The Goals are part of a United Nations “plan of action for people, planet and prosperity”. They were adopted by all UN Member States in September 2015 in the document “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. The plan is a successor to the Millennium Development Goals which lasted until 2015.

For a downloadable factsheet version of this page, click here.

The preamble to the document declares:

“We resolve, between now and 2030, to end poverty and hunger everywhere; to combat inequalities within and among countries; to build peaceful, just and inclusive societies; to protect human rights and promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls; and to ensure the lasting protection of the planet and its natural resources. We resolve also to create conditions for sustainable, inclusive and sustained economic growth, shared prosperity and decent work for all, taking into account different levels of national development and capacities.”

What are they?

There are 17 goals to be achieved by 2030:

• No Poverty – End poverty in all its forms everywhere
• Zero Hunger – End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
• Good Health and Well-being – Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• Quality Education – Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
• Gender Equality – Achieve gender equalityand empower all women and girls.
• Clean Water and Sanitation – Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
• Affordable and Clean Energy – Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and clean energy for all
• Decent Work and Economic Growth – Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure – Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
• Reduced Inequalities – Reduce inequality within and among countries
• Sustainable Cities and Communities – Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
• Responsible Consumption and Production – Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
• Climate Action – Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
• Life Below Water – Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
• Life on Land – Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
• Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
• Partnerships for the Goals – Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

Each goal has targets attached (find the full list at http://www.globalgoals.org).