But the organization has heard good things about its work and the use of our reports in policy briefs which in turn influence decision-makers, so I sleep a little easier every night (even with the knowledge that my carbon footprint is huge- you can calculate your carbon footprint here, thanks to The Nature Conservancy).
In the year 2000, former UN Secretary General Koffi Annan proposed, and states agreed to, the millennium development goals (MDGs)- a set of 8 goals aimed at addressing the major challenges of the developing world to be achieved by 2015. Courtesy of the UN Millennium Development Goals website, these goals are:
 |
| Picture courtesy of Millennium Campaign Africa |
In the last 2 years or so, some conscious policy-influencers and decision-makers have been engaged in a process to create the new MDGs. These have been dubbed the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the process has been as rigorous as any that seeks to draw worldwide participation. The United Nations, that is leading this process, even asked for submissions and preferences through the MyWorld2015 survey (which some have found to be counter-intuitive to the cause of global sustainable development). Several other efforts over the last 2 years took place, in a bid to make this process as inclusive and participatory as possible. The entire process and the negotiations towards compromised, attainable goals have been conducted under the broad banner of the Post-2015 development agenda.
On 3 May 2014, the Open Working Group (comprising concerned member states of the UN and other stakeholders) tasked with working on the SDGs released the Zero Draft on the Proposed Sustainable Development Goals. The draft includes a lengthy preamble containing states affirmations and reaffirmations on making the world a more equal place, as well as 17 distinct goals to be attained by 2030. These are:
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and adequate nutrition for all, and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Attain healthy life for all at all ages
4. Provide equitable and inclusive quality education and life-long learning opportunities for all
5. Attain gender equality, empower women and girls everywhere
6. Secure water and sanitation for all for a sustainable world
7. Ensure access to affordable, sustainable, and reliable modern energy services for all
8. Promote strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and decent work for all
9. Promote sustainable industrialization
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Build inclusive, safe and sustainable cities and human settlements
12. Promote sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Promote actions at all levels to address climate change
14. Attain conservation and sustainable use of marine resources, oceans and seas
15. Protect and restore terrestrial ecosystems and halt all biodiversity loss
16. Achieve peaceful and inclusive societies, rule of law, effective and capable institutions
17. Strengthen and enhance the means of implementation and global partnership for sustainable development
They strike me as being both noble and necessary. The Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform describes the goals as follows: "Sustainable Development Goals are ... action oriented, global in nature and universally applicable to all countries, while taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities. They integrate economic, social and environmental aspects and recognize their interlinkages in achieving sustainable development in all its dimensions." This zero draft is the most recent of efforts to synthesise all the views and priorities of UN member states. The fact that it is a zero draft reflects that fact that there is still more negotiation to be done.
It's a great effort, but perhaps what remains to be seen is whether these proposed goals: address the underlying concerns of systemic economic inequality; take into account the role, function, and knowledge of customary, indigenous and local communities; and smooth the road to a sustainably prosperous world for present and future societies. The last idea is one to be dwelt upon perhaps the most, as the promise of prosperity through the 20th century conjured up images of cars on wide paved roads, leisure trips via airplanes, big plates of rich food, big concrete houses and spacious offices in tall air-conditioned buildings, happy industries producing for local and international populations, and many other shiny things.
To erase that vision and replace it with bicycle rides to work, small vegetarian meals, do-it-yourself gardens, and containers converted into smart houses seems more like a rip-off than a reward for good behaviour.
What incentives can effectively elicit the desirable behaviour-change? Perhaps none. But what can be done, in order for 2030 to be a year of celebration and not of mourning (as 2015 will be) is to strive to change the education system right from the word go. Very much like the campaigns to recycle in the US were driven by school-going children, what must happen in the developing world is an effort to reprogram the minds of young children concerning what success looks like. If they believe that it is less about having "stuff" and more about experiences, then sustainability may be achieved in their lifetime. But education alone is not enough. Actions speak louder than words in text books: they have to see it in action. I only need one phone, but I have three. It is physically impossible for me to drive two cars at once, but I have them all the same.
What are you willing to give up to give the next generation a chance?
