development paradigm.
The Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development was held from 17 to 18 June, 2015 Addis Ababa, bringing together high-level representatives of African member states together and relevant stakeholders. The main objective of the Forum was to enable African countries to deliberate and agree on Africa’s collective input in the form of key messages to the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2015. The agreed key messages are presented herein.
Africa Regional Report on the Sustainable Development Goals, February 2015
The present report is a summary of the Africa Regional Report on Sustainable Development Goals, prepared under the framework of the Africa Rio+20 follow-up, and the post-2015 development agenda consultative processes. It is based on information gathered from consultative processes that were carried out in the five subregions of Africa, and among a number of institutions supporting development in the region, supported by an extensive literature review.
Common African Position on the Post-2015 Development Agenda (CAP), March 2014
The CAP identifies substantive issues of importance to Africa and arrives at a consensus on Africa’s key priorities, concerns and strategies to be reflected in the outcomes of the post-2015 negotiation process. This was achieved by taking into account the wealth of information collected and collated from national and regional stakeholders (the executive and legislative arms of governments, private sector, civil society organizations, youth associations, women groups, trade unions, and academia) African multilateral institutions and selected pertinent UN organizations and agencies.
A Regional Perspective on the Post‐2015 United Nations Development Agenda, June 2013
Reports of the UN System Task Team on the Post-2015 Development Agenda
Statistics and indicators for the post-2015 development agenda, July 2013
In January 2013, the UN System Task Team established a Working Group on Monitoring and Indicators to (a) analyze lessons learned from experience with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) monitoring framework, in close collaboration with the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on MDG Indicators (IAEG), and (b) develop recommendations on how the priorities identified in the Realizing the Future We Want for All report might be captured in the monitoring framework, with the objective of informing the formulation of the post-2015 development agenda on the design and criteria of numerical aspects of target setting, and the selection of robust monitoring indicators.
A renewed global partnership for development, March 2013
In this report, the United Nations Task Team Working Group on Strengthening the global partnership for development to support the implementation of a post-2015 development agenda formulates recommendations on desirable features of a renewed global partnership for development that are required for a successful post-2015 global development agenda.
Realizing the Future We Want for All, May 2012
Additional resources
» The new UN Sustainable Development Goals and Regional Integration in Africa, tralac Discussion, September 2015
» Defining a new global development agenda – Sustainable Development Goals and Climate Change, tralac Trade Brief, September 2015
» From Ambition to Execution: Policies in Support of Sustainable Development Goals, IMF Staff Discussion Note, September 2015
» Non-Tariff Measures and Sustainable Development Goals: Direct and indirect linkages, UNCTAD Policy Brief, September 2015
» Trade and Climate Change Policy Beyond 2015, UNCTAD Policy Brief, September 2015
» Report on the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, Addis Ababa, 13-16 July 2015
» From Billions to Trillions: MDB Contributions to Financing for Development, July 2015
» An International Support Programme for Sustainable Investment Facilitation, E15 Task Force on Investment Policy Think Piece, July 2015
» A sustainable development review process, UNCTAD Post-2015 Policy Brief, June 2015
» The role of international trade in the post-2015 development agenda, Note by the UNCTAD Secretariat, February 2014
