The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are more than just goals but are a recognition that to end poverty and other deprivations, the world must adopt holistic strategies that improve health, education, and economic growth, while simultaneously tackling climate change and protecting our oceans and forests. This interconnected approach ensures that progress in one area fuels advancements in others, creating a sustainable future for all.
Foundations of Sustainable Development
The roots of the SDGs can be traced back to decades of international collaboration. A pivotal moment came in June 1992, during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where over 178 countries adopted Agenda 21—a comprehensive plan of action to foster global partnerships aimed at improving human lives and protecting the environment. This summit set the stage for what would become a continuous global effort towards sustainable development.
Fast forward to September 2000, when world leaders gathered at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for the Millennium Summit. Here, the Millennium Declaration was unanimously adopted, leading to the creation of eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) designed to reduce extreme poverty by 2015. The MDGs laid the groundwork for global cooperation on issues such as poverty, hunger, disease, and education, setting a precedent for the SDGs that would follow.
In 2002, the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, reaffirmed the international community's commitment to poverty eradication and environmental protection. The Johannesburg Declaration and the Plan of Implementation expanded on Agenda 21 and the Millennium Declaration, emphasizing the importance of multilateral partnerships.
Road to the 2030 Agenda
The momentum continued to build and in June 2012, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, commonly referred to as Rio+20, marked a significant milestone. Member States adopted the outcome document, "The Future We Want," which launched the process to develop a new set of goals to build upon the MDGs. This conference also established the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, tasked with guiding and reviewing the implementation of sustainable development initiatives.
The creation of the SDGs was a highly collaborative effort. In 2013, the UN General Assembly established a 30-member Open Working Group to draft the SDG proposal. After years of extensive negotiations, the post-2015 development agenda was finalized in January 2015, culminating in the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in New York in September 2015. This agenda, with its 17 SDGs, represented a landmark achievement in global multilateralism and policy-making.
A Landmark Year for Global Agreements
The year 2015 was a turning point for international cooperation, with the adoption of several major agreements that have shaped the course of global development. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction was adopted in March 2015, followed by the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development in July. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change, adopted in December 2015, further solidified global commitments to combat climate change and its impacts.
Moving Forward: The Role of the UN and Global Cooperation
Today, the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development serves as the central UN platform for the follow-up and review of the SDGs, ensuring that progress is monitored and goals are met. The Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DSDGs) within the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) provides essential support, including capacity-building, advocacy, and outreach to ensure the successful implementation of the SDGs.
The DSDGs plays a critical role in evaluating the UN's systemwide implementation of the 2030 Agenda and engages in a wide range of thematic issues such as water, energy, climate, oceans, urbanization, transport, and science and technology. It also focuses on supporting Small Island Developing States, which are often the most vulnerable to environmental changes.
The Struggle to End Poverty by 2030: The Pandemic’s Lasting Impact
The COVID-19 pandemic marked a devastating turning point in the fight against extreme poverty. For the first time in decades, the global poverty rate increased in 2020, wiping out three years of progress in just a few months. While some countries have managed to regain their footing, the recovery has been uneven, with low-income nations struggling to bounce back. By 2022, the global extreme poverty rate had returned to pre-pandemic levels in most regions, yet low-income countries lagged significantly behind.
In 2022, 9% of the world population—or 712 million people—were living in extreme poverty, a stark increase of 23 million people compared to 2019. If the current trends continue, an estimated 590 million people, or 6.9% of the world population, will still be trapped in extreme poverty by 2030, far from the goal of eradicating it entirely.
Even among those who work, poverty remains a persistent problem. The proportion of the world’s working population living in poverty has decreased from 8.4% in 2015 to 6.9% in 2023. However, nearly 241 million workers were still living in extreme poverty in 2023, and experts predict little improvement in the coming year.
The Struggle to Halve National Poverty Rates
Another key target under the SDGs is to halve national poverty rates by 2030. However, the pandemic has likely slowed this progress, though the full extent is not yet clear due to limited data from the COVID-19 period. Historically, poverty reduction has been slow, and if past trends are any indicator, less than 30% of countries worldwide will achieve this target by the end of the decade.
The Economic Toll of Disasters
As if the pandemic’s impact was not enough, economic losses due to natural disasters have remained alarmingly high, further undermining efforts to end poverty. From 2015 to 2022, direct economic losses from disasters exceeded $115 billion per year worldwide, equivalent to 0.3% of the GDP of reporting countries. Despite global efforts to mitigate these losses, there has been little sign of improvement, leaving vulnerable populations at even greater risk of falling into poverty.
Government Spending: A Persistent Gap
One of the critical factors in the fight against poverty is government spending on essential services like education, health, and social protection. Data from around 100 countries show that on an average, approximately 50% of total government spending is allocated to these essential services. However, there is a significant disparity between advanced economies and emerging markets or developing economies. While advanced economies spend an average of 60% of their budgets on these services, emerging and developing economies spend only about 40%. This 20-percentage-point gap has remained stable over the past two decades, underscoring the persistent inequalities that hinder global poverty eradication efforts.
The Road Ahead: A Call for Global Solidarity
As we look towards 2030, it is clear that the road to ending poverty is fraught with challenges. The setbacks caused by the pandemic, compounded by ongoing economic and environmental crises, have made it increasingly unlikely that the world will meet its goal of eradicating poverty in all its forms. However, the battle is not lost. With renewed global solidarity, targeted investments, and a commitment to social protection, there is still hope for millions of people to escape the grips of poverty.
