Introduction: From MDGs to SDGs

Abstract

This introductory chapter positions the discussion on SDGs within the broader context of development and communication perspectives. After defining ‘sustainable development’, this chapter first distinguishes between three general development paradigms (modernization, dependency, and multiplicity), and two communication paradigms (diffusion versus participatory communication). Secondly, it identifies the specific communication for social change approaches and strategies which lead towards sustainability. It then evaluates the achievements of the MDGs, and the transition from MDGs to SDGs. While introducing the other contributions, this chapter presents a strong argument for the inclusion of culture and communication in the debate on SDGs.

The SDGs represent the change we need to restore people’s trust in the global economy. The SDGs represent an enormous opportunity to make our economy work for dignity for all, prosperity for all and a better planet for all. … The SDGs aim to end poverty in all its forms everywhere, ensuring people live in dignity and prosperity while protecting the planet.

(Ban Ki Moon, 17 July 2016).

Appendices

Annex 1: The Millennium Development Goals (2000–2015)

At the Millennium Summit in September 2000 the largest gathering of world leaders in history adopted the UN Millennium Declaration, committing their nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and setting out a series of time-bound targets, with a deadline of 2015, that have become known as the Millennium Development Goals.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the world’s time-bound and quantified targets for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions—income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion—while promoting gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability. They are also basic human rights—the rights of each person on the planet to health, education, shelter, and security.

• Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Hunger and Poverty

• Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education

• Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

• Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality

• Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health

• Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases

• Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

• Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

The world has made significant progress in achieving many of the Goals. Between 1990 and 2002 average overall incomes increased by approximately 21 %. The number of people in extreme poverty declined by an estimated 130 million. Child mortality rates fell from 103 deaths per 1000 live births a year to 88. Life expectancy rose from 63 years to nearly 65 years. An additional 8 % of the developing world’s people received access to water. And an additional 15 % acquired access to improved sanitation services.

But progress has been far from uniform across the world—or across the Goals. There are huge disparities across and within countries. Within countries, poverty is greatest for rural areas, though urban poverty is also extensive, growing, and underreported by traditional indicators.

Sub-Saharan Africa is the epicenter of crisis, with continuing food insecurity, a rise of extreme poverty, stunningly high child and maternal mortality, and large numbers of people living in slums, and a widespread shortfall for most of the MDGs. Asia is the region with the fastest progress, but even there hundreds of millions of people remain in extreme poverty, and even fast-growing countries fail to achieve some of the non-income Goals. Other regions have mixed records, notably Latin America, the transition economies, and the Middle East and North Africa, often with slow or no progress on some of the Goals and persistent inequalities undermining progress on others.

The final MDG Report found that the 15-year effort has produced the most successful anti-poverty movement in history:

• Since 1990, the number of people living in extreme poverty has declined by more than half.

• The proportion of undernourished people in the developing regions has fallen by almost half.

• The primary school enrolment rate in the developing regions has reached 91 percent, and many more girls are now in school compared to 15 years ago.

• Remarkable gains have also been made in the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

• The under-five mortality rate has declined by more than half, and maternal mortality is down 45 % worldwide.

• The target of halving the proportion of people who lack access to improved sources of water was also met.

The concerted efforts of national governments, the international community, civil society and the private sector have helped expand hope and opportunity for people around the world.

Yet the job is unfinished for millions of people—we need to go the last mile on ending hunger, achieving full gender equality, improving health services and getting every child into school. Now we must shift the world onto a sustainable path.

Sources:

• http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/goals/

• http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sdgoverview/mdg_goals.html

Annex 2: The Sustainable Development Goals (2015–2030)

At the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit on 25 September 2015, world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030.

The Sustainable Development Goals build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight anti-poverty targets that the world committed to achieving by 2015. Enormous progress has been made on the MDGs, showing the value of a unifying agenda underpinned by goals and targets. Despite this success, the indignity of poverty has not been ended for all.

The new SDGs, and the broader sustainability agenda, go much further than the MDGs, addressing the root causes of poverty and the universal need for development that works for all people.

Liz Ford of The Guardian summarizes the SDGs as follows: “Sustainable development goals: all you need to know”

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/jan/19/sustainable-development-goals-united-nations

Are Governments Happy about the Proposed 17 Goals?

The majority seem to be, but a handful of member states, including the UK and Japan, aren’t so keen. Some countries feel that an agenda consisting of 17 goals is too unwieldy to implement or sell to the public, and would prefer a narrower brief. Or so they say. Some believe the underlying reason is to get rid of some of the more uncomfortable goals, such as those relating to the environment. Britain’s prime minister, David Cameron, has publicly said he wants 12 goals at the most, preferably 10. It’s not clear, though, which goals the UK government would like taken out if they had the choice.

Amina Mohammed, the UN secretary general’s special adviser on post-2015 development planning, said it had been a hard fight to get the number of goals down to 17, so there would be strong resistance to reducing them further.

Some NGOs also believe there are too many goals, but there is a general consensus that it is better to have 17 goals that include targets on women’s empowerment, good governance, and peace and security, for example, than fewer goals that don’t address these issues.

How Will the Goals be Measured?

The indicators are still being thrashed out by an expert group. Each indicator is being assessed for its feasibility, suitability and relevance, and roughly two for each target are expected. The indicators are due to be finalised in March 2016.

How Will the Goals be Funded?

That’s the trillion-dollar question. Rough calculations from the intergovernmental committee of experts on sustainable development financing have put the cost of providing a social safety net to eradicate extreme poverty at about $66 bn a year, while annual investments in improving infrastructure (water, agriculture, transport, power) could be up to a total of $7 tn globally.

In its 2015 report, the committee said public finance and aid would be central to support the implementation of the SDGs. But it insisted that money generated from the private sector, through tax reforms, and through a crackdown on illicit financial flows and corruption, was also vital.

A major conference on financing for the SDGs, held in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa in July 2015, failed to ease concerns that there will not be enough cash to meet the aspirational nature of the goals. The UN said the Addis Ababa action agenda (AAAA for short) contained “bold measures to overhaul global finance practices and generate investment” for tackling the challenges of sustainable development. It included a recommitment to the UN target on aid spending—0.7 % of GNI—set more than 40 years ago and pledges to collect more taxes and fight tax evasion. But civil society groups were less impressed, saying the summit had failed to produce new money to fund the goals, or offer ways to transform the international finance system. Calls for a new international tax body fell on deaf ears.

Sources:

• http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sdgoverview/post-2015-development-agenda.html

• http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=E

• http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/jan/19/sustainable-development-goals-united-nations