A Brief Overview of the Road towards the New Sustainable Development Goals

NIDOS AGM, 17 September 2013

SDGs

What is their purpose•Be useful for pursuing focused and coherent action on sustainable development.

•Contribute to the achievement of sustainable development.

•Be a driver of implementation and mainstreaming of sustainable development in the whole UN system.

•Address and be focused on the three dimensions of sustainable development.

SDGs

Sustainable Development Goals must be

•Action-oriented•Concise•Limited in number•Aspirational•Universally applicable to all countries•Easy the communicate

SDGs

What will the SDGs look like?

•Address and incorporate the three dimensions sustainability

•Be based on Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of implementation

•Be consistent with international law

•Build upon commitments

•Contribute to the implementation of outcomes of major summits

•Focus on priority areas for the achievement of sustainable development

SDGs

Furthermore… what will the SDGs look like?

•Be coherent with and integrated into the UN development agenda beyond 2015•Not divert focus from the achievement of the MDGs•Include active involvement of all relevant stakeholders

SDGs

Who is involved in developing the sustainable development goals?

Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (OWG) 30-member mandated by the Rio+20 Outcome Document to prepare a proposal on a set of SDGs which should address the three dimensions of sustainable development in a balanced way.

SDGs

Who is involved in developing the sustainable development goals?

Expert Committee on SD Financing Strategy (Finances)

High Level Political Forum (Governance)

Post-Millennium Development Goals

SDGs

What themes will the SDGs address?

May 2013 June 2013Food security & nutrition Employment & decent work for all Sustainable agriculture Social protectionDesertification Youth & education Land degradation CultureDrought Health Population dynamics

SDGs

What themes will the SDGs address?

November 2013 • Sustained and inclusive economic growth • Macroeconomic policy questions • Infrastructure development • Industrialization • Energy  December 2013 • Means of implementation (science and technology, knowledge-sharing and capacity building)• Specific challenges facing middle-income countries • Human rights• The right to development • Global governance

SDGs

What themes will the SDGs address?

January 2014 • Sustainable cities and human settlements • Sustainable transport• Sustainable consumption and production• Climate change • Disaster risk reduction

February 2014 • Oceans and seas• Forests• Biodiversity• Promoting equality including social equity• Gender equality and women’s empowerment• Conflict prevention• Post-conflict peace building • Promotion of durable peace • Rule of law• Governance

SDGs to Avoid

Avoid unnecessary complexity

SDGs to Avoid

Avoid use of guilt

.

Avoid messages based on “extreme scenarios”

Climate change kills about 300,000 people a year.It seriously affects over 300 million people a year.It has caused more than $125 billion in economic losses.

Global Humanitarian Forum

SDGs to Avoid

Messages promoting vision of a positive future

If we can’t imagine a positive future we want we won’t be able to create it. 

Decrease Dependence

on Fossil Fuels

Increase Resilience

Decrease Energy

Consumption

Messages based on economics  Building a globally competitive low carbon economy where business and people PROSPER within ENVIRONMENTAL limits.

The compelling message of green-growth and the tangible economic value of climate change mitigation/ adaptation.

From indispensible ecosystem services like soil nutrition or ecotourism revenue, to hundreds of new jobs created by the renewable industries…

Prove economicrelevance“…more efficiency.”“…increase profitability.”“…innovation.”“...create new jobs.”“...lower costs.”

Messages inviting action Sustainable Development requires people to do things.

Action messages ask people to do something, whether it’s to plant a tree, build a beehive, ride a bike, consume responsibly, insulate a loft, sign a petition or donate money to a charity.

Linking action to daily lifestyles!

Vision

SDGs

Forthcoming UN General Assembly

“I call upon Member States to adopt a universal post-2015 development agenda, with sustainable developmnet at its core.” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

If we wait for Members States to advance international conventions, may be too late.

If we act as individuals, may be too little.

If we act as communities – it might just be enough, just in time.

Thank you!www.cifalscotland.org