un sustainable tourism goals

THE 17 GOALS

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End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

Reduce inequality within and among countries.

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.

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Implementation Progress

Sdgs icons. downloads and guidelines, the 17 goals.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,  adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

The SDGs build on decades of work by countries and the UN, including the  UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs

• In June 1992, at the  Earth Summit  in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, more than 178 countries adopted  Agenda 21 , a comprehensive plan of action to build a global partnership for sustainable development to improve human lives and protect the environment.
• Member States unanimously adopted the Millennium Declaration at the  Millennium Summit  in September 2000 at UN Headquarters in New York. The Summit led to the elaboration of eight  Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)  to reduce extreme poverty by 2015.
• The Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development and the Plan of Implementation, adopted at the  World Summit on Sustainable Development  in South Africa in 2002, reaffirmed the global community's commitments to poverty eradication and the environment, and built on Agenda 21 and the Millennium Declaration by including more emphasis on multilateral partnerships.
• At the  United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20)  in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 2012, Member States adopted the outcome document  "The Future We Want"  in which they decided, inter alia, to launch a process to develop a set of SDGs to build upon the MDGs and to establish the  UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development . The Rio +20 outcome also contained other measures for implementing sustainable development, including mandates for future programmes of work in development financing, small island developing states and more.
• In 2013, the General Assembly set up a 30-member  Open Working Group  to develop a proposal on the SDGs.
• In January 2015, the General Assembly began the negotiation process on the  post-2015 development agenda . The process culminated in the subsequent adoption of the  2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development , with  17 SDGs  at its core, at the  UN Sustainable Development Summit  in September 2015.
• Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction  (March 2015)
• Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development  (July 2015)
• Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development  with its 17 SDGs was adopted at the  UN Sustainable Development Summit  in New York in September 2015.
• Paris Agreement on Climate Change  (December 2015)
• Now, the annual  High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development  serves as the central UN platform for the follow-up and review of the SDGs.

Today, the  Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DSDG)  in the United Nations  Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)  provides substantive support and capacity-building for the SDGs and their related thematic issues, including  water ,  energy ,  climate ,  oceans ,  urbanization ,  transport ,  science and technology , the  Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) ,  partnerships  and  Small Island Developing States . DSDG plays a key role in the evaluation of UN systemwide implementation of the 2030 Agenda and on advocacy and outreach activities relating to the SDGs. In order to make the 2030 Agenda a reality, broad ownership of the SDGs must translate into a strong commitment by all stakeholders to implement the global goals. DSDG aims to help facilitate this engagement.

Follow DSDG on Facebook at  www.facebook.com/sustdev  and on Twitter at  @SustDev .

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Every year, the UN Secretary General presents an annual SDG Progress report, which is developed in cooperation with the UN System, and based on the global indicator framework and data produced by national statistical systems and information collected at the regional level.

Please, check below information about the SDG Progress Report:

• SDG Progress Report (2023)
• SDG Progress Report (2022)
• SDG Progress Report (2021)
• SDG Progress Report (2020)
• SDG Progress Report (2019)
• SDG Progress Report (2018)
• SDG Progress Report (2017)
• SDG Progress Report (2016)

Please, check here for information about SDG indicators and reports: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs#

Additionally, the Global Sustainable Development Report is produced once every four years to inform the quadrennial SDG review deliberations at the General Assembly. It is written by an Independent Group of Scientists appointed by the Secretary-General.

• Global Sustainable Development Report (2019)
• Global Sustainable Development Report (2023)

SDGs Icons. Downloads and guidelines.

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• Please send inquiries to: United Nations Department of Global Communications

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Reaffirming its resolutions 53/199 of 15 December 1998 and 61/185 of 20 December 2006 on the proclamation of international years, Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67 of 25 July 1980 on international years and anniversaries, particularly paragraphs 1 to 10 of the annex thereto on the agreed criteria for the proclamation of international years, as well as paragraphs 13 and 14, which state that an international year should not be proclaimed before the basic arrangements necessary for its organization and financing have been made, Recalling the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, entitled “The future we want”, as endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 66/288 of 27 July 2012, which recognizes, inter alia, that well-designed and well-managed tourism can make a significant contribution to the three dimensions of sustainable development, has close linkages to other sectors and can create decent jobs and generate trade opportunities, Reaffirming its resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015, entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, in which it adopted a comprehensive, far-reaching and people-centred set of universal and transformative Sustainable Development Goals and targets, its commitment to working tirelessly for the full implementation of this Agenda by 2030, its recognition that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development, its commitment to achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions — economic, social and environmental — in a balanced and integrated manner, and to building upon the achievements of the Mi llennium Development Goals and seeking to address their unfinished business, Reaffirming also its resolution 69/313 of 27 July 2015 on the Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, which is an integral p art of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, supports and complements it, helps to contextualize its means of implementation targets with concrete policies and actions, and reaffirms the strong political commitment to address the challenge of financ ing and creating an enabling A/RES/70/193 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, 2017 environment at all levels for sustainable development in the spirit of global partnership and solidarity, Recalling that the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011–2020,1 adopted at the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, as endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 65/280 of 17 June 2011, supports the efforts of the least developed countries to develop a sustainable tourism sector, in particular through infrastructure and human capital development, increased access to finance and enhanced access to global tourism networks and distribution channels, Recalling also that the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway, adopted at the third International Conference on Small Island Developing States, as endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 69/15 of 14 November 2014, recognizes that sustainable tourism represents an important driver of sustainable economic growth and decent job creation, Recalling further that the Vienna Declaration and the Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2014–2024, adopted at the second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, as endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 69/137 of 12 December 2014, recognizes that tourism can play an important role in building the economic sector, providing employment and generating foreign exchange, Reaffirming the importance of supporting the African Union’s Agenda 2063, as well as its 10-year plan of action, as a strategic framework for ensuring a positive socioeconomic transformation in Africa within the next 50 years, and its continental programme, embedded in the resolutions of the General Assembly on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, which promotes sustainable tourism, Recalling its resolutions 2148 (XXI) of 4 November 1966, entitled “International Tourist Year”, 53/200 of 15 December 1998, entitled “Proclamation of 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism”, 65/148 of 20 December 2010, entitled “Global Code of Ethics for Tourism”, 68/207 of 20 December 2013, entitled “Sustainable tourism and sustainable development in Central America”, and 69/233 of 19 December 2014, entitled “Promotion of sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, for poverty eradication and environment protection”, Taking note of the resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization at its twenty-first session, held in Medellin, Colombia, from 12 to 17 September 2015, on the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, 2017, Welcoming the efforts of the World Tourism Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and others to promote ecotourism and sustainable tourism worldwide, Welcoming also the adoption of the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production patterns by the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012 and the launching of the sustainable tourism programme of the framework, and encouraging further implementation through capacity-building projects and initiatives to support sustainable tourism, Recognizing the importance of international tourism, and particularly of the designation of an international year of sustainable tourism for development, in fostering better understanding among peoples everywhere, leading to a greater awareness of the rich heritage of various civilizations and bringing about a better appreciation of the inherent values of different cultures, thereby contributing to the strengthening of peace in the world, Recognizing also the important role of sustainable tourism as a positive instrument towards the eradication of poverty, the protection of the environment, the improvement of quality of life and the economic empowerment of women and youth and its contribution to the three dimensions of sustainable development, especially in developing countries, 1. Decides to proclaim 2017 the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development; 2. Invites the World Tourism Organization, mindful of the provisions contained in the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67, to facilitate the organization and implementation of the International Year, in collaboration with Governments, relevant organizations of the United Nations system, international and regional organizations and other relevant stakeholders; 3. Stresses that the costs of all activities that may arise from the implementation of the present resolution that are above and beyond the activities currently within the mandate of the lead agency should be met from voluntary contributions; 4. Encourages all States, the United Nations system and all other actors to take advantage of the International Year to promote actions at all levels, including through international cooperation, and to support sustainable tourism as a means of promoting and accelerating sustainable development, especially poverty eradication; 5. Requests the World Tourism Organization, mindful of the provisions of paragraphs 23 to 27 of the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67, to inform the General Assembly at its seventy-third session on the implementation of the present resolution, elaborating on the evaluation of the International Year.

III. Recommendations of the Second Committee 42. The Second Committee recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the following draft resolutions: Draft resolution I International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, 2017 The General Assembly, 1. Decides to proclaim 2017 the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development; 2. Invites the World Tourism Organization, mindful of the provisions contained in the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67, to facilitate the organization and implementation of the International Year, in collaboration with Governments, relevant organizations of the United Nations system, other international and regional organizations and other relevant stakeholders; 4. Encourages all States, the United Nations system and all other actors to take advantage of the International Year to promote actions at all levels, including through international cooperation, and to support sustainable tourism as a means of promoting and accelerating sustainable development, especially poverty eradication; 5. Requests the World Tourism Organization, mindful of the provisions of paragraphs 23 to 27 of the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67, to inform the General Assembly at its seventy-third session on the implementation of the present resolution, elaborating on the evaluation of the International Year. Draft resolution IV Sustainable tourism and sustainable development in Central America The General Assembly, 12. Invites States Members of the United Nations and other stakeholders and the World Tourism Organization to continue to support the activities undertaken by the Central American countries for the promotion of responsible and sustainable tourism in the region, in the context of emergency preparedness and mitigation of and response to natural disasters, as well as for capacity-building, in order to create jobs and promote local culture and products, by empowering women and youth and extending the benefits of tourism to all sectors of society, including the most vulnerable and marginalized groups of the population, while minimizing its negative impact, and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals; 15. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its seventy-second session a report on the implementation of the present resolution, and decides to include in the provisional agenda of its seventy-second session the item entitled “Sustainable development”, unless otherwise agreed in the discussions on the revitalization of the Second Committee. Draft resolution VIII Global Code of Ethics for Tourism The General Assembly, 6. Invites the States Members of the United Nations and other stakeholders to support the activities undertaken by, inter alia, the World Tourism Organization for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism, including in the context of capacity-building to promote achievement of the sustainable development goals, that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products, by empowering women and youth and extending the benefits of tourism to all sectors of society, including the most vulnerable and marginalized groups of the population, while minimizing its negative impact; 7. Recalls the related targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which, inter alia, aim to devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products as well as develop tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism; 8. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its seventy-fifth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution within his report related to sustainable tourism, in consultation with the World Tourism Organization, and decides to include the item entitled “Global Code of Ethics for Tourism” in the provisional agenda of its seventy-fifth session, unless otherwise agreed in the discussions on the revitalization of the Second Committee.

Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 8.9 By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 12.b Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 14.7 By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

30. Recognizing that sustainable tourism represents an important driver of sustainable economic growth and decent job creation, we strongly support small island developing States in taking the following actions: (a) Developing and implementing policies that promote responsive, responsible, resilient and sustainable tourism, inclusive of all peoples; (b) Diversifying sustainable tourism through products and services, including large-scale tourism projects with positive economic, social and environmental impacts and the development of ecotourism, agritourism and cultural tourism; (c) Promoting policies that allow local communities to gain optimum benefits from tourism while allowing them to determine the extent and nature of their participation; (d) Designing and implementing participatory measures to enhance employment opportunities, in particular of women, youth and persons with disabilities, including through partnerships and capacity development, while conserving their natural, built and cultural heritage, especially ecosystems and biodiversity; (e) Leveraging the expertise of, inter alia, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, the Global Observatories on Sustainable Tourism of the World Tourism Organization, the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism and other United Nations bodies, as well as the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production patterns, to provide platforms for the exchange of best practices and direct and focused support to their national efforts; (f) Establishing, upon request, an island, food and sustainable tourism support initiative based on community participation, which takes into consideration ethical values, livelihoods and human settlements, the landscape, the sea, local culture and local products, in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, regional development banks and regional and national agricultural, cultural, environmental and tourism authorities where they exist; (g) Establishing and maintaining, where necessary, the governance and management structures for sustainable tourism and human settlements that bring together responsibilities and expertise in the areas of tourism, environment, health, disaster risk reduction, culture, land and housing, transportation, security and immigration, planning and development, and enabling a meaningful partnership approach among the public and private sectors and local communities.

130. We emphasize that well-designed and managed tourism can make a significant contribution to the three dimensions of sustainable development, has close linkages to other sectors, and can create decent jobs and generate trade opportunities. We recognize the need to support sustainable tourism activities and relevant capacity-building that promote environmental awareness, conserve and protect the environment, respect wildlife, flora, biodiversity, ecosystems and cultural diversity, and improve the welfare and livelihoods of local communities by supporting their local economies and the human and natural environment as a whole. We call for enhanced support for sustainable tourism activities and relevant capacity-building in developing countries in order to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development. 131. We encourage the promotion of investment in sustainable tourism, including eco-tourism and cultural tourism, which may include creating small and medium-sized enterprises and facilitating access to finance, including through microcredit initiatives for the poor, indigenous peoples and local communities in areas with high eco-tourism potential. In this regard, we underline the importance of establishing, where necessary, appropriate guidelines and regulations in accordance with national priorities and legislation for promoting and supporting sustainable tourism.

