Why is it in the news?

• The SDG Summit in September 2023 indicates a global commitment to accelerate progress on the SDGs, highlighting the continued relevance of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted in 2015.

Context

• The adoption of the 2030 Agenda by 193 Member States reflects a significant consensus on addressing critical global challenges, such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and environmental degradation.
• The mention of gains made since 2015, including improvements in child mortality, electricity access, and disease control, suggests that some positive strides have been taken towards achieving the SDGs. However, the overall progress is not specified.

Issues and Challenges

• The identification of threats to SDGs, including the climate crisis, economic fluctuations, conflicts, and the aftermath of the pandemic, underscores the vulnerability of global development efforts to external shocks and crises.
• World leaders’ recognition of slow progress and the risk of not meeting 169 targets is a sobering acknowledgment of the ongoing challenges and the need for urgent action to stay on course.
• The study’s findings on (dis)synergies in SDG interventions highlight the complexity of achieving multiple interconnected goals. Effective resource allocation, creating enabling environments, co-benefits, cost-effectiveness, and saturation limits all pose challenges that require careful consideration in policy and implementation.

Scenario in India

• India’s progress on climate and sustainable development goals is commendable, but the acknowledgment of facing challenges suggests that there is room for improvement and a need for tailored strategies.
• India’s commitment to achieving SDG targets by 2030 and becoming net-zero by 2070 aligns with global sustainability goals, but the mention of continued investments in high-carbon energy sources for security and supply reliability raises questions about the balance between development and environmental concerns.

Way Forward

• The call for accelerated progress toward SDGs globally underscores the urgency of addressing pressing issues like poverty, inequality, and climate change.
• The recommendation for entities in India to develop SDG reporting frameworks for specific interventions reflects a practical approach to monitoring and accountability.
• The emphasis on creating a strategic roadmap and assessing existing government programs related to SDGs indicates the need for a comprehensive and transparent approach to achieving these goals.