The Sustainable Development Goals

The SDGs are a global roadmap to a better world signed by all members of the UN in 2015. The SDGs give direction, offer a long-term perspective, and help to reach a sustainable world by 2030.

These goals are developed considering 5 dimensions of sustainable development: social inclusion, economic growth, environmental protection, peace and partnership. These dimensions are connected to the 5 P’s: people, prosperity, planet, peace and partnership.

EU progress towards the SDGs

Eurostat has published the ‘Sustainable development in the European Union — 2022 monitoring report on progress towards the SDGs in an EU context'. The report builds on the EU SDG indicator set 2022 revision, better aligning with the 8th Environment Action Programme and the targets of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan.

Zero Hunger
Good Health and Well-Being

  • “Around 10% of the world population is currently hungry.”

    SDG 2 aims to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition. Since 2015, undernutrition and hunger have been on the rise again. This is the result of various disruptions in the food systems due to climate disasters and crises (e.g., the COVID-19 Pandemic).

    The five outcome targets are:

    • Ending hunger and improving access to food

    • Ending all forms of malnutrition

    • Agricultural productivity

    • Sustainable food production systems and resilient agricultural practices

    • Genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals

    • Investments, research and technology

  • Undernutrition and hunger are barriers to sustainable development. It is a vicious cycle: hungry people are less productive and are more prone to diseases. This will negatively influence their economic productivity and make them unable to improve their livelihood.

  • It is recommended to address trade restrictions and distortions in food markets. This goal is facilitated through modern technologies and sustainable agriculture. Innovations must increase food production while decreasing food loss and waste.

  • “Less than half of the global population had access to essential health services in 2017.”

    SDG 3 addresses the broad aspects of a healthy life and lifestyle. By 2030, the aim is to have universal health coverage for all people. This should put an end to preventable premature deaths and epidemics.

    The five outcome targets are:

    • - Reduction of maternal mortality

    • - Ending all preventable deaths under five years of age

    • - Fight communicable diseases

    • - Ensure reduction of mortality from non-communicable diseases and promote mental health

    • Prevent and treat substance abuse

    • Reduce road injuries and deaths

    • Grand universal access to sexual and reproductive care, family planning and education

    • Achieve universal health coverage

    • Reduce illnesses and deaths from hazardous chemicals and pollutants

  • It is simple: healthy economies rely on healthy people. Health issues are still common grounds for discrimination that limit people’s ability to live a social and productive life.

  • The shortage of health services must be solved by providing more efficient funding. This includes the provision of universal and affordable access to vaccines and medicines.

  • “617 million children and adolescents lack minimum proficiency in reading and mathematics.”

    “750 million adults still remain illiterate.”

    SDG 4 addresses the need for easily accessible and qualitative education for children and young people. It addresses other learning opportunities apart from the educational systems, resulting in knowledge and valuable skills.

    The seven outcome targets are:

    • Free primary and secondary education

    • Equal access to quality pre-primary education

    • Affordable technical, vocational and higher education

    • Increased number of people with relevant skills for financial success

    • Elimination of all discrimination in education

    • Universal literacy and numeracy

    • Education for sustainable development and global citizenship

  • Qualitative education is key for sustainable development and escaping poverty. Children and youth who acquire skills, such as reading, writing and basic maths, will have more opportunities in life.

  • It is important to build new educational facilities and to improve the existing ones. Schools should be inclusive and safe. In developing countries, extra effort should be put into the expansion of higher education scholarships and the increase of qualified teachers.

  • “3 in 10 people lack access to safely managed drinking water services.”

    “6 out of 10 people do not have access to safely managed sanitation facilities.”

    SDG 6 wants to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

    The six outcome targets include:

    • Safe and affordable drinking water

    • End open defecation and provide access to sanitation and hygiene

    • Improve water quality, wastewater treatment and safe reuse

    • Increase water-use efficiency and ensure freshwater supplies

    • Implement integrated water resource management

    • Protect and restore water-related ecosystems.

  • Access to water is a basic human right, as water is a daily necessity for humans and is needed for a healthy lifestyle. Safe drinking water and hygienic sanitation protects people from diseases and enables societies to thrive more. Additionally, it is also needed for food production.

  • The goal focuses on two aspects: the support of local initiatives in water and sanitation management and on the other hand the expansion of support in water infrastructures in developing countries.

  • “A 100-150% rise in ocean acidity is projected by 2100, affecting half of all marine life.”

    SDG 14 intends to restore and conserve seas and oceans. It aims to adopt sustainable and careful management of this natural resource.

