UN Report Reveals SDGs’ Challenges

Recent findings by the United Nations (UN) have revealed that efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are challenged by conflict, inequality, persistent pockets of poverty, hunger, rapid urbanization, and countries’ fast-changing climate.

The report said there are approximately 38 million more hungry people in the world, rising from 777million in 2015 to 815 million in 2016.

‘Conflict is now one of the main drivers of the food insecurity in 18 countries. In 2017, the world experienced the costliest North Atlantic hurricane season on record, driving the global economic losses attributed to the disasters to over $300 billion’, the report indicated.

The sustainability development goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 global goals set by the UN in 2015.

Goals

The goals set includes;

No poverty, zero hunger, good health and well- being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life on land, Peace, Justice and Strong Innovation and Partnerships for the goals.

Statistics

According to available statistics, rates of child marriage have continued to decline around the world. For instance, in southern Asia, a girl’s risk of marrying in childhood has dropped by 40 per cent between 2000 and 2017. It further noted that nine out of 10 people living in cities breathe polluted air.

The report disclosed that in 2016, the absolute number of people living without electricity dropped below the symbolic threshold of one billion, and that land degradation still threatened the livelihoods of over one billion people.

“Transitioning towards more sustainable and resilient societies also requires an integrated approach that recognizes that these challenges and their solutions are interrelated’ ’the UN under- Secretary- General for Economic and Social Affairs, Liu Zhenmin said.

The SDG Report presented an overview of progress toward achieving the goals, which were unanimously adopted by countries in 2015.

By: Hannah Bonful