Decision 7/3. Tourism and sustainable development 1. The Commission on Sustainable Development: (a) Recalls the outcome of the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly for the overall review and appraisal of the implementation of Agenda 21,14 in particular Assembly resolution S/19-2, annex, of 28 June 1997, in paragraph 69 of which the Assembly requested the Commission on Sustainable Development to develop an action-oriented international programme of work on sustainable tourism development, to be defined in cooperation with theWorld Tourism Organization, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity15 and other relevant bodies, and stressed that policy development and implementation should take place in cooperation with all interested parties, especially the private sector and local and indigenous communities; (b) Recalls also that the General Assembly, in its resolution 53/200 of 15 December 1998, proclaimed the year 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism and in its resolution 53/24 of 10 November 1998 proclaimed 2002 also as the International Year ofMountains; (c) Notes with appreciation the outcome of the multi-stakeholder dialogue at the current session of the Commission and the progress made so far bymajor groups in promoting sustainable tourism development. E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 39 2. The Commission decides to adopt an international work programme on sustainable tourism development, containing the elements outlined below, and to begin its implementation with appropriate means and resources, especially for developing countries, which will be reviewed in 2002 when the 10-year review of progress achieved since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development will be carried out. 3. The Commission urges Governments: (a) To advance sustainable tourism development, inter alia, through the development and implementation of policies and national strategies or master plans for sustainable tourism development based on Agenda 21, which will encourage their tourism industry, assist in attracting foreign direct investment and appropriate environmentally sound technologies, and also provide focus and direction for the active participation ofmajor groups, including national tourism councils and, as appropriate, tourism agencies and organizations, and the private sector as well as indigenous and local communities; (b) To consult, as appropriate, with all major groups and local communities in the tourism development process, including policy formulation, planning, management and sharing of benefits, which could reflect the need to harmonize the relationship among the people, the community and the environment; (c) To work in partnership with major groups, especially at the local level, to ensure active participation in tourism-related planning and development; (d) To undertake capacity-building work with indigenous and local communities in order to facilitate their active participation, at all levels of the tourism development process, including transparent decision-making and sharing of benefits, and to create awareness of the social, economic and environmental costs and benefits that they are bearing; (e) To create the appropriate institutional, legal, economic, social and environmental framework by developing and applying a mix of instruments, as appropriate, such as integrated land-use planning and coastal zone management, economic instruments, social and environmental impact assessment for tourist facilities, including gender aspects, and voluntary initiatives and agreements; (f) To maximize the potential of tourism for eradicating poverty by developing appropriate strategies in cooperation with all major groups, and indigenous and local communities; (g) To welcome the major groups? agreement to promote sustainable tourism development through music, art and drama and to participate in such educational activities; (h) To facilitate destination-specific in-flight educational videos and other materials on sustainable development in relation to tourism and to encourage airline carriers to routinely screen such videos on all international and long-haul domestic routes; (i) To promote a favourable framework for small and medium-sized enterprises, the major engine for job creation in the tourism sector, by reducing administrative burdens, facilitating access to capital and providing training in management and other skills, in recognition of the employment potential of sustainable tourism development; (j) To take strong and appropriate action, through the development and enforcement of specific legislation/measures, against any kind of illegal, abusive or exploitative tourist activity, including sexual exploitation/abuse, in recognition of the fact that such activities have particularly adverse impacts and pose significant social, health and cultural threats, and that all countries have a role to play in the efforts to stamp them out; E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 Report of the Global Conference on the Sustainable 16 Development of Small Island Developing States, Bridgetown, Barbados, 25 April?6 May 1994 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.94.I.18 and corrigenda), chap I, resolution 1, annex II. 40 (k) To participate in international and regional processes that address issues relevant to sustainable tourismdevelopment; to consider the ratification or adoption, and promote the implementation and enforcement, as appropriate, of standards or guidelines relevant to the travel and tourism industry, such as in the labour and health fields; and to support initiatives, especially through organizations like the International Labour Organization and the World Health Organization, that would make an early and positive contribution to sustainable tourism development; (l) To support appropriate measures to better inform tourists about cultural, ecological and other values and provide accurate information on the safety of tourist destinations, so as to enable consumers to make informed choices. 4. The Commission calls upon the tourism industry: (a) To develop environmentally, socially and culturally compatible forms of tourism and to continue the development and implementation of voluntary initiatives in support of sustainable tourismdevelopment, bearing in mind that such forms of tourism and initiatives should meet, or preferably exceed, relevant local, national, regional or international standards; (b) To further commit itself to the goal of sustainable tourism development by working towards guiding principles and objectives for sustainable tourism development and information for tourists on ecological and cultural values in destination regions; (c) To further develop voluntary eco-efficiency and appropriate management systems to save costs and to promote sustainable forms of tourism; (d) To take effective steps to reduce the volume of waste associated with travel and tourism activities; (e) To ?design with nature? in collaboration with planning authorities, by using low impact designs, materials and technologies, so as not to damage the environmental or cultural assets that tourists seek to experience and that sustain the local community, and to undertake measures to restore tourist destinations with degraded environments; (f) To distance itself publicly from illegal, abusive or exploitive forms of tourism; (g) To meet or preferably exceed relevant national or international labour standards. 5. The Commission invites, as appropriate, Governments and major groups, as well as the United Nations system, in close collaboration with the World Tourism Organization, while building on relevant work carried out by the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Development Programme and under the Convention on Biological Diversity and other relevant conventions and organizations, and taking note of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States,16 adopted at Barbados in 1994, to consider undertaking the following initiatives and to keep the Commission on Sustainable Development informed on progress achieved: (a) To promote sustainable tourism development in order to increase the benefits from the tourism resources for the population in the host communities and maintain the cultural and environmental integrity of the host community; to encourage cooperation of major groups at all levels with a view to facilitating Local Agenda 21 initiatives and promoting linkages within the local economy in order that benefits may be more widely shared; to this end, greater E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 41 efforts should be undertaken for the employment of the local workforce, and the use of local products and skills; (b) To support national efforts by countries, especially developing countries and countries with economies in transition, and major groups towards sustainable tourism development through relevant capacity-building activities and programmes as well as multilateral and bilateral financial and technical assistance, and appropriate technologies in all aspects of sustainable tourism development, including environmental impact assessment and management and education in the field of tourism; (c) To encouragemore responsible behaviour among tourists through ensuring respect for national laws, cultural values, social norms and tradition as well as by increasing public awareness, in addition to other measures; (d) To promote the application of integrated planning approaches to tourism development at the local level, including through encouraging the use of Local Agenda 21 as a process for planning, implementing and monitoring sustainable tourism development and recognizing the potential for integration of Local Agenda 21 with Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry as well as other such initiatives; (e) To provide relevant direction on research activities, and collect and disseminate information on best practices and techniques, including an appropriate mix of instruments to minimize negative and to promote positive environmental, social and cultural impacts from tourism in developed and developing countries and in countries with economies in transition; (f) To promote the exchange of information on transportation, accommodation and other services, public awareness-raising programmes and education, and various voluntary initiatives and ways to minimize the effects of natural disasters on tourism. Possible forms of this information exchange should be explored in consultation with relevant partners, utilizing, inter alia, such means as bilateral and multilateral arrangements; (g) To undertake studies on appropriate measures for promoting sustainable tourism development, such as community planning in fragile ecosystems, including in coastal areas, and to develop tools to assist local authorities in determining appropriate management regimes and their capacity for tourism development; (h) To further develop or support integrated initiatives, preferably through pilot projects, to enhance the diffusion of innovations and to avoid, wherever possible, duplication and waste of resources; (i) To undertake activities that would be supportive of the preparations for both the International Year of Ecotourism and the International Year of Mountains, as well as activities of the International Coral Reef Initiative; (j) To clarify further the concepts of sustainable tourism and eco-tourism; (k) To develop core indicators for sustainable tourism development, taking into account the work of the World Tourism Organization and other relevant organizations, as well as the ongoing testing phase of indicators for sustainable development; (l) To undertake a comprehensive survey and assessment of the results of implementing existing voluntary initiatives and guidelines relating to the economic, sociocultural and environmental sustainability of tourism, to be reported to the Commission on Sustainable Development in order to identify best practices with respect to raising awareness of sustainable tourism development; (m) To consider establishing a global network, taking into account the work of the World TourismOrganization, regional mechanisms and all major groups, as appropriate, to E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 42 promote an exchange of information and views on sustainable tourism development, including on ecotourism; (n) To cooperate with the United Nations Environment Programme in further developing guiding principles for sustainable tourism development; (o) To encourage business and industry to take steps to implement eco-efficiency approaches, in order to reduce environmental impacts associated with travel and tourism activities, in particular the volume of packaging waste, especially in small island developing States. 6. The Commission invites the World Tourism Organization to consider informed major groups? participation, as appropriate, in the development, implementation and monitoring of its Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, including those provisions relating to a code of conduct for tourists. 7. The Commission invites relevant agencies, particularly the International Maritime Organization, to evaluate whether existing regulations on marine pollution and compliance with them are sufficient to provide adequate protection to fragile coastal zones from adverse impacts as a result of tourist vessel activities. 8. The Commission invites the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to further consider, in the context of the process of the exchange of experiences, existing knowledge and best practice on sustainable tourism development and biological diversitywith a view to contributing to international guidelines for activities related to sustainable tourismdevelopment in vulnerable terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems and habitats ofmajor importance for biological diversity and protected areas, including fragile mountain ecosystems. 9. The Commission welcomes the work of major groups, especially the business community, trade and tourism industry associations, non-governmental organizations and other groups involved in travel and tourism, to contribute to efforts to achieve sustainable tourism development, including through educational initiatives and action plans based on Agenda 21 and other related documents, and particularlywelcomes their commitment through the continuation of their work with all major groups, to do more, and to report to the Commission on Sustainable Development on their progress. 10. The Commission invites the United Nations Secretariat and the World Tourism Organization, in consultation with major groups and other relevant international organizations, to jointly facilitate the establishment of an ad hoc informal open-ended working group on tourism to assess financial leakages and determine how to maximize benefits for indigenous and local communities; and to prepare a joint initiative to improve information availability and capacity-building for participation, and address other matters relevant to the implementation of the international work programme on sustainable tourism development. Annex Co-Chairmen?s summary of the discussions on tourism held by the Inter-Sessional Ad Hoc Working Group on Consumption and Production Patterns and on Tourism at its meeting from 22 to 26 February 1999 Introduction 1. As an outcome of the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly for the overall review and appraisal of the implementation ofAgenda 21 in 1997, the Assembly, in paragraph 69 of the annex to its resolution S/19-2 of 28 June 1997 on the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, requested the Commission on Sustainable Development to E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 17 E/CN.17/1999/5 and Add.1?3. 43 develop an action-oriented international programme of work on sustainable tourism, to be defined in cooperation with theWorld Tourism Organization, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and other relevant bodies.More recently, the Assembly, in its resolution 53/200 of 15 December 1998, declared the year 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism and, in its resolution 53/24 of 10 November 1998, declared 2002 as the International Year of Mountains. The Economic and Social Council, in its resolution 1998/40 of 30 July 1998, requested the Commission, in the framework of its discussion of tourism during its seventh session, to recommend to the Assembly, through the Council, supportive measures and activities which would contribute to a successful International Year of Ecotourism. Many delegations stressed that policy development and implementation should take place in cooperation with all interested parties, especially the private sector and local and indigenous communities, in the context of Agenda 21. 2. The discussions on tourism and sustainable development were based on the recommendations and proposals for action contained in the report of the Secretary-General on tourism and sustainable development and its three addenda.17 In addition, many delegations from developed and developing countries provided useful information on activities, policies and strategies in their countries pertaining to sustainable tourism development. General considerations 3. Many delegations noted that tourism is both currently and potentially a significant contributor to sustained economic growth and sustainable development. In a number of developing countries, tourism has emerged as a dominant economic contributor, providing infrastructure development, jobs, foreign exchange earnings, government tax revenue and other significant benefits to local communities. Developing countries experience trying times with regard to not only environmental management, but also socio-economic welfare and tourism market growth. Uplifting people is the biggest challenge facing the tourism sectors of these countries, and the creation of sustainable job opportunities and the promotion of emerging enterprises, as well as appropriate training, are of cardinal importance. 4. Many delegations also noted that the tourism industry is one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the global economy and has important economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts. Many delegations noted that the continued growth of the tourism industry has important implications for the achievement of sustainable development, particularly in small island developing States and tourist destinations with fragile ecological environments. 5. Many countries emphasized that the tourism sector can be a major engine for economic development in many developing countries because of its large potential contribution to income- and employment-generation. Moreover, in some developing countries, particularly those lacking adequate resource endowments such as the small island developing States, tourism may be the only development alternative available in the short to medium term. However, there was some concern that over-reliance on tourism, especially mass tourism, carries significant risks to tourism-dependent economies since phenomena such as economic recession and natural disasters can have devastating effects on the tourism sector. 6. Many delegations noted that international tourism can potentially introduce both positive and negative social and cultural impacts in host destinations. Although tourism can create positive impacts on social development through employment creation, income redistribution E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 44 and poverty alleviation, it also has the potential to introduce negative social and cultural change such as through drug abuse, child labour, prostitution, overcrowding, pressure on resources, and challenges to established culture. 7. Many delegations stated that an important consideration in sustainable tourism development is the tourist carrying capacity of host destinations in both environmental and social terms which should adequately reflect the ability of a local community to absorb tourists without submerging or overwhelming the local culture and its natural resources. 8. Many countries also stated that the tourism industry can present serious challenges to environmental management, particularly through its consumption of resources, the pollution and waste generated by the development of tourism infrastructures and facilities, transportation and tourist activities. In the absence of proper planning and management, tourism development can encourage the intensive or inappropriate use of land which can lead to deforestation, soil erosion and loss of biological diversity. Ironically, damage to the environment threatens the very viability of the tourism industry because tourism depends heavily on the natural environment. 9. Coastal area development for tourism was identified as an issue of particular concern bymany countries. Improperly planned development of tourism can despoil the pristine beauty of coastal areas, contribute to beach destruction and coastal degradation and negatively affect the livelihood of peoples in coastal communities. The treatment and disposal of liquid and solid wastes generated by the tourism industry were identified as a serious problem, particularly for less developed economies that lack the appropriate physical infrastructure or adequate waste treatment capacity. The disposal of untreated effluents into surrounding areas of land and sea often leads to the pollution of scarce inland freshwater resources, loss of valuable marine life, destruction of coral reefs and the silting and erosion of coastal beaches. 10. Some delegations, noting that the United Nations had declared 2002 as the International Year of Mountains, pointed out that opportunities exist for obvious linkages with the International Year of Ecotourism, also in 2002. Mountain regions represent a significant portion of the tourism industry. These remote, fragile and highly biodiverse ecosystems are homes to unique cultures and traditions which draw tourists from an increasingly urbanized world. If it is not properlymanaged, and does not take into account local communities, local control of resources, the integral role of women, equitable distribution of benefits and appropriate infrastructure needs, tourism development in mountain regions threatens to undermine ecosystems and cultures. 11. Many countries emphasized that fresh water remains a pressing concern. Since the tourism industry is an extremely intensive user of fresh water, the problem of freshwater supply could worsen as the industry expands globally unless steps are taken to minimize water use in accommodation and other tourism activities. Some other delegations noted that, although the tourism sector is only a minor contributor to global warming, air pollution could worsen at the global level, for example, from increased carbon dioxide (CO ) emissions 2 related to energy use in tourism-related transportation, and air-conditioning and heating of tourism facilities. 12. Many countries also emphasized that the tourism industry can help protect and rehabilitate natural assets, such as parks, protected areas and cultural and natural sites, by its financial contributions, provision of environmental infrastructure and improved environmental management. It can also help to raise the awareness of the local population regarding the financial and intrinsic value of natural and cultural sites, motivating communities to reclaim their natural and cultural patrimony through environmental protection and conservation. In general, the tourism industry has a vested interest in maintaining the E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 45 environmental, social and cultural resources of destination areas which represent their core business assets. 13. There was an attempt bymany delegations to define sustainable tourism. One delegation suggested that sustainable tourism is, inter alia, development which ?... meets the need of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future?. Other delegations suggested that ?sustainable tourism must seek a balance between (a) economic benefit and investment; (b) social participation, including local communities, with direct earnings, and seeking preservation and consolidation of its cultural values and traditions; (c) conservation and protection of environment and biological diversity, taking into account regulations that allow an appropriate management of habitats and the introduction of education and dissemination of information to promote an environmental consciousness among the local population and visitors?. One delegation noted that ecotourism is an economic activity that minimizes environmental impacts, valuing and contributing to the conservation of ecosystems, and at the same time generates incomes for local communities. 14. One delegation noted that ecotourism has potential to create new patterns of tourism but, at the same time, there are impediments to promoting ecotourism which include local communities? hesitation to replace conventional tourism, the reluctance to adopt codes of conduct to ensure the quality of ecotourism and the difficulty of promoting ecotourism in areas unlikely to attract visitors. Challenges 15. Delegations noted that there are a number of important challenges associated with sustainable tourism development. These challenges include, inter alia, the following: (a) A concentration of services and profits into very few big transnational corporations, which often leads to the development of enclaves with no linkage to other socioeconomic sectors of the local society; (b) The lack of an adequate tourism infrastructure, which was seen as a serious obstacle to tourism development in some countries, particularly developing countries; (c) The need to improve the access of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to government incentives and publicity; (d) The need to involve local communities, at all levels, in all aspects of the tourism development process, such as policy-making, planning, management, ownership and the sharing of benefits; (e) The need to ensure that tourism development planning preserves the natural and cultural legacy, heritage and integrity of tourism destinations and respects the social and cultural norms of society, particularly among the indigenous communities; (f) The need to inform people of the benefits to be gained from sustainable tourism development through community awareness campaigns; (g) The need to raise public awareness about sustainable tourism and to encourage more responsible behaviour among tourists; (h) The need to enhance the linkages of the private tourism sector with the other sectors of the economy, and to ensure that domestic entrepreneurs are not marginalized by foreign investors in the tourism industry; (i) To ensure sufficient coordination between the public and private sectors to achieve sustainable tourism; E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 46 (j) To overcome the lack of regional cooperation for promoting the development of sustainable tourism. Action by Governments 16. Many delegations stressed that Governments should give appropriate attention and priority to tourism in development planning so that it develops in harmony with overall economic, social and environmental goals, within an integrated policy framework. In this regard, Governments should develop national strategies or master plans for tourism, in the context of Agenda 21, which will provide focus and direction to all stakeholders. 17. Some delegations stated that countries should consider the various options available for financing tourism infrastructure projects, such as government outlays, financing by multilateral and regional financial institutions, involvement of the private sector through buildoperate- transfer schemes, and foreign direct investment (FDI). In addition, there are also various options for private sector financing for, inter alia, training, education, management and marketing. 18. Some countries noted that the use of economic instruments to promote sustainable tourism, in particular the full-costing and pricing of energy and water, can promote ecoefficiency in the tourism industry as well as provide additional revenue that can be used to support improved management of these resources. In this regard, the polluter-pays principle and user-pays systems are appropriate and should be more widely applied and supported. 19. Many delegations were of the view that government policies should be implemented to encourage and support small and medium-sized enterprises in the tourism industry, especially in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. 20. Many delegations stressed that Governments should promote partnerships between all stakeholders and that they can play an important role by encouraging, supporting and facilitating the involvement and commitment of all stakeholders, especially indigenous and local communities, in the planning, development and management of tourism. 21. Many delegations emphasized that there needs to be an increase in the transfer of the benefits from tourism to local communities through the creation of jobs, entrepreneurial opportunities and social benefits if efforts to promote community participation are to be effective. 22. Some countries emphasized that, in some cases, there is a need to control the rate of growth of the tourism sector in order to preserve the natural and cultural legacy, heritage and integrity of tourism destinations as well as the social and cultural norms of society, particularly among the indigenous communities. 23. Many countries noted that it is necessary to promote capacity-building in sustainable tourism, particularly among local governments. In many countries, local governments have important responsibilities for tourism development and management, and capacity-building programmes will enable them to better understand these responsibilities with respect to sustainable tourism. 24. Some delegations pointed out that local and central governments should enhance their capacity to monitor the performance of the tourism industry and to develop suitable indicators of sustainable tourism that can be used in their decision-making. 25. Many delegations stressed that Governments should promote the role of the local community in deciding what it is prepared to offer, how its cultural patrimony is to be presented and which, if any, aspects of the culture are off-limits to visitors. E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 47 26. Some delegations suggested that tourism, in particular mass tourism, should be regulated and, where necessary, prohibited in ecologically and culturally sensitive areas. In protected areas and where nature is particularly diverse, vulnerable and attractive, tourism should be permitted onlywhere it meets the requirements of nature protection and biological diversity conservation. In coastal areas where tourism can impose serious environmental damage, the principles of integrated coastal area management should be implemented. Environmental impact studies are an important tool for sustainable development and should be undertaken. 27. Many delegations noted that sustainability issues should be fully integrated into courses at all levels of education in order to develop environmental awareness and the skills required to promote sustainable tourism. In this regard, it is also important to raise public awareness about sustainable tourism and to encourage more responsible behaviour among tourists. 28. Many countries emphasized that there is a need for further efforts to prevent and control tourism-related abuse and exploitation of people, particularly women and children and other disadvantaged groups. Some delegations felt that both sending and receiving countries had roles to play in combating this serious negative impact of international tourism. Action by the private sector 29. Many delegations stated that the tourism industry should ensure that their investment, employment, operational and other business decisions take full account of the wider implications of such actions for the long-term development and economic sustainability of the destinations in which they operate. 30. Some countries suggested that the tourism industry, by modifying the products it develops and offers the public, can directly influence the nature of tourism itself, directing it towards sustainable forms of tourism. Marketing can be used to enhance the industry?s initiatives for promoting sustainable development by, inter alia, raising awareness among their clients of the potential environmental and social impacts of their holidays, and of responsible behaviour. In some countries, the tourism industry is also increasingly interested in eco-labels as a means of promoting those countries? facilities and destinations. Some delegations cautioned, however, that the concept of eco-labelling and related issues are still under consideration by the Committee on Trade and Environment of the World Trade Organization. 31. Many delegations urged tourism enterprises to integrate environmental management systems and procedures into all aspects of corporate activity. This would necessitate the implementation of, inter alia, environmental and social audits, and training of staff in the principles and practices of sustainable tourism management. Tourism enterprises were also urged to take all appropriate measures to minimize all forms of waste, conserve energy and freshwater resources, and control harmful emissions to all environmental media, as well as minimize the potential environmental impacts from tourism development, for example, by using local materials and technologies appropriate to local conditions. The tourism industry was encouraged to promote wider implementation of environmental management, particularly among small- and medium-sized enterprises. 32. Many delegations noted that the tourism industry had developed a number of environmental codes of conduct and other voluntary initiatives in support of sustainable tourism. It was suggested that an inventory and assessment should be made of such voluntary initiatives on the part of industry, and improvements in the monitoring and reporting of industry?s progress towards the objective of sustainable tourism. Some delegations requested the preparation of an inventory of all existing codes of conduct, guidelines and voluntary initiatives concerning sustainable tourism. E/1999/29 E/CN.17/1999/20 18 E/CN.17/1999/11. 48 Action by the international community 33. Many delegations stressed the need for the international community to promote the recognition of the value of tourism as an economic tool for development, particularly for developing countries, and the fragility of the resources on which it depends, as well as the resulting need for international support to encourage its sustainable development. 34. Many delegations were of the view that international organizations and donor countries should increase their efforts in training and capacity-building in the field of tourism in developing countries, and that studies should be carried out on specific issues of interest to developing countries. Technical and financial assistance to developing countries is critical to enable them to develop competitive and sustainable tourism sectors. 35. Some delegations stated that the international, regional and multilateral agreements and guidelines that address the issue of sustainable tourism need to be effectively translated into practical programmes for implementation by the tourism industry, Governments and civil society. There is also a need to consolidate as well as enhance the monitoring of these initiatives. 36. Many delegations stressed that the international community has an important role to assist developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, economies in transition and small island developing States, through financial and technical assistance to Governments at all levels. 37. Many delegations also stressed that the international community should strengthen development cooperation to make tourism development more environmentally sustainable, while emphasizing financial support and measures to accelerate the transfer of environmentally sound technology to developing countries. Steps should be taken to facilitate the international exchange of information, experiences and technical skills, especially between the developed and developing countries. Some delegations said that international cooperation should make tourism sustainable in respect of its economic and social aspects as well. 38. Some delegations emphasized that regional cooperation is an important policy approach for promoting the development of sustainable tourism. 39. One delegation noted that, although it is important to allow for a variety of forms of ecotourism that depend on the regional situation, there are benefits to be derived from global standards to minimize negative ramifications of ecotourism and an international network to promote an exchange of information and views.

