Remarks on the occasion of the event “Accelerating the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): the 2030 Agenda in Brazil”
Introduction
Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks on the occasion of the event “Accelerating the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): the 2030 Agenda in Brazil”, in Palácio Itamaraty, Brasília, today:
Acknowledgements
I thank:
- The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil (my dear friend Mauro)
- The Minister of the General Secretariat of the Presidency, Márcio Macêdo
- The Executive-Secretary of the Ministry of Social Development and Assistance, Family and Fight against Hunger, Osmar Ribeiro de Almeida Júnior
- The Secretary for International Affairs and Development of the Ministry of Planning and Budget, Renata Amaral
I am grateful to the Government of Brazil for hosting this important conversation, which could not be more timely.
Brazil’s Role in Sustainable Development Goals
In many ways, the Sustainable Development Goals were born in Brazil. From Rio to Rio+20, Brazil has always been a leading voice for a model of development that integrates social, economic and environmental dimensions. A model of development that puts economic transformation at the centre. And a new paradigm that applies to all countries — universally — focusing on financing, trade and technology transfers, going far beyond anachronistic North-South approaches. This spirit of transformation is what the SDGs are all about.
The Current Reality
But today, at the halfway point of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we face a sobering reality. Right now, the global community is failing people and planet. Just 12 per cent of the 140 SDG targets (for which we have data) are on track. Progress on more than 50 per cent of the targets is weak and insufficient. Thirty per cent have stalled or gone into reverse. These include fundamental targets on alleviating poverty, hunger and the devastating impacts of climate change. And there is a global blind spot on 29 targets for which we lack the data to judge progress.
These statistics are not just numbers on a page. They have real-world consequences, being felt across the globe. For example, hunger has increased, pulling the world back to 2005 levels. At current rates of progress, only 30 per cent of all countries will achieve SDG 1 on poverty by 2030.
Some 3.3 billion people are living in countries burdened by crippling debt, forcing Governments with already meagre budgetary resources to spend more on debt servicing than on education or health. Our planet is boiling, and we risk losing the fight against a changing climate, pollution and epic levels of biodiversity loss.
So many of these challenges are playing out right here in this region. The region was heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and many countries are still struggling to recover. Women have been hardest hit. They make up more than half of Latin America’s informal economy, putting them in a precarious position as regional growth prospects dim. Across the region, including here in Brazil, we’ve seen a rise in poverty and extreme poverty between 2020 and 2021.
Add to this worrying picture increased debt and low growth, the climate emergency, the impacts of the war in Ukraine, and the interconnected crises of food systems, energy, and finance. Taken together, these challenges mean that just a quarter of SDG targets are projected to be met in 2030.
The Way Forward
The time for course correction is now. The actions being taken by Brazil give us hope — domestically and as it takes back its important role in the multilateral family. Brazil’s leadership will be essential as we raise our ambition on the SDGs, climate, and reforming the international financial system.
As the next chair of the Group of Twenty (G20) and of the Twenty-eighth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), Brazil can inspire collective global action towards the 2030 Agenda. Action like boosting SDG investments in energy transition and renewables, climate action and justice, biodiversity and nature, sustainable food systems, digital technology, quality education, decent jobs and social protection.
Action like advocating for an SDG stimulus to provide immediate relief, reforming multilateral development banks and international financial institutions, and ensuring that developing countries have a strong voice at the decision-making table. And action like increased South-South and triangular cooperation to achieve the SDGs — which Brazil has prioritized in recent years.
The SDG Summit this September will be the central stage for the world to come together around the decisions necessary to put the world back on track to a fair, inclusive, and sustainable future for all. The Secretary-General is urging leaders to come to the United Nations General Assembly and the SDG Summit in September ready to contribute to a Rescue Plan for People and Planet.
This means arriving with concrete national commitments and action plans to accelerate progress towards the SDGs. Brazil will be the first country to take the floor — as it has done since the United Nations creation. President Lula will have the world’s attention. His voice can help inspire the world, and the examples from Brazil can show that achieving the SDGs is possible, if we raise ambition and summon the political will to do so.
We encourage Brazil to be as concrete as possible on what it has implemented domestically, the challenges it faces, and experiences it can share with others. I am grateful for the opportunity today to hear first-hand some of these insights.
Brazil is known around the world for its football — so you know better than any country that games are won in the second half. I am convinced that this is also the case for the SDGs. As we enter the second half, we see Brazil as a fundamental player (“um craque”) to help take us to a victory for people and planet. I look forward to a frank and open conversation today.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 1: No Poverty
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
- SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- SDG 13: Climate Action
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
The article discusses various issues related to poverty, hunger, debt, climate change, gender inequality, and economic growth. These issues are directly connected to the Sustainable Development Goals mentioned above.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- Target 1.1: By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere.
- Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round.
- Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure, and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate.
- Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
- Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
- Target 10.1: By 2030, progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 percent of the population at a rate higher than the national average.
- Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
- Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels.
The article highlights the need to address poverty, hunger, gender inequality, renewable energy, decent work, income inequality, climate change resilience, and institutional development. These targets directly correspond to the specific issues discussed in the article.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Indicator 1.1.1: Proportion of population below the international poverty line, by sex, age, employment status, and geographical location.
- Indicator 2.1.1: Prevalence of undernourishment.
- Indicator 5.4.1: Proportion of time spent on unpaid domestic and care work, by sex, age, and location.
- Indicator 7.2.1: Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption.
- Indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of female and male employees, by occupation, age group, and persons with disabilities.
- Indicator 10.1.1: Growth rates of household expenditure or income per capita among the bottom 40 percent of the population and the total population.
- Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
- Indicator 16.6.1: Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved budget, by sector (or by budget codes or similar), disaggregated by sex, age, and persons with disabilities.
The article does not explicitly mention indicators, but the identified targets can be measured using the indicators listed above. These indicators provide specific metrics to assess progress towards the targets mentioned in the article.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 1: No Poverty | Target 1.1: By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere. | Indicator 1.1.1: Proportion of population below the international poverty line, by sex, age, employment status, and geographical location. |
| SDG 2: Zero Hunger | Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round. | Indicator 2.1.1: Prevalence of undernourishment. |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure, and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate. | Indicator 5.4.1: Proportion of time spent on unpaid domestic and care work, by sex, age, and location. |
| SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy | Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. | Indicator 7.2.1: Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption. |
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value. | Indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of female and male employees, by occupation, age group, and persons with disabilities. |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target 10.1: By
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together. Source: press.un.org
Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.
You may also likeAbout the author ZJbTFBGJ2T |
