UN-SDG Topics
The United Nations issued the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 as a framework for organizing discussion and tracking progress toward global sustainability.
There are 17 goals and an initial goal was to achieve them all by 2030. As intended, the Goals have been widely adopted by businesses and governments worldwide as a framework for framing sustainability initiatives. However, progress has been slower than anticipated, and the goal of complete achievement by 2030 may be challenging. Nevertheless, the chart above shows that all continents are making progress, reflecting the united effort to create a more sustainable world.
The widespread adoption of the SDGs is what drove of the SDGs as the content focus for the Bronco Challenge. Many employers for which college students around the world (including Western students) aspire to work consider sustainability part of everyone's job. One well known global company, as a way to make that point, several years ago gave every employee a second business card that read "director of sustainability" or words to that effect,
To bring in the student viewpoint, most students have a strong interest in finding a career that allows them to do well by doing good. They have a sense from what they hear from news sources, from what they learn in classes, and from what they experience in everyday life, that sustainability has a role to play. But they are not sure how to integrate all the input they receive. Participation in the Bronco Challenge can fill that void.
One important feature of the SDGs is that several goals taken together may address the same problem from different perspectives. For example, SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 10 (Reduce Inequalities) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) all have something to say about eliminating labor abuses in the manufacture of consumer products. Accordingly, a problem selected for solution as part of the Bronco Challenge will likely support more than one SDG.
The following summary of the 17 SDGs paints a picture of the comprehensive scope of issues addressed by the SDGs. A more detailed discussion is online.
17 UN-SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS)
1. No Poverty
End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
This goal aims to eradicate extreme poverty, currently measured as living on less than $1.90 a day, for all people everywhere. It also aims to reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
Example:Microloans provided by organizations like Grameen Bank enable impoverished individuals to start their own businesses, such as tailoring or grocery shops, thus improving their income and quality of life.
2. Zero Hunger
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.
This goal seeks to ensure that everyone has access to sufficient and nutritious food all year round. It also aims to end all forms of malnutrition and promote sustainable agricultural practices.
Example: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) supports smallholder farmers with training and resources to increase their productivity and resilience to climate change, thereby improving food security.
3. Good Health and Well-being
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
This goal focuses on reducing maternal mortality, ending the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other communicable diseases, and ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services.
Example: The Global Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) has immunized hundreds of millions of children against deadly diseases, significantly reducing child mortality rates.
4. Quality Education
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
This goal aims to ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education. It also promotes lifelong learning opportunities, including technical and vocational education.
Example: The "Education for All" initiative by UNESCO works to provide access to quality education for children in underprivileged communities, reducing gender disparities in education.
5. Gender Equality
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
This goal aims to end all forms of discrimination against women and girls, eliminate violence and harmful practices, and ensure women’s full participation and equal opportunities in leadership.
Example: The "HeForShe" campaign by UN Women engages men and boys as advocates for gender equality, working to shift cultural norms and achieve gender parity.
6. Clean Water and Sanitation
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
This goal aims to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water, improve water quality, and increase water-use efficiency across all sectors.
Example: Water.org helps communities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America access clean water and sanitation through affordable financing solutions, reducing waterborne diseases.
7. Affordable and Clean Energy
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
This goal promotes the use of renewable energy sources, improves energy efficiency, and expands infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services.
Example: Solar Sister empowers women entrepreneurs in Africa by training them to deliver clean energy solutions, such as solar lamps and clean cookstoves, to their communities.
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
This goal seeks to sustain per capita economic growth, achieve higher levels of economic productivity, and promote policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, and entrepreneurship.
Example: The International Labour Organization (ILO) promotes decent work opportunities, particularly for young people, women, and migrants, ensuring fair wages and safe working conditions.
9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.
This goal aims to develop quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure, support domestic technology development, and increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises to financial services.
Example: The creation of technology hubs in cities like Nairobi has fostered innovation and provided startups with the resources needed to grow and scale their businesses.
10. Reduced Inequality
Reduce inequality within and among countries.
This goal aims to progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40% of the population, ensure equal opportunity, and reduce inequalities of outcome by eliminating discriminatory laws and policies.
Example: Policies such as progressive taxation and social protection systems help redistribute wealth and provide social safety nets for the most vulnerable populations.
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
This goal focuses on ensuring access to adequate, safe, and affordable housing and basic services, providing access to safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems, and enhancing inclusive and sustainable urbanization.
Example: The development of eco-friendly and affordable housing projects in urban areas helps reduce the environmental impact of cities and improve living conditions for low-income families.
12. Responsible Consumption and Production
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
This goal aims to achieve sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources, reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse, and encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices.
Example: Initiatives like zero-waste stores promote the reduction of single-use plastics and encourage consumers to adopt more sustainable consumption habits.
13. Climate Action
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
This goal focuses on strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters, integrating climate change measures into national policies, and improving education and awareness-raising on climate change mitigation.
Example: Reforestation projects, such as the Great Green Wall in Africa, aim to combat desertification, enhance biodiversity, and improve the livelihoods of local communities.
14. Life Below Water
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.
This goal aims to prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution, protect marine and coastal ecosystems, minimize ocean acidification, and regulate harvesting to prevent overfishing.
Example: Marine protected areas, like the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, help preserve biodiversity, restore fish stocks, and support sustainable tourism.
15. Life on Land
Protect, restore, and promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, manage forests sustainably, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
This goal focuses on conserving biodiversity, ensuring sustainable forest management, restoring degraded land and soil, and combating desertification.
Example: Conservation projects in the Amazon Rainforest work to protect wildlife habitats, promote sustainable land use, and involve indigenous communities in forest management.
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.
This goal aims to significantly reduce all forms of violence, end abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against children, and promote the rule of law and equal access to justice.
Example: Programs that support the development of transparent and accountable institutions, such as anti-corruption agencies and independent judiciary systems, help build trust and stability in societies.
17. Partnerships for the Goals
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
This goal focuses on enhancing international cooperation, promoting effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships, and mobilizing and sharing knowledge, expertise, technology, and financial resources.
Example: Global partnerships like the Paris Agreement on climate change bring countries together to collectively tackle global challenges and share best practices and technologies.