    The seven outcome targets are:

    • Reduce marine pollution

    • Protect and restore ecosystems

    • Reduce ocean acidification

    • Sustainable fishing

    • Conserve coastal and marine areas

    • End subsidies contributing to overfishing

    • Increase the economic benefits from the sustainable use of marine resources

  • The ocean is the biggest ecosystem of the planet that regulates the climate. Oceans and fisheries are important for the economic, social and environmental needs of the population, as over 3 billion people depend on coastal biodiversity for their livelihood.

  • Scientific knowledge and research for ocean health must be fostered to restore the life below water. Besides, the development of international sea law also needs to be enforced. Lastly, small scale fishers should be supported to make them financially independent.

  • “2019 was the second warmest year on record and the end of the warmest decade ever recorded.”

    While regulating emissions and promoting innovations in renewable energy, SDG 13 wants to combat climate change.

    The first three targets are outcome targets:

    • Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related disasters

    • Integrate climate change measures into policies and planning

    • Build knowledge and capacity to meet climate change

  • Climate change and its direct consequences impact both natural habitats, human economies and livelihoods. Besides, the effect of climate change is unequally distributed. Usually, the people who already live in poorer conditions are more vulnerable.

  • To impact climate change, commitments laid out by policymakers must be implemented and more mechanisms need to be developed that raise capacity. These mechanisms should focus on effective planning and management of climate change in less developed countries.

  • “10% of the world’s population live in poverty and struggle to meet basic needs.”

    SDG 1 aims to put an end to all forms of poverty in the world. Poverty is defined as insufficient access to food, drinking water and sanitation.

    The five outcome targets are:

    • Reduction of all poverty by half

    • Implementation of social protection systems

    • Ensuring equal rights to ownership

    • Basic services

    • Technology and economic resources

    • Building resilience to environmental, economic and social disasters

  • It is important to ensure that the entire population, especially the most economically vulnerable, have equal access to basic services to provide them in their daily needs. A society with elevated levels of inequality and poor well-being is one where economic growth and social cohesion are sub-optimal. Reducing poverty is imperative to foster economic growth and improve political stability in countries.

  • Governments should combine the mobilization of resources and the establishment of poverty eradication policies, resulting in poverty reduction.

  • “3 billion people rely on wood, coal, charcoal or animal waste for cooking and heating”

    “13% of the global population still lacks access to modern electricity.”

    SDG 7 focuses on providing reliable, affordable and sustainable energy to all.

    Three out of the five targets are outcome targets:

    • Universal access to modern energy

    • Increase the global percentage of renewable energy

    • Double the improvement in energy efficiency

  • Economic growth is an important driver of prosperity. However, it is not sufficient for sustainable socio-economic development, as the cornerstone of this kind of development is decent employment. Meaning that employees are paid a fair income, have workplace security and social protection, resulting in well-being, intrinsic motivation and fulfilment. When these three factors are present, workers’ productivity will automatically increase.

  • To reach more economic growth and provide people with decent jobs, the aid for trade support needs to increase and a global youth employment strategy must be developed.

  • “16% of the global population does not have access to mobile broadband networks.”

    This SDG 9 aims to build resilient infrastructure and promote sustainable industrialisation and innovation.

    The first five targets are outcome targets:

    • Develop sustainable, resilient and inclusive infrastructures

    • Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation

    • Increase access to financial services and markets

    • Upgrade all industries and infrastructures for sustainability

    • Enhance research and upgrade industrial technologies

  • It is important to foster the three aspects of sustainable development: infrastructure, industrialisation and innovation.

    • Infrastructure must provide the physical structure that is essential for operations.

    • Industrialisation aims to foster economic growth as it creates jobs and opportunities while reducing income poverty.

    • Innovation enhances technological capabilities while developing new skills.

    These 3 aspects foster dynamic and competitive forces that create employment, income and better living standards for all.

  • This SDG is achieved through the support of domestic technology development and industrial diversification. Universal access to information and communication technology needs to be provided. Sustainable development of infrastructure in developing countries will have to be facilitated and supported.

  • “By 2050 70% of the world population is predicted to live in urban settlements.”

    SDG 11 aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. It addresses human settlement and planning and represents a shift from poverty seen as a rural phenomenon to poverty that also acknowledges the presence in cities.

    The seven outcome targets are:

    • Adequate, safe, and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums

    • Safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems

    • 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

    • Reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected by disasters and decrease the direct economic losses relative to the global gross domestic product caused by disasters

    • Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management

    • Provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces

  • The population increases enormously in urban areas. They are the biggest driver of economic growth and provide more than half of the world’s GDP.

    Overpopulation in cities results in inadequate infrastructure and services, resulting in poor living standards and increasing inequality. This inequality affects all citizens of these urban areas, because it fosters unrest and insecurity.

    Both overpopulation and high economic activity drive air pollution and smog in cities. The corresponding health impacts lead to a decrease in workers’ productivity.

  • There are three ways to achieve this SDG: Firstly, the support for economic, social and environmental links between urban and rural areas. Secondly, the adoption and implementation of policies toward inclusion, resource efficiency, and climate change mitigation and adaptation need to increase in cities and settlements. Lastly, undeveloped countries should be supported both financially and technically in building sustainable cities.

  • “Every day 100 civilians are killed in armed conflicts.”

    SDG 16 wants to provide justice and inclusive societies for all people and build effective and accountable institutions. It aims to reduce conflict, insecurities and weak institutions.

    This SDG, together with SDG 17, is an overarching prerequisite that is needed for all other goals to be achieved.

    The goal has ten outcome targets:

    • Reduce violence

    • Protect children from abuse, exploitation, trafficking and violence

    • Promote the rule of law and ensure equal access to justice

    • Combat organised crime and illicit financial and arms flows, substantially reduce corruption and bribery

    • Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions

    • Ensure responsive, inclusive and representative decision-making

    • Strengthen the participation in global governance

    • Provide universal legal identity

    • Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms

  • People need to feel safe regardless of their background, faith or sexual orientation. Conflicts and insecurities limit the ability to develop sustainably and have a destructive impact. They also affect economic growth, personal health and well-being.

  • To achieve this SDG, it is recommended to strengthen national institutions, as it will enable them to prevent violence and combat crime. Moreover, they should promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies.

  • “Each year, one-third of all food produced is estimated to be rotting in the bins of consumers and retailers.”

    SDG 12 aims to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. Efficient use of resources, such as energy, money and raw materials, needs to be ensured.

    The eight outcome targets are:

    • Implement the 10‑Year Framework of Programs on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns

    • Achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources

    • Reducing by half the per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and the reduction of food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses

    • Achieving the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle

    • Reducing waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse;

    • Encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices

    • Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable

    • And ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development

  • Sustainable consumption and production need to inspire governments, businesses and citizens to do more with less. Thus promoting sustainable economic growth without environmental degradation. One way to achieve this transition is the improvement of resource efficiency, contributing to poverty reduction.

  • Firstly, tools to monitor sustainable development and procedures should be developed and implemented. Secondly, market distortions that encourage wasteful consumption should be removed. Lastly, it is important to support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity.

  • “Forests are home to more than 80% of all terrestrial species, animals, plants and insects.”

    “Around 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods.”

    SDG 15 aims to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. In general, it wants to preserve the biodiversity of all different ecosystems (forest, desert and mountains). Furthermore, the aim is to combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation and stop biodiversity loss.

    The nine outcome targets include:

    • Conserve and restore terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems

    • End deforestation and restore degraded forests

    • End desertification and restore degraded land

    • Ensure conservation of mountain ecosystems, protect biodiversity and natural habitats

    • Protect access to genetic resources and fair sharing of the benefits

    • Eliminate poaching and trafficking of protected species

    • Prevent invasive alien species on land and in water ecosystems

    • Integrate ecosystem and biodiversity in governmental planning

  • Forests are home to millions of species and are responsible for the clean air and water. They provide 80% of the human’s diet. Moreover, forests are a key element to fight climate change, as they are natural carbon sinks and absorb excessive levels of CO2 in the air and transform them into oxygen.

  • To preserve life on land, sustainable forest management should be incentivized and financed. Financial resources to conserve and use ecosystems and biodiversity must increase. Lastly, efforts should be made to combat the trafficking of protected species.

  • SDG 17, an overarching development goal like SDG 16, wants to foster cross-sector and cross-country cooperation. Raising awareness in countries of the need for policies aligned with the 2030 goals will be crucial. This applies to coordinated trade and investment initiatives. Thus, SDG 17 wants to strengthen and promote international trade across borders.

  • A successful sustainable development agenda requires partnerships between governments, the private sector and civil society.

  • To build partnerships, countries need to mobilize resources in terms of technology, finance and capacity building. These inclusive partnerships are recommended to be built upon principles and values, a shared vision, and shared goals that place people and the planet at the core.

The ETUC EU SDG8 index

It is a synthetic indicator, useful to monitor social progress in Europe, that assess, ranks and benchmarks the Member States’ performance according to three composite indicators:

• economic wellbeing of people;

• quality of labour institutions;

• vulnerability of workers.

These indicators are also correlated to other SDG targets, as well as to key policy areas such as digitalisation (DESI - Digital Economy and Society Index), and the Green Deal indicators.

Sustainable Growth & Decent Work Index” (#EU_SDG8i)

• assesses the implementation of Goal 8 in Europe

• uses SDG 8 indicators + other indicators (reinforcing connection decent work <-> sustainability)

• contributes to policy proposals at European and national level,

• orientates policy decisions for a quick progress toward all SDGs.

More information:

https://est.etuc.org/?page_id=858