Organizations across the globe are constantly working towards nurturing healthier, safer, more supported communities, countries, and ecosystems. In fact, there isn’t enough time in a day (or a year, for that matter) for us to accurately document and praise the thousands of organizations doing the hard work of spreading awareness and making a tangible impact on our planet. Whether big or small, every effort makes a difference and is worth celebrating.
The UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals
One of the more widely known and adopted initiatives that exist to support the people of this planet is commonly referred to as SDGs – or sustainable development goals. Long ago, several countries and the UN worked together to create what is now known as The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which serves as “a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity.”
This agenda outlines the 17 specific sustainable development goals and 169 subsequent targets for improvement that are to be the focus of an urgent call to action across all countries in a global partnership. Through this partnership and imminent initiatives, we can collectively hope to find improvement, prosperity, and success for the human race and the land on which we live.
It’s important to note that collaborative efforts drive us toward these goals. While the UN and several countries may have created the framework, there are hundreds of organizations and thousands of people just like you putting in the effort to make small steps toward significant progress every day.
To spread more awareness about these 17 goals and highlight a few specifically related to disaster response and preparedness, we’re shining a spotlight on each of them, including relevant statistics found throughout the UN’s dedicated SDG site. Additionally, as some specifically relate to natural disasters and our area of expertise, we’re sharing a little bit of the Prometheus perspective on how to contribute towards or keep these goals in mind. You can click on each of the 17 goals to explore related statistics, uncover specific targets and indicators, and stay updated on progress toward accomplishing each one.
1. No Poverty
This goal aims to end poverty in all its forms, eradicating extreme poverty through social protection systems, equitable access to resources, and sustainable economic growth. According to the website, more than 4 years of progress towards this goal has been erased by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the working poverty rate rose for the first time in two decades.
Natural disasters disproportionately affect the poorest and most vulnerable populations within communities, often exacerbating poverty. Addressing poverty would put everybody in a much healthier, safer position to weather any storm.
2. Zero Hunger
This goal aims to help the global population achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote more sustainable agriculture practices by ensuring access to safe, nutritious, bountiful food for all. Growing inequalities are disrupting food security worldwide, affecting food prices and making it difficult for many to keep up. Nearly 1 in 10 people across the globe suffer from hunger.
When natural disasters strike, they often disrupt the supply chain of safe food or decimate local crops and agriculture. This food insecurity and disruption leaves displaced or affected citizens at an even higher risk for malnutrition and food hazards.
3. Good Health and Well-Being
This goal aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all through universal access to healthcare, reduced maternal and child mortality, and combating diseases of all kinds. Millions of children missed out on basic vaccines in 2020, and the pandemic claimed the lives of at least 115,500 frontline healthcare workers, further impacting progress toward this goal.
Public health is significantly impacted in times of trouble (like in the wake of a natural disaster), emphasizing the need for resilient, adaptable health systems and healthcare services everywhere.
4. Quality Education
This goal aims to ensure inclusive and quality education for all through free and equitable primary and secondary education as well as accessible technical and vocational programs or higher education. Education serves as a lifeline for children in crises, though 24 million learners may never return to school following the COVID-19 pandemic.
5. Gender Equality
This goal aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by eliminating discrimination, violence, and harmful practices, ensuring equal rights and opportunities across all areas of life. At the current pace, it would take another 4 decades for men and women to be equally represented across national political leadership positions.
6. Clean Water and Sanitization
This goal aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all through access to clean water, improved water quality, and the promotion of proper sanitization practices. Over the past 300 years, more than 85% of our planet’s wetlands have been destroyed or lost, and it’s estimated that by 2030, at least 1.6 billion people will lack safely managed drinking water.
We recently highlighted this goal in our resource center, highlighting the importance of WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) initiatives worldwide and the value they add.
7. Affordable and Clean Energy
This goal aims to secure access to affordable, sustainable, and modern energy for all through renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, and expanded energy infrastructure solutions. Unfortunately, electrification progress has slowed in recent years, and it’s proving difficult to reach those in underdeveloped countries. It’s estimated that by 2030, 697 million people will still be without electricity or sustainable energy sources.
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
This goal strives to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, productive employment, and decent work for all through entrepreneurship, innovation, and fair labor practices. Rising inflation, disruptions to the global supply chain, and labor market challenges hamper global economic recovery.
9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
This goal aims to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation by investing in sustainable technologies, transportation, communication, and more. Traditionally, high-tech industries are more resilient in times of uncertainty or change than lower-tech counterparts. Nearly 1 in 3 manufacturing jobs have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Investing in resilient infrastructure is essential for disaster risk reduction. When earthquakes or devastating storms hit, communities built on a strong and secure foundation fare better than those that aren’t. Achieving this goal in vulnerable cities is critical to the safety of our global citizens.
10. Reduced Inequalities
This goal aims to reduce inequality within and among countries by promoting social, economic, and political inclusion, and ensure equal opportunities by addressing discriminatory policies worldwide. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve observed the first rise in between-country income inequality since 2013.
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
This goal aims to make cities and settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable by promoting sustainable urban planning, increased affordable housing, and strengthened transportation systems. To achieve this goal, special focus will need to be placed on the nearly 1 billion people living in underprivileged or underdeveloped areas.
Thankfully, the UN reports that “the number of countries with local disaster risk reduction strategies nearly doubled between 2015 and 2021 (51 to 98 countries).” Still, urban areas are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, and it’s important to address these concerns to secure the safety of highly populated areas.
12. Responsible Consumption and Production
This goal hopes to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns by promoting more sustainable lifestyles, resource efficiency, and responsible waste management. Climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution all result from unsustainable patterns of consumption or production. Reliance on natural resources is increasing across the globe, rising by more than 65% since 2000.
13. Climate Action
This goal promotes urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts by implementing measures that mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, help us adapt to climate change, and promote more sustainable practices. As many of us have experienced in 2023, rising global temperatures often lead to more extreme weather.
Since severe weather and natural disasters can often result from climate change impacts, this urgent call for action is long overdue.
14. Life Below Water
This goal prioritizes the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas, and marine sources by preventing marine pollution, protecting underwater ecosystems, and promoting sustainable fisheries. Marine life is constantly threatened by the increased acidification of our oceans, making it difficult for the ocean to moderate climate change through the absorption of CO2 emissions.
Natural disasters often have severe ecological impacts, affecting ecosystems and biodiversity beneath the ocean’s surface. Strengthening and protecting these ecosystems can help us ensure faster recovery times in the wake of disaster.
15. Life on Land
This goal hopes to protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of our ecosystems while sustainably managing forests, combating desertification, reversing land degradation, and bringing a stop to biodiversity loss. It’s reported that nearly 40,00 species are at risk of extinction over the next few decades.
16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
This goal aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies, provide access to justice for all, and build accountable, effective institutions at all levels in order to ensure justice and good governance. While the global homicide rate has declined, it still falls short of qualifying as a “significant reduction” by 2030.
17. Partnerships for the Goals
This goal aims to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development through mobilized financial resources, enhanced technology transfer, and increased collaboration among governments and society. Resources like wireless internet are critical for achieving this goal, and between 2019 and 2021, the percentage of individuals using the internet rose from 54% to 63%.
We believe that by promoting and spreading awareness about these sustainable development goals, we can continue to educate civilians, organizations, and volunteers, equipping them with the knowledge needed to tackle challenges head-on. All statistics, facts, and data have been sourced from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs’ Sustainable Development site, click here to explore these goals, milestones, targets, and statistics for yourself.
