Discussion Brief - teriin.org

1 Sustainable Development GoalsDiscussion BriefOne of the main outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) was the agreement by Member States to launch a process to develop a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This Discussion Brief gives an overview of the concept of sustainable development in the current international development discourse. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)DisclaimerAll rights reserved. Any part of this publication may be quoted, copied, or translated by indicating the source.

2 The analysis and policy recommendations of the book do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding organizations or entities associated with CitationTERI. 2015. Sustainable Development Goals. Discussion Brief by The Energy and Resources Institute: New Kedia (Fellow, TERI)ReviewerChandrashekhar Dasgupta (Distinguished Fellow Emeritus, TERI)The Discussion Brief is an output of a project on energy and environment goals under DFID-TERI Partnership for Clean Energy Access and Improved Policies for Sustainable paper will also be available as a chapter in TERI Energy & Environment Data Diary and Yearbook (TEDDY)

3 DEVELOPMENT GOALS The report of the World Council on Environment and Development, titled Our Common Future , defined the concept of sustainable development as ..development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Through three pillars, namely, economic development, social equity, and environmental protection sustainable development seeks to achieve, in a balanced manner, economic development, social equity and environmental protection.

4 The concept of sustainable development has been mainstreamed in multilateral fora since 1992 with the landmark United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro. Since then, sustainable development has received increased focus by Member States who have been working on mainstreaming sustainable development in national development strategies. Commitments in the outcomes of key United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social, and environmental fields have been instrumental in steering the Discussion globally.

5 The key outcomes guiding the post-2015 development process include the Rio Declaration, Agenda 21, Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI), Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development, Future We Want, United Nations Millennium Declaration, the 2005 World Summit Outcome, Monterrey Consensus of the International Conference on Financing for Development, and Doha Declaration on Financing for Development. One of the main outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) was the agreement by Member States to launch a process to develop a set of sustainable development goals (SDGs).

6 The Open Working Group (OWG) was established as an intergovernmental process by decision 67/555 of the General Assembly. The OWG held 13 sessions, eight of which were on stock taking and the five remaining were for the preparation of its proposal for SDGs. At the 68th session of the General Assembly, the OWG submitted its proposal for the SDGs. The General Assembly has recognized the OWG proposal as the main basis for integrating the SDGs into the future development agenda. The OWG has proposed 17 goals (Table 1).

7 The proposed SDGs draw from major commitments and goals agreed by the Member States in various multilateral discussions, including Agenda 21, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), JPOI, UN Convention on Biodiversity, and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The United Nations Prototype Global Sustainable Development Report lists current global status of key thematic areas that were under consideration by OWG (Table 2). It can be seen that the progress in key thematic areas around climate change, biodiversity, forests, and sustainable energy are off-track.

8 Crucial social areas such as education and employment are also off-track. The thematic area of means of implementation is also off-track, indicating the inadequate nature of international cooperation. The current performance reflects that there is a need for concerted efforts to achieve environment and energy goals. Equity, both intergenerational and intragenerational, needs to be the basis of action by the international community as well as Member States. For the same, there is a need to track the progress of outcomes at the global and national levels.

9 The next chapter develops a tracking framework for energy goals based on the proposed SDGs by the OWG Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. The tracking framework is based on global as well as national databases in India. The objective is to inform responses for India and for the international development community. Sustainable development goalsTERI Energy and Environment Data Diary and Yearbook 2014/152 Table 1 Proposed SDGs by the UN Open Working GroupGoal numberGoal nameGoal 1 End poverty in all its forms everywhereGoal 2 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition.

10 And promote sustainable agricultureGoal 3 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all agesGoal 4 Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for allGoal 5 Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girlsGoal 6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for allGoal 7 Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for allGoal 8 Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for allGoal 9 Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovationGoal 10 Reduce inequality within and among countriesGoal 11 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainableGoal 12 Ensure sustainable consumption and production patternsGoal 13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impactsGoal 14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable developmentGoal 15 Protect, restore.