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THE SDGS IN ACTION.

What are the sustainable development goals.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

The 17 SDGs are integrated—they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.

Countries have committed to prioritize progress for those who're furthest behind. The SDGs are designed to end poverty, hunger, AIDS, and discrimination against women and girls.

The creativity, knowhow, technology and financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve the SDGs in every context.

Eradicating poverty in all its forms remains one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. While the number of people living in extreme poverty dropped by more than half between 1990 and 2015, too many are still struggling for the most basic human needs.

As of 2015, about 736 million people still lived on less than US$1.90 a day; many lack food, clean drinking water and sanitation. Rapid growth in countries such as China and India has lifted millions out of poverty, but progress has been uneven. Women are more likely to be poor than men because they have less paid work, education, and own less property.

Progress has also been limited in other regions, such as South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, which account for 80 percent of those living in extreme poverty. New threats brought on by climate change, conflict and food insecurity, mean even more work is needed to bring people out of poverty.

The SDGs are a bold commitment to finish what we started, and end poverty in all forms and dimensions by 2030. This involves targeting the most vulnerable, increasing basic resources and services, and supporting communities affected by conflict and climate-related disasters.

736 million people still live in extreme poverty.

10 percent of the world’s population live in extreme poverty, down from 36 percent in 1990.

Some 1.3 billion people live in multidimensional poverty.

Half of all people living in poverty are under 18.

One person in every 10 is extremely poor.

Goal targets

• By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions
• Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable
• By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinance
• By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters
• Ensure significant mobilization of resources from a variety of sources, including through enhanced development cooperation, in order to provide adequate and predictable means for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, to implement programmes and policies to end poverty in all its dimensions
• Create sound policy frameworks at the national, regional and international levels, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies, to support accelerated investment in poverty eradication actions

SDGs in Action

Publications.

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Zero hunger.

Zero Hunger

The number of undernourished people has dropped by almost half in the past two decades because of rapid economic growth and increased agricultural productivity. Many developing countries that used to suffer from famine and hunger can now meet their nutritional needs. Central and East Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean have all made huge progress in eradicating extreme hunger.

