Beyond the MDGs

Hello everyone!

I would like to begin my new blog by introducing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) because I noticed during my time in class that we often refer back to these goals when discussing about issues regarding Sustainable Development. I believe that's it's important to keep them in mind when planning the next strategic step towards sustainability.

What are the MDGs?

At the beginning of the new millennium, world leaders agreed to the UN Millennium Declaration, which set the foundation for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs are eight development goals with 21 targets that are set to be achieved by member states by the year 2015. 

These goals serve as a blueprint for measuring the progress of global development.  On the “Day of 7 Billion”, the United Nations’ Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, stated:

“Our world is one of terrible contradictions. Plenty of food but one billion people go hungry. Lavish lifestyles for a few, but poverty for too many others. Huge advances in medicine while mothers die everyday in childbirth, and children die every day from drinking dirty water. Billions spent on weapons to kill people instead of keeping them safe.”

For this reason, the MDG is crucial in keeping track of countries’ progress as it holds them accountable and pushes leaders to set global and national priorities, as well as measures to follow up on their countries’ goals for development. According to the recent MDG report, economic growth has increased in some developing countries and international funding has resulted in expansion of programmes that delivers services and resources to those most in need. As we move closer to the due date, skeptics are beginning to question whether countries are going to be able to achieve the MDGs, especially in the midst of the current economic downturn. There is still much work to be done and many issues concerning implementation barriers that need to be resolved.

The Call for SDGs

The Rio+20 Earth Summit plays a role in continuing the efforts achieved through the MDGs as there have been growing support for suggestions on introducing a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Building on the lessons learned from the MDGs, the SDGs could be the new basis for redefining the MDGs and to pick up where it will leave off.

According to a Rio 2012 Issues Briefs, there are currently no internationally agreed sustainable development indicators that would help to monitor the progress of SDGs as there is no single, universally accepted definition or assessment metrics for sustainable development. This will pose as one of the challenges for member states to agree upon the best indicators that could be used to measure SDGs.

Below is the tentative blueprint for the scope of SDGs, which was extracted from IGES Rio+20 Issue Brief Vol. 1 by Ikuho Miyazawa:  

Although the Millennium Declaration will still be relevant in the post-2015 development agenda, much thought and consideration need to be given to the linkages between SDGs and MDGs. There must also be agreement on how to develop a possible set of indicators to measure progress of the SDGs. Together with the proposals from member states and the tentative blueprint, I think that through collective efforts and collaboration, there is great potential for the SDGs to help advance development in the developing countries and also bring benefits to the developed world. Additionally, as the world begins to embrace the concept of Green Economy, I believe that new market opportunities will present itself for the upcoming generation of green talents and social entrepreneurs. 

Click below to watch a video on the MDGs: