Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the current generations without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their needs. Based on the slogan “The Future We Want”, it was mentioned sustainable development at general assembly of UN on 19 July, 2014.
The United Nations General Assembly at the 70th session held on 25-27 September 2015 adopted the outcome document of the UN summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, entitled “Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” and decided on new global Sustainable Development goals (SDGs). At the core of the 2030 Agenda is a list of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets. The specific 17 goals of SDGs are based on the following themes:
1. No Poverty
2. Zero Hunger
3. Good Health and Well-being
4. Quality Education
5. Gender Equality
6. Clean Water and Sanitation
7. Affordable and Clean Energy
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
10. Reduced Inequalities
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
12. Responsible Consumption and Production
13. Climate Action
14. Life Below Water
15. Life on Land
16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
17. Partnerships for the Goals
The goals of MDGs were replaced by the goals of SDGs. SDGs were formed on the basis of selecting a team of 70 representative countries of the open working group out of 193 member countries and finanlize through face to face conversation among 100 countries. Main Features of SDGs agenda include:
- Economic development
- Social development
- Environmental development
Differences Between MDGs and SDGs
Zero Goals: The MDG targets for 2015 were set to get us “half way” to the goal of ending hunger and poverty, with similar proportional goals in other fields. The SDGs are designed to finish the job – to get to a statistical “zero” on hunger, poverty, preventable child deaths and other targets.
Universal Goals: The MDGs were in the context of “rich donors aiding poor recipients.” Since then the world has changed dramatically. The SDGs will then be a set of goals applicable to every country. All countries, developed or developing, are expected to work towards achieving SDGs.
More Comprehensive Goals: There were 8 MDGs. There are 17 goals in SDGs. This will undoubtedly make mobilization around these goals more difficult, but everyone would agree that the complexity of sustainable global development was not fully represented by the MDGs.
Addressing THP Pillars: While THP celebrated and firmly committed to the MDGs, they largely ignored the three pillars of what we see as crucial for the sustainable end of hunger: empowering women, mobilizing everyone, and partnering with local government. The SDGs address these critical elements (to date) much more effectively, with far stronger gender goals, people’s participation and government “at all levels.”
Inclusive Goal Setting: The MDGs were created through a top-down process. The SDGs are being created in one of the most inclusive participatory processes the world has ever seen– with face-to-face consultations in more than 100 countries, and millions of citizen inputs on websites. Civil society has been well-organized throughout – coordinated globally through Beyond 2015.
Distinguishing Hunger and Poverty: In the MDGs, Hunger and Poverty were lumped together in MDG – as if solving one would solve the other. So much has been learned about nutrition since that time, and the SDGs treat the issue of poverty separately from Food and Nutrition Security.
Funding: The MDGs were largely envisioned to be funded by aid flows – which did not materialize. The SDGs put sustainable, inclusive economic development at the core of the strategy, and address the ability of countries to address social challenges largely through improving their own revenue generating capabilities.
Quality Education: The MDGs focused on quantity (eg, high enrollment rates) only to see the quality of education decline in many societies. The SDGs represent the first attempt by the world community to focus on the quality of education – of learning – and the role of education in achieving a more humane world.
Achievements of Bangladesh in achieving SGDs
Bangladesh's position in the SDGs is 101st out of 166 countries, as per the 2023 Report the country has achieved a score of 65.9. Bangladesh is lagged behind than Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka while higher position than India's (63.5) and Pakistan's (59.0). According to the latest data from the United Nations, the followings are available in case of SDGs achievements in Bangladesh.
Available Resources $134 million
1. No Poverty1.9% of total
2. Zero Hunger1.7% of total
3. Good Health and Well-being43.8% of total
4. Quality Education3.3% of total
5. Gender Equality3.9% of total
6. Clean Water and Sanitation4.6% of total
7. Affordable and Clean Energy0.9% of total
8. Decent Jobs and Economic Growth13.2% of total
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure0.5% of total
10. Reduced Inequalities4% of total
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities0.3% of total
12. Responsible Consumption and Production3.2% of total
13. Climate Action10.4% of total
14. Life Below Water0.4% of total
15. Life on Land1.9% of total
16. Peace and Justice - Strong Institutions5.8% of total
17. Partnerships for the Goals0.2% of total