The fight against poverty is not just about numbers; it is about people’s lives, their dignity, and their future. As the international community continues to navigate these turbulent times, the urgency of the SDGs remains ever more critical. It is a call to action that requires collective effort, innovative solutions, and above all, the political will to ensure that no one is left behind.
India’s Role in Shaping the SDGs : Aligning National Goals with Global Ambitions
India’s influence on the formulation of the SDGs was substantial. As a key member of the Open Working Group (OWG) responsible for drafting the SDG proposal, India vociferously advocated for the concerns of developing countries. The nation emphasized the need for rapid and inclusive economic growth to lift millions out of poverty—a challenge that resonates across the developing world.
India’s stance was clear: the SDGs should serve as a comprehensive agenda for development. While the country had made significant strides in infrastructure development, the challenge of ensuring that this progress reached all sections of society remained. To address these challenges, India called for enhanced international cooperation, including greater Official Development Assistance (ODA) and technology transfer on favorable terms, to help developing nations achieve these ambitious goals.
NITI Aayog: Steering the SDG Implementation
At the national level, the responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the SDGs falls on NITI Aayog, India’s premier policy think tank. Since the adoption of the SDGs, NITI Aayog has been actively involved in mapping these global goals to India’s central ministries and the country’s various development schemes. This alignment ensures that national efforts are directly contributing to the achievement of the SDGs.
NITI Aayog’s work includes conducting national and regional consultations with stakeholders, including state governments and Union Territories (UTs), to ensure a cohesive approach. Among its significant contributions are the publication of the ‘SDG India Index: Baseline Report 2018’, ‘Localising SDGs: Early Lessons from India, 2019’ and ‘SDG India Index 2023-24’. These reports provide a detailed assessment of India’s progress, categorizing states and UTs into Achievers, Front Runners, Performers, and Aspirants based on their performance across various SDGs.
As per the report SDG India Index 2023-24 published by NITI Aayog, Goal-1 (No Poverty) improved by 12 points from 2020-21 (Index 3) to 2023-24 (Index 4), advancing from Performer to Front Runner category. Moreover;
• Multidimensional poverty nearly halved from 24.8% to 14.96% between 2015-16 and 2019-21.
• Multidimensional poverty for 2022-23 further likely dropped to 11.28%, with 24.8 crore people moving out of multidimensional poverty between 2013-14 and 2022-23.
• 99.7% were offered employment of the persons demanding employment under MGNREGA in 2023–2024.
• 95.4% households live in pucca/ semi-pucca houses as per NFHS- 5 (2019-21).
• 41% of households have at least one member covered under health insurance or health scheme as per NFHS-5 (2019-21), an improvement from 28.7% in NFHS -4 (2015-16).
Measuring Progress: MoSPI’s Role
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is another critical player in India’s SDG journey. MoSPI has developed a set of 306 national indicators aligned with the 169 SDG targets and the Global Indicators Framework. These indicators are crucial for tracking progress and assessing India’s achievements in real time. Among these, 62 priority indicators have been identified to focus on the most pressing developmental objectives for the country.
A Closer Look at Goal 1: No Poverty
India’s performance on SDG 1—No Poverty—has been measured using five national indicators: Poverty Rate (based on Tendulkar Committee Estimates), Health Insurance Coverage, Employment provided under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Maternity Benefits, and Homelessness. The index score for India on this goal stands at 54, with state scores ranging from 37 to 76, and UT scores between 21 and 61. Tamil Nadu and Puducherry were identified as the best performers among the states and UTs, respectively.
The Government of India has launched various programs to address chronic poverty, increase access to basic services, provide social protection, and create gainful employment opportunities. Notable initiatives include MGNREGA, the National Rural Livelihood Mission, the Deendayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana, the National Social Assistance Programmes, Ayushman Bharat, and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, among others. These programs focus on employment generation, skill development, social protection, and basic service provision, aiming to uplift the poorest segments of society.
The Road Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
India’s commitment to the SDGs reflects its broader development objectives, but the journey is fraught with challenges. The country’s vast population, coupled with its socioeconomic diversity, presents unique obstacles to achieving these goals. The lack of data in certain areas underscores the need for more robust monitoring mechanisms to accurately track progress.
However, India’s proactive approach, through institutions like NITI Aayog and Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), demonstrates a strong commitment to overcoming these challenges. With continued focus on inclusive growth, international cooperation, and effective implementation of development programs, India is wellpositioned to make significant strides toward achieving the SDGs by 2030.
As the world watches, India’s journey offers valuable lessons in how large, diverse nations can align national objectives with global goals, ensuring that progress is not just achieved but sustained for future generations. The stakes are high, but so too is the potential for transformative change.
Bibliography
• https://sdgs.un.org/goals#history
• https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/poverty/
•https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2032857#:~:text=Since%202018%2C%20India%20has%20
witnessed,(Sustainable%20Cities%20and%20Communities).
•https://loksabhadocs.nic.in/Refinput/Research_notes/English/04122019_172212_102120495.pdf
• https://www.niti.gov.in/overview-sustainable-development-goals