Unfortunately, extreme hunger and malnutrition remain a huge barrier to development in many countries. There are 821 million people estimated to be chronically undernourished as of 2017, often as a direct consequence of environmental degradation, drought and biodiversity loss. Over 90 million children under five are dangerously underweight. Undernourishment and severe food insecurity appear to be increasing in almost all regions of Africa, as well as in South America.

The SDGs aim to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030, making sure all people–especially children–have sufficient and nutritious food all year. This involves promoting sustainable agricultural, supporting small-scale farmers and equal access to land, technology and markets. It also requires international cooperation to ensure investment in infrastructure and technology to improve agricultural productivity.

The number of undernourished people reached 821 million in 2017.

In 2017 Asia accounted for nearly two thirds, 63 percent, of the world’s hungry.

Nearly 151 million children under five, 22 percent, were still stunted in 2017.

More than 1 in 8 adults is obese.

1 in 3 women of reproductive age is anemic.

26 percent of workers are employed in agriculture.

• By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons
• By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment
• By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality
• By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreed
• Increase investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and livestock gene banks in order to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries, in particular least developed countries
• Correct and prevent trade restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets, including through the parallel elimination of all forms of agricultural export subsidies and all export measures with equivalent effect, in accordance with the mandate of the Doha Development Round
• Adopt measures to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets and their derivatives and facilitate timely access to market information, including on food reserves, in order to help limit extreme food price volatility.

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Good health and well-being.

We have made great progress against several leading causes of death and disease. Life expectancy has increased dramatically; infant and maternal mortality rates have declined, we’ve turned the tide on HIV and malaria deaths have halved.

Good health is essential to sustainable development and the 2030 Agenda reflects the complexity and interconnectedness of the two. It takes into account widening economic and social inequalities, rapid urbanization, threats to the climate and the environment, the continuing burden of HIV and other infectious diseases, and emerging challenges such as noncommunicable diseases. Universal health coverage will be integral to achieving SDG 3, ending poverty and reducing inequalities. Emerging global health priorities not explicitly included in the SDGs, including antimicrobial resistance, also demand action.

But the world is off-track to achieve the health-related SDGs. Progress has been uneven, both between and within countries. There’s a 31-year gap between the countries with the shortest and longest life expectancies. And while some countries have made impressive gains, national averages hide that many are being left behind. Multisectoral, rights-based and gender-sensitive approaches are essential to address inequalities and to build good health for all.

At least 400 million people have no basic healthcare, and 40 percent lack social protection.

More than 1.6 billion people live in fragile settings where protracted crises, combined with weak national capacity to deliver basic health services, present a significant challenge to global health.

By the end of 2017, 21.7 million people living with HIV were receiving antiretroviral therapy. Yet more than 15 million people are still waiting for treatment.

Every 2 seconds someone aged 30 to 70 years dies prematurely from noncommunicable diseases - cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes or cancer.

7 million people die every year from exposure to fine particles in polluted air.

More than one of every three women have experienced either physical or sexual violence at some point in their life resulting in both short- and long-term consequences for their physical, mental, and sexual and reproductive health.

• By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births
• By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births
• By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases
• By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being
• Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol
• By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents
• By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes
• Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all
• By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination
• Strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriate
• Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and noncommunicable diseases that primarily affect developing countries, provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines, in accordance with the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, which affirms the right of developing countries to use to the full the provisions in the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights regarding flexibilities to protect public health, and, in particular, provide access to medicines for all
• Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States
• Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks

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Quality education.

Since 2000, there has been enormous progress in achieving the target of universal primary education. The total enrollment rate in developing regions reached 91 percent in 2015, and the worldwide number of children out of school has dropped by almost half. There has also been a dramatic increase in literacy rates, and many more girls are in school than ever before. These are all remarkable successes.

Progress has also been tough in some developing regions due to high levels of poverty, armed conflicts and other emergencies. In Western Asia and North Africa, ongoing armed conflict has seen an increase in the number of children out of school. This is a worrying trend. While Sub-Saharan Africa made the greatest progress in primary school enrollment among all developing regions – from 52 percent in 1990, up to 78 percent in 2012 – large disparities still remain. Children from the poorest households are up to four times more likely to be out of school than those of the richest households. Disparities between rural and urban areas also remain high.

Achieving inclusive and quality education for all reaffirms the belief that education is one of the most powerful and proven vehicles for sustainable development. This goal ensures that all girls and boys complete free primary and secondary schooling by 2030. It also aims to provide equal access to affordable vocational training, to eliminate gender and wealth disparities, and achieve universal access to a quality higher education.

Enrollment in primary education in developing countries has reached 91 percent.

Still, 57 million primary-aged children remain out of school, more than half of them in sub-Saharan Africa.

In developing countries, one in four girls is not in school.

About half of all out-of-school children of primary school age live in conflict-affected areas.

103 million youth worldwide lack basic literacy skills, and more than 60 percent of them are women.

6 out of 10 children and adolescents are not achieving a minimum level of proficiency in reading and math.

• By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and Goal-4 effective learning outcomes
• By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and preprimary education so that they are ready for primary education
• By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
• By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
• By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations
• By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy
• By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development
• Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, nonviolent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all
• By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries
• By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing states

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Gender equality.

Gender Equality

Ending all discrimination against women and girls is not only a basic human right, it’s crucial for sustainable future; it’s proven that empowering women and girls helps economic growth and development.

UNDP has made gender equality central to its work and we’ve seen remarkable progress in the past 20 years. There are more girls in school now compared to 15 years ago, and most regions have reached gender parity in primary education.

But although there are more women than ever in the labour market, there are still large inequalities in some regions, with women systematically denied the same work rights as men. Sexual violence and exploitation, the unequal division of unpaid care and domestic work, and discrimination in public office all remain huge barriers. Climate change and disasters continue to have a disproportionate effect on women and children, as do conflict and migration.

It is vital to give women equal rights land and property, sexual and reproductive health, and to technology and the internet. Today there are more women in public office than ever before, but encouraging more women leaders will help achieve greater gender equality.

Women earn only 77 cents for every dollar that men get for the same work.

35 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence.

Women represent just 13 percent of agricultural landholders.

Almost 750 million women and girls alive today were married before their 18th birthday.

Two thirds of developing countries have achieved gender parity in primary education.

Only 24 percent of national parliamentarians were women as of November 2018, a small increase from 11.3 percent in 1995.

• End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere
• Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation
• Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation
• Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate
• Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decisionmaking in political, economic and public life
• Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences
• Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws
• Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women
• Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels

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Clean water and sanitation.

Water scarcity affects more than 40 percent of people, an alarming figure that is projected to rise as temperatures do. Although 2.1 billion people have improved water sanitation since 1990, dwindling drinking water supplies are affecting every continent.

More and more countries are experiencing water stress, and increasing drought and desertification is already worsening these trends. By 2050, it is projected that at least one in four people will suffer recurring water shortages.

Safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030 requires we invest in adequate infrastructure, provide sanitation facilities, and encourage hygiene. Protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems is essential.

Ensuring universal safe and affordable drinking water involves reaching over 800 million people who lack basic services and improving accessibility and safety of services for over two billion.

In 2015, 4.5 billion people lacked safely managed sanitation services (with adequately disposed or treated excreta) and 2.3 billion lacked even basic sanitation.

71 percent of the global population, 5.2 billion people, had safely-managed drinking water in 2015, but 844 million people still lacked even basic drinking water.

39 percent of the global population, 2.9 billion people, had safe sanitation in 2015, but 2.3 billion people still lacked basic sanitation. 892 million people practiced open defecation.

80 percent of wastewater goes into waterways without adequate treatment.

Water stress affects more than 2 billion people, with this figure projected to increase.

80 percent of countries have laid the foundations for integrated water resources management.

The world has lost 70 percent of its natural wetlands over the last century.

• By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
• By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations
• By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
• By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity
• By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate
• By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes
• By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies
• Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management

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Affordable and clean energy.

Between 2000 and 2018, the number of people with electricity increased from 78 to 90 percent, and the numbers without electricity dipped to 789 million.

Yet as the population continues to grow, so will the demand for cheap energy, and an economy reliant on fossil fuels is creating drastic changes to our climate.

Investing in solar, wind and thermal power, improving energy productivity, and ensuring energy for all is vital if we are to achieve SDG 7 by 2030.

Expanding infrastructure and upgrading technology to provide clean and more efficient energy in all countries will encourage growth and help the environment.  

One out of 10 people still lacks electricity, and most live in rural areas of the developing world. More than half are in sub-Saharan Africa.

Energy is by far the main contributor to climate change. It accounts for 73 percent of human-caused greenhouse gases.

Energy efficiency is key; the right efficiency policies could enable the world to achieve more than 40 percent of the emissions cuts needed to reach its climate goals without new technology.

Almost a third of the world’s population—2.8 billion—rely on polluting and unhealthy fuels for cooking.

As of 2017, 17.5 percent of power was generated through renewable sources.

The renewable energy sector employed a record 11.5 million people in 2019. The changes needed in energy production and uses to achieve the Paris Agreement target of limiting the rise in temperature to below 2C can create 18 million jobs.

• By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services
• By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
• By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency
• By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology
• By 2030, expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States, and land-locked developing coun

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Decent work and economic growth.

Over the past 25 years the number of workers living in extreme poverty has declined dramatically, despite the lasting impact of the 2008 economic crisis and global recession. In developing countries, the middle class now makes up more than 34 percent of total employment – a number that has almost tripled between 1991 and 2015.

However, as the global economy continues to recover we are seeing slower growth, widening inequalities, and not enough jobs to keep up with a growing labour force. According to the International Labour Organization, more than 204 million people were unemployed in 2015.

The SDGs promote sustained economic growth, higher levels of productivity and technological innovation. Encouraging entrepreneurship and job creation are key to this, as are effective measures to eradicate forced labour, slavery and human trafficking. With these targets in mind, the goal is to achieve full and productive employment, and decent work, for all women and men by 2030.

An estimated 172 million people worldwide were without work in 2018 - an unemployment rate of 5 percent.

As a result of an expanding labour force, the number of unemployed is projected to increase by 1 million every year and reach 174 million by 2020.

