In the world of today, no one is a stranger to injustices. While some parts of the world may have economic injustices or gender discrimination prevalent, other areas may see food insecurity, a lack of sanitation and hygiene, environmental degradation, and unclean air and water. The Sustainable Development Goals, set by the United Nations in 2015, are 17 goals that aim to end poverty, protect the earth, promote sustainable cities, and ensure better standards of life across spheres by 2030. They act as a call for sustainable development- for people to take action to protect the planet and people by 2030. The 17 SDGs are:
1. No Poverty: To 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. This includes addressing the economic, social and political factors that contribute to poverty and implementing policies and programs that promote income and job opportunities, social protection, and access to basic services such as education and healthcare.
2. Zero Hunger: The goal of ending hunger is to ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round. This includes improving agricultural productivity, addressing the underlying causes of hunger such as poverty and conflict, and investing in social safety nets and nutrition programs for the most vulnerable populations.
3. Good Health and Well-being: The goal of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages is to ensure access to quality healthcare, including preventative and curative services, and to address the social and economic determinants of health, such as poverty and inequality.
4. Quality Education: The goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all is to provide access to quality education at all levels, from early childhood to tertiary education, and to address the barriers that prevent marginalized groups, such as girls and children in poverty, from accessing education.
5. Gender Equality: The goal of eliminating all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere is to promote gender equality and empower women and girls in all aspects of life, including in the political, economic, and social spheres.
6. Clean Water and Sanitation: The goal of ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all is to ensure access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation facilities for all people, and to protect and restore water-related ecosystems.
7. Affordable and Clean Energy: The goal of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all is to expand access to energy services and to increase the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth: The goal of promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all is to create job opportunities, improve working conditions, and promote social protection for all workers.
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: The goal of building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and fostering innovation is to support economic growth and development through investment in infrastructure, industrial development and technological innovation.
10. Reduced Inequalities: The goal of reducing income inequality within and among countries is to reduce the gap between the rich and poor and to ensure that economic growth is inclusive and benefits all segments of society.
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities: The goal of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable is to promote urban development that is sustainable, inclusive, and resilient and to improve the living conditions of people living in urban areas.
12. Responsible Consumption and Production: The goal of ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns is to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns and to reduce the environmental impact of consumption and production.
13. Climate Action: The goal of taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts by regulating emissions and promoting developments in renewable energy is to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius and to take urgent and ambitious action to address the causes of climate change.
14. Life Below Water: The goal of conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development is to protect marine ecosystems, conserve biodiversity and promote the sustainable use of marine resources.
15. Life On Land: The goal of protecting, restoring and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, forests, forests, wetlands, mountains and other ecosystems is to promote the conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity.
16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The goal of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels is to promote peace, justice and strong institutions at all levels, and to ensure access to justice for all.
17. Partnerships for the Goals: The goal of strengthening the means of implementation and revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development is to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development, by working together, governments, civil society, private sector, and other stakeholders can achieve the SDGs.
These SDGs are a comprehensive set of goals that address a wide range of global challenges, including poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice and strong institutions, and partnerships for the goals. To achieve these 17 global goals, it is important to adopt sustainable design practices in all sectors of society. This includes designing buildings, cities, and products with the environment in mind, investing in renewable energy, and promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns. By working together and taking action on these goals, we can create a more sustainable and equitable future for all.