Progress In Sustainable Development

The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2019 presents how far we have come towards reaching the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This fourth edition of the annual report contains a review of the all 17 Goals. It uses the latest available data and inputs from custodian agencies of the United Nations system other international agencies and is prepared by the Statistics Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations.

In order to better support Member States in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) identified four areas where its programmes and expertise converge. These "nexus" areas are sustainable use of natural resources; sustainable and smart cities for all ages; sustainable mobility and smart connectivity; and measuring and monitoring progress towards the SDGs. This publication supports efforts within the fourth nexus area, measuring and monitoring progress towards the SDGs. The focus is on the challenges faced by countries in the UNECE region.

The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2016 provides the first account of where the world stands at the beginning of our journey towards a sustainable future for people and the planet. This inaugural progress report presents an overview of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, based on a proposed global indicator framework, using data currently available. The data and analysis in the report show us where gaps and challenges are, so that steps can be taken to reverse these trends. With collective global action, we can seize the opportunities before us and, together, ensure the 2030 Agenda leaves no one behind. The report is prepared by the Statistics Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, based on the data and information provided by UN and other international agencies.

Contains insights on current issues in research on sustainable development, featuring the SDG Index and Dashboards.

This publication provides an overview of how international standards are used by policymakers to support sustainability and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is based on case studies that illustrate the use of standards for SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 7, Standards for Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 13, Climate Action. The publication documents the practical experience of regulatory authorities, governments and local administrations, as well as regional groups of countries, in using standards towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. With examples ranging from the subnational and national to the global levels, and from all regions, we hope this reading will inspire you to consider your local context and how you may apply standards to best realize the Global Goals in your constituency.

This volume presents North American best practices and perspectives on developing, managing and monitoring indicators to track development progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in local communities and cities. In 4 main sections, the book presents and frames the many ways in which community indicator programs are either integrating or retooling to integrate the SDGs into their existing frameworks, or how they are developing new programs to track and report progress on the SDGs. This is the first volume that focuses on SDG adoption within the context of North Americans cities and communities, and the unique issues and opportunities prevalent in these settings. The chapters are developed by experienced academics and practitioners of community planning and sustainable development, and will add broad perspective on public policy, organizational management, information management and data visualization. This volume presents a case-study approach to chapters, offering lessons that can be used by three main audiences: 1) teachers and researchers in areas of urban, regional, and environmental planning, urban development, and public policy; 2) professional planners, decision-makers, and urban managers; and 3) sustainability activists and interested groups.

This book contains assessment of the progress, or the lack of it, in implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through review of the assessments and of case studies, readers can draw lessons from the actions that could work to positively address the goals. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is designed to catalyze action in critical areas of importance to humanity and the planet. The effort to implement the SDGs, however, demands a sense of urgency in the face of environmental degradation, climate change, emerging conflicts, and growing inequality, among a number of other socio-economic problems. Five years after the launch of the 2030 Agenda, this book takes stock of how far the world has come and how we can position ourselves to achieve the global targets. The book is one of the first to assess how the implementation is impeded by the onset of COVID-19. It contains a special chapter on COVID-19 and the SDGs, while many thematic chapters on different SDGs also assess how COVID-19 adversely affects implementation, and what measures could be taken to minimize the adverse effects. This publication thus provides a fresh look at implementation of the SDGs highlighting impactful and creative actions that go beyond the business-as-usual development efforts. The volume reinforces this analysis with expert recommendations on how to support implementation efforts and achieve the SDGs through international and national strategies and the involvement of both the public and private sectors. The result is an indispensable textual tool for policy makers, academia, intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as the public, as we march toward the 2030 deadline.

The aim of this report is to present an overview of the 17 Goals using data currently available to highlight the most significant gaps and challenges.