Some 700 million workers lived in extreme or moderate poverty in 2018, with less than US$3.20 per day.

Women’s participation in the labour force stood at 48 per cent in 2018, compared with 75 percent for men. Around 3 in 5 of the 3.5 billion people in the labour force in 2018 were men.

Overall, 2 billion workers were in informal employment in 2016, accounting for 61 per cent of the world’s workforce.

Many more women than men are underutilized in the labour force—85 million compared to 55 million.

• Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in particular, at least 7 per cent gross domestic product growth per annum in the least developed countries
• Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
• Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
• Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead
• By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
• By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training
• Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms
• Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
• By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products
• Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for all
• Increase Aid for Trade support for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, including through the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance to Least Developed Countries
• By 2020, develop and operationalize a global strategy for youth employment and implement the Global Jobs Pact of the International Labour Organization

Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Investment in infrastructure and innovation are crucial drivers of economic growth and development. With over half the world population now living in cities, mass transport and renewable energy are becoming ever more important, as are the growth of new industries and information and communication technologies.

Technological progress is also key to finding lasting solutions to both economic and environmental challenges, such as providing new jobs and promoting energy efficiency. Promoting sustainable industries, and investing in scientific research and innovation, are all important ways to facilitate sustainable development.

More than 4 billion people still do not have access to the Internet, and 90 percent are from the developing world. Bridging this digital divide is crucial to ensure equal access to information and knowledge, as well as foster innovation and entrepreneurship.   

Worldwide, 2.3 billion people lack access to basic sanitation.

In some low-income African countries, infrastructure constraints cut businesses’ productivity by around 40 percent.

2.6 billion people in developing countries do not have access to constant electricity.

More than 4 billion people still do not have access to the Internet; 90 percent of them are in the developing world.

The renewable energy sectors currently employ more than 2.3 million people; the number could reach 20 million by 2030.

In developing countries, barely 30 percent of agricultural products undergo industrial processing, compared to 98 percent high-income countries.

• Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all
• Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries
• Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets
• By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities
• Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending
• Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States 18
• Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities
• Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020

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Reduced inequalities.

Income inequality is on the rise—the richest 10 percent have up to 40 percent of global income whereas the poorest 10 percent earn only between 2 to 7 percent. If we take into account population growth inequality in developing countries, inequality has increased by 11 percent.

Income inequality has increased in nearly everywhere in recent decades, but at different speeds. It’s lowest in Europe and highest in the Middle East.

These widening disparities require sound policies to empower lower income earners, and promote economic inclusion of all regardless of sex, race or ethnicity.

Income inequality requires global solutions. This involves improving the regulation and monitoring of financial markets and institutions, encouraging development assistance and foreign direct investment to regions where the need is greatest. Facilitating the safe migration and mobility of people is also key to bridging the widening divide.

In 2016, 22 percent of global income was received by the top 1 percent compared with 10 percent of income for the bottom 50 percent.

In 1980, the top one percent had 16 percent of global income. The bottom 50 percent had 8 percent of income.

Economic inequality is largely driven by the unequal ownership of capital. Since 1980, very large transfers of public to private wealth occurred in nearly all countries. The global wealth share of the top 1 percent was 33 percent in 2016.

Under "business as usual", the top 1 percent global wealth will reach 39 percent by 2050.

Women spend, on average, twice as much time on unpaid housework as men.

Women have as much access to financial services as men in just 60 percent of the countries assessed and to land ownership in just 42 percent of the countries assessed.

• By 2030, progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate higher than the national average
• By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
• Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard
• Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality
• Improve the regulation and monitoring of global financial markets and institutions and strengthen the implementation of such regulations
• Ensure enhanced representation and voice for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions in order to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutions
• Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies
• Implement the principle of special and differential treatment for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, in accordance with World Trade Organization agreements
• Encourage official development assistance and financial flows, including foreign direct investment, to States where the need is greatest, in particular least developed countries, African countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their national plans and programmes
• By 2030, reduce to less than 3 per cent the transaction costs of migrant remittances and eliminate remittance corridors with costs higher than 5 per cent

Sustainable cities and communities

More than half of us  live in cities. By 2050, two-thirds of all humanity—6.5 billion people—will be urban. Sustainable development cannot be achieved without significantly transforming the way we build and manage our urban spaces.

The rapid growth of cities—a result of rising populations and increasing migration—has led to a boom in mega-cities, especially in the developing world, and slums are becoming a more significant feature of urban life.

Making cities sustainable means creating career and business opportunities, safe and affordable housing, and building resilient societies and economies. It involves investment in public transport, creating green public spaces, and improving urban planning and management in participatory and inclusive ways.

In 2018, 4.2 billion people, 55 percent of the world’s population, lived in cities. By 2050, the urban population is expected to reach 6.5 billion.

Cities occupy just 3 percent of the Earth’s land but account for 60 to 80 percent of energy consumption and at least 70 percent of carbon emissions.

828 million people are estimated to live in slums, and the number is rising.

In 1990, there were 10 cities with 10 million people or more; by 2014, the number of mega-cities rose to 28, and was expected to reach 33 by 2018. In the future, 9 out of 10 mega-cities will be in the developing world.

In the coming decades, 90 percent of urban expansion will be in the developing world.

The economic role of cities is significant. They generate about 80 percent of the global GDP.

• By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums
• By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons
• By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries
• Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage
• By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations
• By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management
• By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities
• Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning
• By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels
• Support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materials

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Responsible consumption and production.

Achieving economic growth and sustainable development requires that we urgently reduce our ecological footprint by changing the way we produce and consume goods and resources. Agriculture is the biggest user of water worldwide, and irrigation now claims close to 70 percent of all freshwater for human use.

The efficient management of our shared natural resources, and the way we dispose of toxic waste and pollutants, are important targets to achieve this goal. Encouraging industries, businesses and consumers to recycle and reduce waste is equally important, as is supporting developing countries to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption by 2030.

A large share of the world population is still consuming far too little to meet even their basic needs.  Halving the per capita of global food waste at the retailer and consumer levels is also important for creating more efficient production and supply chains. This can help with food security, and shift us towards a more resource efficient economy.

1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted every year, while almost 2 billion people go hungry or undernourished.

The food sector accounts for around 22 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions, largely from the conversion of forests into farmland.

Globally, 2 billion people are overweight or obese.

Only 3 percent of the world’s water is fresh (drinkable), and humans are using it faster than nature can replenish it.

If people everywhere switched to energy efficient lightbulbs, the world would save US$120 billion annually.

One-fifth of the world’s final energy consumption in 2013 was from renewable sources.

• Implement the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries
• By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
• By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses
• By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment
• By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
• Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle
• Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities
• By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
• Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production
• Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products
• Rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption by removing market distortions, in accordance with national circumstances, including by restructuring taxation and phasing out those harmful subsidies, where they exist, to reflect their environmental impacts, taking fully into account the specific needs and conditions of developing countries and minimizing the possible adverse impacts on their development in a manner that protects the poor and the affected communities

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Climate action.

There is no country that is not experiencing the drastic effects of climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions are more than 50 percent higher than in 1990. Global warming is causing long-lasting changes to our climate system, which threatens irreversible consequences if we do not act.

The annual average economic losses from climate-related disasters are in the hundreds of billions of dollars. This is not to mention the human impact of geo-physical disasters, which are 91 percent climate-related, and which between 1998 and 2017 killed 1.3 million people, and left 4.4 billion injured. The goal aims to mobilize US$100 billion annually by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries to both adapt to climate change and invest in low-carbon development.

Supporting vulnerable regions will directly contribute not only to Goal 13 but also to the other SDGs. These actions must also go hand in hand with efforts to integrate disaster risk measures, sustainable natural resource management, and human security into national development strategies. It is still possible, with strong political will, increased investment, and using existing technology, to limit the increase in global mean temperature to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, aiming at 1.5 ° C, but this requires urgent and ambitious collective action.

As of 2017 humans are estimated to have caused approximately 1.0°C of global warming above pre-industrial levels.

Sea levels have risen by about 20 cm (8 inches) since 1880 and are projected to rise another 30–122 cm (1 to 4 feet) by 2100.

To limit warming to 1.5C, global net CO2 emissions must drop by 45% between 2010 and 2030, and reach net zero around 2050.

Climate pledges under The Paris Agreement cover only one third of the emissions reductions needed to keep the world below 2°C.

Bold climate action could trigger at least US$26 trillion in economic benefits by 2030.

The energy sector alone will create around 18 million more jobs by 2030, focused specifically on sustainable energy.

• Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
• Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
• Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
• Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible
• Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities

Life Below Water

The world’s oceans – their temperature, chemistry, currents and life – drive global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind. How we manage this vital resource is essential for humanity as a whole, and to counterbalance the effects of climate change.

Over three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods. However, today we are seeing 30 percent of the world’s fish stocks overexploited, reaching below the level at which they can produce sustainable yields.

Oceans also absorb about 30 percent of the carbon dioxide produced by humans, and we are seeing a 26 percent rise in ocean acidification since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Marine pollution, an overwhelming majority of which comes from land-based sources, is reaching alarming levels, with an average of 13,000 pieces of plastic litter to be found on every square kilometre of ocean.

The SDGs aim to sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems from pollution, as well as address the impacts of ocean acidification. Enhancing conservation and the sustainable use of ocean-based resources through international law will also help mitigate some of the challenges facing our oceans.

The ocean covers three quarters of the Earth’s surface and represents 99 percent of the living space on the planet by volume.

The ocean contains nearly 200,000 identified species, but actual numbers may lie in the millions.

As much as 40 percent of the ocean is heavily affected by pollution, depleted fisheries, loss of coastal habitats and other human activities.

The ocean absorbs about 30 percent of carbon dioxide produced by humans, buffering the impacts of global warming.

More than 3 billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods.

The market value of marine and coastal resources and industries is estimated at US$3 trillion per year, about 5 percent of global GDP.

