Africa

Stating the MDG Report 2015, "Africa made great strides towards the eight Millennium Development Goals. In many areas, especially related to health and education, the advance registered by Sub-Saharan Africa was the…

Atmosphere

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, through paragraph 31 “calls for the widest possible international cooperation aimed at accelerating the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions and addressing adaptation…

Biodiversity and ecosystems

The Sustainable Development Goal 15 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is devoted to “protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat…

Capacity Development

Our approach to capacity development The Division’s capacity development activities advance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the SAMOA Pathway and other…

Chemicals and waste

Chemicals Environmentally sound management of "toxic chemicals" is the topic of Chapter 19 of Agenda 21. A substantial use of chemicals is essential to meet the social and economic goals of the world community, and…

Climate Action and Synergies

The science is clear: our climate is heating rapidly. The average global temperatures have increased by 1.2 degrees Celsius since 1880, particularly in the late 20th century. The concentration of atmospheric CO2, the…

Desertification, land degradation and drought

Paragraph 33 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development focuses on the linkage between sustainable management of the planet’s natural resources and social and economic development as well as on “strengthen…

Disaster risk reduction

Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is an integral part of social and economic development, and is essential if development is to be sustainable for the future. This has been recognized by several global documents on DRR and…

Education

Education for all has always been an integral part of the sustainable development agenda. The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in 2002 adopted the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) which in its…

Employment, decent work for all and social protection

The key role of decent work for all in achieving sustainable development is highlighted by Sustainable Development Goal 8 which aims to “promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive…

Energy

In 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which include a dedicated and stand-alone goal on energy, SDG 7, calling to "ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and…

Finance

Finance for sustainable development is the subject of Chapter 33 of Agenda 21 and Chapter X of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation. Decisions on finance for sustainable development were taken by the Commission at…

Financial inclusion

Food security and nutrition and sustainable agriculture

As the world population continues to grow, much more effort and innovation will be urgently needed in order to sustainably increase agricultural production, improve the global supply chain, decrease food losses and…

Forests

Sustainable Development Goal 15 aims to “protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt…

Gender equality and women’s empowerment

Since its creation 70 years ago, the UN has achieved important results in advancing gender equality, from the establishment of the Commission on the Status of Women - the main global intergovernmental body exclusively…

Green economy

Sustainable development has been the overarching goal of the international community since the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992. Amongst numerous commitments, the Conference called upon…

Health and population

Sustainable Development Goal 3 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to “ensure healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages”. TThe associated targets aim to reduce the global maternal…

Indicators

Indicators in the Transforming Our World - The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development As stated in paragraph 75 of Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, “the Goals and targets will be…

Industry

Inclusive and sustainable industrial development has been incorporated, together with resilient infrastructure and innovation, as Sustainable Development Goal 9 in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Both…

Information for integrated Decision-Making and Participation

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development focuses on decision-making with particular reference to participation of vulnerable groups, such as women (SDG target 5.5), developing countries, including African countries,…

Institutional Frameworks and international cooperation for Sustainable Development

As far as the 2030 Agenda is concerned, Goal 16 is devoted to the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, the provision of access to justice for all and to the establishment of…

Mountains

In its para 33, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development focuses on the impact that sustainable management of natural resources has on social and economic development and therefore, on the importance of conservation…

Multi-stakeholder partnerships

The achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals require all hands on deck. It require different sectors and actors working together in an integrated manner by pooling…

National strategies and SDG integration

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development states that the Sustainable Development Gaols (SDGs) are integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development (economic, social, and…

Oceans and Seas

Oceans, seas and coastal areas form an integrated and essential component of the Earth’s ecosystem and are critical to sustainable development. They cover more than two-thirds of the earth’s surface and contain 97% of…

Poverty eradication

The 2030 Agenda acknowledges that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. The…

Rural Development

As the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki – Moon noted in the Millennium Development Goals Report 2015, “disparities between rural and urban areas remain pronounced” and big gaps persist in different…

Science

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development describes in paragraph 70 the composition and task of the Technology Facilitation Mechanism, established by the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and aimed at supporting the…

Small Island Developing States

The Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA) adopted in 1994, further complemented by The Mauritius Strategy of Implementation (MSI) of 2005 and MSI+5 Outcome document, recognized that although they are afflicted by economic…

Sustainable cities and human settlements

Human settlements Cities are hubs for ideas, commerce, culture, science, productivity, social, human and economic development. Urban planning, transport systems, water, sanitation, waste management, disaster risk…

Sustainable consumption and production

Goal n.12 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development aims to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.Paragraph 28 of the 2030 Agenda reads: “We (Countries) commit to making fundamental changes in the…

Sustainable tourism

Tourism is one of the world's fastest growing industries and an important source of foreign exchange and employment, while being closely linked to the social, economic, and environmental well-being of many countries,…

Sustainable transport

The role of transport in sustainable development was first recognized at the 1992 United Nation’s Earth Summit and reinforced in its outcome document – Agenda 21. In undertaking the five-year review of the…

Technical Cooperation

Our approach to capacity development The Division’s capacity development activities advance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the SAMOA Pathway and other…

Technology

Technology, science and capacity building are major pillars of the Means of Implementation of the Post-2015 Agenda and of the Rio+20 follow-up processes. The research, development, deployment, and widespread diffusion…

Trade

Trade and Sustainable Development is addressed in Chapter 2 of Agenda 21, and in Chapter V and Chapter X of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation. Trade liberalisation and globalisation can have both positive and…

Violence against children

The protection of children from all forms of violence is a fundamental right enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The inclusion of a specific target (SDG 16.2) in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable…

Water and Sanitation

Water and sanitation are at the core of sustainable development, and the range of services they provide underpin poverty reduction, economic growth and environmental sustainability. However, in recent decades…