What are the UNs Sustainable Development Goals?

Sustainable investing is something we talk about a lot here at Propelle. And if you’ve ever wondered what the world’s big plan is for tackling some of its biggest problems, you’re not alone. Luckily, there’s a blueprint for that, and it goes by the name of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). You’ve probably heard the term thrown around in discussions about climate change, poverty, or equality, but what exactly are these SDGs? Let’s break it down.

What Are the SDGs?

The Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs for short, are a set of 17 global goals established by the United Nations in 2015. These goals are essentially the world’s to-do list for making the planet a better place by 2030. They cover everything from ending poverty to protecting the oceans, and they’re designed to be a roadmap for governments, businesses, and individuals alike.

The 17 Goals: A Quick Overview

Let’s take a look at what these 17 goals actually are. Don’t worry—I’ll keep it simple and straightforward.

1. No Poverty: Eradicating extreme poverty for all people everywhere. It’s about making sure everyone has access to basic needs like food, shelter, and healthcare.
2. Zero Hunger: Ending hunger and ensuring everyone has access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food all year round.
3. Good Health and Well-being: Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. Think- access to quality healthcare, vaccines, and education on healthy living.
4. Quality Education: Ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for everyone, and promoting lifelong learning opportunities.
5. Gender Equality: Achieving equality between the sexes and empowering all women and girls. It’s about ending discrimination and violence, and ensuring equal opportunities.
6. Clean Water and Sanitation: Ensuring access to safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation for everyone.
7. Affordable and Clean Energy: Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for all. This means more renewable energy sources and less reliance on fossil fuels.
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth: Promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work for everyone.
9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and fostering innovation.
10. Reduced Inequalities: Reducing inequality within and among countries, focusing on economic and social disparities.
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities: Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. This is projects like better public transport, more green spaces, and improved urban planning.
12. Responsible Consumption and Production: Ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns, which means reducing waste and using resources more efficiently.
13. Climate Action: Taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. This is the big one for cutting greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for the effects of climate change.
14. Life Below Water: Conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas, and marine resources. This includes protecting marine ecosystems and reducing pollution.
15. Life on Land: Protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. This goal is all about forests, biodiversity, and combating desertification.
16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: Promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, providing access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable institutions.
17. Partnerships for the Goals: Strengthening the means of implementation and revitalising the global partnership for sustainable development. In simple terms, it’s about working together to make these goals a reality.

Why Do the SDGs Matter?

So, why should you care about the SDGs? Well, these goals represent a collective vision for the future—a future where everyone has a fair shot at a good life, where the planet is protected, and where prosperity is shared. Whether you realise it or not, the SDGs touch nearly every aspect of your life, from the air you breathe to the products you buy. Crucially, they will also touch your finances too. Lots of companies, funds and other investment products use the SDGs as a way to align their output with more sustainable goals. 

1. Global Challenges, Global Solutions

The SDGs address the big issues that affect all of us, like climate change, inequality, and access to clean water. These aren’t just problems for other people in other countries—they’re challenges that impact everyone, everywhere. By working toward the SDGs, we’re tackling these challenges head-on.

Example: Think about climate change. It’s not just about polar bears and melting ice caps. It’s about rising sea levels threatening coastal cities, more extreme weather events, and changes in food production that could lead to shortages and higher prices. The SDGs give us a framework to address these issues in a coordinated, global way.

2. A Framework for Action

The SDGs aren’t just lofty ideals—they’re a practical framework for action. They provide clear targets and indicators that help governments, businesses, and organisations measure progress and stay on track. This isn’t about pie-in-the-sky dreaming; it’s about setting specific, measurable goals and working systematically to achieve them.

Example: Goal 4, Quality Education, isn’t just about saying “everyone should go to school.” It includes targets like ensuring all children complete primary and secondary education and improving literacy rates. These specific targets help countries focus their efforts and resources where they’re needed most.

3. Your Role in the SDGs

While the SDGs are global in scope, they also rely on action at the local level—meaning you can play a role in achieving them, too. Whether it’s reducing your carbon footprint, supporting companies with sustainable practices, or advocating for policies that promote equality, everyone has a part to play.

Example: Goal 12, Responsible Consumption and Production, is something you can directly influence. By choosing to buy from companies that use sustainable practices, reducing waste, or simply being more mindful about what you consume, you’re contributing to this goal.

The Challenges: Not All Smooth Sailing

Of course, achieving the SDGs is no small feat. There are plenty of challenges along the way, from political obstacles to financial constraints. Some goals are easier to measure and achieve than others, and progress can be uneven between countries and regions. But despite these challenges, the SDGs remain a crucial tool for making progress on the world’s most pressing issues as well as aligning financial and investing goals with sustainable outcomes.