• By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
• By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
• Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
• By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics
• By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
• By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation
• By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
• Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
• Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets
• Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in UNCLOS, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of The Future We Want

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Human life depends on the earth as much as the ocean for our sustenance and livelihoods. Plant life provides 80 percent of the human diet, and we rely on agriculture as an important economic resources. Forests cover 30 percent of the Earth’s surface, provide vital habitats for millions of species, and important sources for clean air and water, as well as being crucial for combating climate change.

Every year, 13 million hectares of forests are lost, while the persistent degradation of drylands has led to the desertification of 3.6 billion hectares, disproportionately affecting poor communities.

While 15 percent of land is protected, biodiversity is still at risk. Nearly 7,000 species of animals and plants have been illegally traded. Wildlife trafficking not only erodes biodiversity, but creates insecurity, fuels conflict, and feeds corruption.

Urgent action must be taken to reduce the loss of natural habitats and biodiversity which are part of our common heritage and support global food and water security, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and peace and security.

Around 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods.

Forests are home to more than 80 percent of all terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects.

2.6 billion people depend directly on agriculture for a living.

Nature-based climate solutions can contribute about a third of CO2 reductions by 2030.

The value of ecosystems to human livelihoods and well-being is $US125 trillion per year.v

Mountain regions provide 60-80 percent of the Earth's fresh water.

• By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements
• By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally
• By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world
• By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development
• Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species
• Promote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreed
• Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products
• By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species
• By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts
• Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems
• Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation
• Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities

Over the hump

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Peace, justice and strong institutions.

We cannot hope for sustainable development without peace, stability, human rights and effective governance, based on the rule of law. Yet our world is increasingly divided. Some regions enjoy peace, security and prosperity, while others fall into seemingly endless cycles of conflict and violence. This is not inevitable and must be addressed.

Armed violence and insecurity have a destructive impact on a country’s development, affecting economic growth, and often resulting in grievances that last for generations. Sexual violence, crime, exploitation and torture are also prevalent where there is conflict, or no rule of law, and countries must take measures to protect those who are most at risk

The SDGs aim to significantly reduce all forms of violence, and work with governments and communities to end conflict and insecurity. Promoting the rule of law and human rights are key to this process, as is reducing the flow of illicit arms and strengthening the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance.

By the end of 2017, 68.5 million people had been forcibly displaced as a result of persecution, conflict, violence or human rights violations.

There are at least 10 million stateless people who have been denied nationality and its related rights.

Corruption, bribery, theft and tax evasion cost developing countries US$1.26 trillion per year.

49 countries lack laws protecting women from domestic violence.

In 46 countries, women now hold more than 30 percent of seats in at least one chamber of national parliament.

1 billion people are legally ‘invisible’ because they cannot prove who they are. This includes an estimated 625 million children under 14 whose births were never registered.

• Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
• End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children
• Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all
• By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime
• Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms
• Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels
• Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels
• Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance
• By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration
• Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements
• Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime
• Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development

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Partnerships for the goals.

The SDGs can only be realized with strong global partnerships and cooperation. Official Development Assistance remained steady but below target, at US$147 billion in 2017. While humanitarian crises brought on by conflict or natural disasters continue to demand more financial resources and aid. Many countries also require Official Development Assistance to encourage growth and trade.

The world is more interconnected than ever. Improving access to technology and knowledge is an important way to share ideas and foster innovation. Coordinating policies to help developing countries manage their debt, as well as promoting investment for the least developed, is vital for sustainable growth and development.

The goals aim to enhance North-South and South-South cooperation by supporting national plans to achieve all the targets. Promoting international trade, and helping developing countries increase their exports is all part of achieving a universal rules-based and equitable trading system that is fair and open and benefits all.

The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) says achieving SDGs will require US$5 trillion to $7 trillion in annual investment.

Total official development assistance reached US$147.2 billion in 2017.

In 2017, international remittances totaled US$613 billion; 76 percent of it went to developing countries.

In 2016, 6 countries met the international target to keep official development assistance at or above 0.7 percent of gross national income.

Sustainable and responsible investments represent high-potential sources of capital for SDGs. As of 2016, US$18.2 trillion was invested in this asset class.

The bond market for sustainable business is growing. In 2018 global green bonds reached US$155.5billion, up 78 percent from previous year.

• Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, including through international support to developing countries, to improve domestic capacity for tax and other revenue collection
• Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments, including the commitment by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of ODA/GNI to developing countries and 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries ODA providers are encouraged to consider setting a target to provide at least 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries
• Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources
• Assist developing countries in attaining long-term debt sustainability through coordinated policies aimed at fostering debt financing, debt relief and debt restructuring, as appropriate, and address the external debt of highly indebted poor countries to reduce debt distress
• Adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for least developed countries  
• Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism
• Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed
• Fully operationalize the technology bank and science, technology and innovation capacity-building mechanism for least developed countries by 2017 and enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology  

Capacity building

• Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the sustainable development goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation  
• Promote a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization, including through the conclusion of negotiations under its Doha Development Agenda
• Significantly increase the exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries’ share of global exports by 2020
• Realize timely implementation of duty-free and quota-free market access on a lasting basis for all least developed countries, consistent with World Trade Organization decisions, including by ensuring that preferential rules of origin applicable to imports from least developed countries are transparent and simple, and contribute to facilitating market access  

Systemic issues

Policy and institutional coherence

• Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence
• Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development
• Respect each country’s policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development  

Multi-stakeholder partnerships

• Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries
• Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships  

Data, monitoring and accountability

• By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts
• By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries

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Sustainable Development Goals Integration

Tourism ‘intrinsically susceptible’ to climate shocks, political unrest, pandemic threat

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The President of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday highlighted the urgent need to boost sustainable and resilient tourism practices to protect the environment while continuing to benefit local economies.

Addressing a high-level meeting on tourism as part of the General Assembly’s first ever Sustainability Week , Dennis Francis said it was a vital driver of economic growth and empowerment .

In 2023, the sector contributed three per cent to the global gross domestic product (GDP), amounting to $3.3 trillion, and employed one in every ten people worldwide. For countries in special situations, like small island nations, tourism accounted for nearly 35 per cent of all export earnings and up to 80 per cent of national exports .

“Despite the spectacular benefits reaped across its vast supply chains – tourism is also intrinsically susceptible to a host of disruptive forces – such as climate change, pandemics, acts of terrorism, and domestic political instability,” Mr. Francis said.

Sustainable

He expressed concerns about the sector’s environmental and carbon footprint, saying sustainability must be paramount.

“We need a global tourism sector that is sustainable – one with deep local value chains that expand demand for locally made products and services in ways that also directly and positively benefit local communities,” he urged.

Moreover, he emphasized that the sector should also leverage digital technology to foster innovation and expand opportunities for jobs and economic growth, especially for women, youth, and indigenous and local communities.

“We also need a global tourism sector that is resilient,” said Mr. Francis, stressing the need to minimize its vulnerabilities and bolstering its ability to withstand external shocks.

This includes designing infrastructures that can withstand environmental disasters, fostering innovations that enhance economic and social resilience, and diversifying tourism activities to reduce recovery time after disruptive events.

Symbol of hope

Zurab Pololikashvili, head of the UN World Tourism Organization ( UNWTO ), also spoke at the General Assembly, noting that despite today’s pressing challenges, tourism offered a glimmer of hope.

Reflecting on the sector’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic – its most significant crisis in history – he observed that in 2023, international arrivals rebounded to almost 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels , with full recovery expected by the end of 2024.

This recovery must serve as a catalyst for bold action and transformative change, he said, emphasizing, “tourism can – and must – be a part of this plan for a better future for all.”

Sustainability Week

The high-level event on tourism followed Monday’s deliberations on debt sustainability , where speakers outlined the crippling impact of debt on developing economies, and called for urgent reform of the global financial system.

Upcoming highlights of the week include dedicated discussions on sustainable transport, infrastructure and energy.

• General Assembly
• 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

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UN Tourism and Croatia to Establish Research Centre for Sustainable Tourism

• 12 Apr 2024

UN Tourism is to work with the Government Croatia and the University of Zagreb to establish a research and development centre focused on sustainable tourism.

Croatia currently serves on UN Tourism’s Committee on Tourism and Sustainability, having chaired it between 2019 and 2023. Alongside the Government’s record of promoting responsible and sustainable tourism practices, this clear leadership and support for UN Tourism’s core values make it the ideal location to host a collaborative platform to drive innovation and catalyse positive change in the tourism sector.  

Croatia leads by example in growing tourism in a sustainable manner

This landmark centre will engage stakeholders from the public and private sectors, academia, and civil society to will address some of the most critical challenges facing tourism, including:  

• Reducing the Environmental Impact of Tourism: The centre will prioritize initiatives to minimize waste generation and plastic usage, thereby mitigating the environmental footprint of tourism activities. 
• Increasing Usage of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency: By promoting the adoption of renewable energy sources and implementing energy-efficient practices, the centre aims to reduce carbon emissions associated with tourism operations. 
• Accelerating Adaptation to Climate Change: Recognizing the urgent need to address climate-related risks, the centre will support adaptation strategies to enhance the resilience of tourism destinations and communities. 
• Preserving Social Sustainability and Local Communities: The centre will work to safeguard the cultural heritage and livelihoods of local communities by promoting responsible tourism practices and equitable distribution of benefits. 
• Enhancing Evidence-Based Policy Making: Through rigorous research and data analysis, the centre will provide policymakers with the evidence needed to formulate effective policies that balance tourism development with environmental and social considerations. 
• Providing Relevant and Updated Research: The centre will serve as a hub for cutting-edge research and knowledge exchange, delivering timely insights and best practices for the sustainable development of tourism. 

In Zagreb, the Minister of Tourism and Sport of Croatia Nikolina Brnjac and UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create the cutting-edge research institution.  

Welcoming the collaboration, Secretary-General Pololikashvili said: “Croatia leads by example in growing tourism in a sustainable manner. The new research centre in Zagreb will contribute to UN Tourism’s commitment to data-driven policymaking at the regional, national and destination level, ensuring tourism grows responsibly and inclusively, for the benefit of communities everywhere.”   

Minister of Tourism and Sport of Croatia Nikolina Brnjac adds: “I am proud that UN Tourism, the most relevant tourism organization globally, has recognized our efforts in Croatian tourism management reform and our strong commitment to sustainable tourism and put forward the initiative to create the first UN Tourism Centre for sustainable tourism in Croatia together with the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Croatia. With the University of Zagreb as a partner in the establishment of this Centre, I am convinced that this Centre will be successful and provide very relevant research for future sustainable development of tourism.” 

Related Links:

• Download News Release on PDF
• UN Tourism: Regional Department for Europe
• Transforming Tourism for Climate Action
• Sustainable tourism development

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Press Release | New UN report calls for trillions more in development investment to rescue Sustainable Development Goals

New UN report calls for trillions more in development investment to rescue Sustainable Development Goals 

Bold actions needed to scale up SDG investment and reform global financial system

UNITED NATIONS, 9 April 2024 – A new UN report today says financing challenges are at the heart of the world’s sustainable development crisis – as staggering debt burdens and sky-high borrowing costs prevent developing countries from responding to the confluence of crises they face. Only a massive surge of financing, and a reform of the international financial architecture can rescue the Sustainable Development Goals .

The 2024 Financing for Sustainable Development Report : Financing for Development at a Crossroads (FSDR 2024) says urgent steps are needed to mobilise financing at scale to close the development financing gap, now estimated at USD 4.2 trillion annually, up from USD 2.5 trillion before the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, rising geopolitical tensions, climate disasters and a global cost-of-living crisis have hit billions of people, battering progress on healthcare, education, and other development targets.

“This report is yet another proof of how far we still need to go and how fast we need to act to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” said UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed. “We are truly at a crossroads and time is running out. Leaders must go beyond mere rhetoric and deliver on their promises. Without adequate financing, the 2030 targets cannot be met.”

With only six years remaining to achieve the SDGs, hard-won development gains are being reversed, particularly in the poorest countries. If current trends continue, the UN estimates that almost 600 million people will continue to live in extreme poverty in 2030 and beyond, more than half of them women.

“We’re experiencing a sustainable development crisis, to which inequalities, inflation, debt, conflicts and climate disasters have all contributed,” said UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua. “Resources are needed to address this, and the money is there. Billions of dollars are lost annually from tax avoidance and evasion, and fossil fuel subsidies are in the trillions. Globally, there is no shortage of money; rather, a shortage of will and commitment.”

According to the report debt burdens and rising borrowing costs are large contributors to the crisis. Estimates are that in the least developed countries debt service will be USD 40 billion annually between 2023 and 2025, up more than 50 per cent from USD 26 billion in 2022. Stronger and more frequent climate related disasters account for more than half of the debt upsurge in vulnerable countries. The poorest countries now spend 12 per cent of their revenues on interest payments — four times more than they spent a decade ago. Roughly 40 per cent of the global population live in countries where governments spend more on interest payments than on education or health.

While investment in SDG sectors had grown steadily in the early 2000s, major sources of development funding are now slowing down. For example, domestic revenue growth has stalled since 2010, especially in LDCs and other low-income countries, in part due to tax evasion and avoidance. Corporate income tax rates are falling, with global average tax rates down from 28.2 per cent in 2000 to 21.1 per cent in 2023, due to globalization and tax competition.

Meanwhile, Official Development Assistance from OECD countries and climate finance commitments are not being met. While ODA increased to an all-time high in 2022, reaching USD 211 billion, from USD 185.9 billion in 2021, much of the growth came from aid to refugees living in donor countries, and the total amount is inadequate for development. Only four countries met the UN aid target of 0.7 per cent of GNI in 2022.

The report concludes that the international financial system, which was set up at the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference, is no longer fit for purpose. It proposes a new coherent system that is better equipped to respond to crises, scales up investment in the SDGs especially through stronger multilateral development banks, and improves the global safety net for all countries.

The report points to the UN Summit of the Future in September 2024 as a crucial opportunity to change course. It highlights the June 2025 Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) as the critical moment for countries to commit to closing the development financing gap and invest in achieving the SDGs.

FfD4 is an opportunity for countries to:

• Close credibility gaps and rebuild trust in multilateralism.
• Close financing and investment gaps, at scale and with urgency.
• Reform and modernize the outdated international financial architecture and adjust international rules for trade, investment and finance.
• Formulate and finance new development pathways to deliver on the SDGs and ensure no one is left behind.

“Without global cooperation, targeted financing, and, crucially, the political will, the world will not achieve the SDGs,” said Deputy Secretary-General Mohammed. “The clock is ticking. Between now and next year’s FfD4 Conference, we have a once-in-80-year opportunity to comprehensively reform the financial architecture, and a last chance to correct course before 2030. History will not be kind to those with the power to act who fail to do so, while the clock winds down on the planet and its people.”

– ENDS –

Notes to Editors:

• The 2024 Financing for Sustainable Development Report: Financing for Development at a Crossroads is a joint product of the Inter-agency Task Force on Financing for Development , which is comprised of more than 60 United Nations Agencies and international organizations. The Financing for Sustainable Development Office of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs serves as the substantive editor and coordinator of the Task Force, in close cooperation with the World Bank Group, the IMF, World Trade Organization, UNCTAD, UNDP and UNIDO. The Task Force was mandated by the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and is chaired by Li Junhua , United Nations Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs. The full copy of the report will be available at https://financing.desa.un.org/fsdr2024 on 9 April 2024.
• The report forms the basis for discussions at the UN ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development , where Member States discuss measures necessary to mobilize sustainable financing. Negotiations based on the report are ongoing. The report also informs the SDG Investment Fair , a platform which brings together government officials and investors for sustainable investment opportunities that support the achievement of the SDGs. It will also inform discussion at the UN’s Summit of the Future in September 2024.
• The report covers, among others, areas of the global economic context; debt; taxation; international development cooperation; trade; private business and finance; technology; and global governance.

For more information or to request interviews with our experts, please contact:

Rita Ann Wallace, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs | M: +1 516 707 5570 | E: [email protected]

Sharon Birch | UN Department of Global Communications | E: [email protected]

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Please note you do not have access to teaching notes, mental health and well-being in tourism: a horizon 2050 paper.

Tourism Review

ISSN : 1660-5373

Article publication date: 17 April 2024

This paper aims to review research on mental health and well-being (MHW) in tourism, which the United Nations addresses in Sustainable Development Goal No. 3 (SDG 3). The authors also pinpoint future directions regarding how tourism can contribute to this goal from theoretical and practical standpoints.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors review the literature on MHW in tourism from the perspectives of tourists, residents and tourism workers.

Researchers have predominantly analysed tourists’ MHW outcomes through the lenses of positive psychology and tourism therapy; only a small number of studies have focused on MHW-related benefits and challenges in terms of tourism development for residents and tourism workers. Investigations of MHW in tourism require interdisciplinary approaches to reveal how tourism promotes diverse stakeholders’ mental health. Practically, there is an urgent need to incorporate tourism products and services into mental health care, and design tourism experience with positive psychology principles.

Originality/value

This study offers insights into fostering MHW through tourism. It specifically proposes theoretical and practical ways in which tourism might enhance MHW for various industry stakeholders, contributing to SDG 3.

本文基于联合国可持续发展目标中的第三个目标（SDG 3）, 对旅游中的心理健康和幸福感研究进行了回顾, 并就旅游如何助推这一目标的实现指明了未来的研究和实践方向。

本文从游客、居民和旅游从业者的角度对与旅游中的心理健康和幸福感相关的文献进行了回顾和评估。

当前研究主要从积极心理学和旅游疗法的视角分析了游客的心理健康和幸福感, 有关旅游业发展对居民和旅游从业者心理健康和幸福感的积极影响及挑战的研究尚不多见。因此, 需采用跨学科进路来揭示旅游业对不同利益相关者心理健康的促进作用。在实践方面, 亟需将旅游产品和服务纳入到心理健康护理体系中, 并依据积极心理学原理来开展旅游体验设计。

本文为通过旅游发展来促进心理健康与幸福感这一主题提供了见解。本文为旅游业如何提高各利益相关者的心理健康与幸福感提供了理论方面和实践方面的进路, 从而助推联合国可持续发展目标中第三个目标的实现。

Este artículo revisa los estudios y las investigaciones sobre la salud mental y el bienestar en el turismo (MHW por sus siglas en inglés, basándose en el Objetivo de Desarrollo Sostenible 3 (ODS 3) de las Naciones Unidas, y explora las futuras direcciones de investigación y práctica en el impulso del logro de este objetivo a través del turismo.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

Se revisa la literatura relevante sobre la salud mental y el bienestar en el turismo desde la perspectiva de los turistas, residentes y trabajadores del sector turístico.

Actualmente, las investigaciones se centran principalmente en el análisis de la salud mental y el bienestar de los turistas desde la perspectiva de la psicología positiva y la terapia de turismo. Sin embargo, hay una falta de investigación sobre el impacto positivo y los desafíos del desarrollo turístico en la salud mental y el bienestar de los residentes y trabajadores del turismo. Por lo tanto, se requiere un enfoque interdisciplinario para revelar el papel del turismo en la promoción de la salud mental para diferentes partes interesadas. En cuanto a la práctica, se debe explorar activamente la integración de productos y servicios turísticos en el cuidado de la salud mental y diseñar actividades turísticas basadas en los principios de la psicología positiva.

Originalidad/valor

Este estudio ofrece perspectivas sobre el papel del turismo en la promoción de la salud mental y el bienestar. Al proponer rutas teóricas y prácticas para mejorar la salud mental y el bienestar de las partes interesadas en el turismo, este artículo tiene como objetivo contribuir al logro del Objetivo de Desarrollo Sostenible 3 (ODS 3) de las Naciones Unidas.

• Positive psychology
• Sustainable development goals
• Tourism workers
• Mental health and well-being (MHW)
• Tourism therapy
• Salud mental y bienestar (MHW)
• Objetivos de desarrollo sostenible (ODS)
• Trabajadores del turismo
• Psicología positiva
• Terapia de turismo

Acknowledgements

The work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number: 41971172).

Chen, G. , Zhao, C. and Li, C. (2024), "Mental health and well-being in tourism: a Horizon 2050 paper", Tourism Review , Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-12-2023-0864

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited

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