What are governments doing about climate change?

1. Agenda 2030: A Global Plan of Action

• What is it? A UN plan of action for "people, planet and prosperity," adopted by member states in 2015.
• Core Principle: It recognizes that development goals like ending poverty, improving health and education, and reducing inequality must be pursued simultaneously with strategies to tackle climate change and preserve ecosystems.
• Key Features:
  • Provides a common language for global discussions on sustainability.
  • Illustrates the breadth of sustainability, showing its deep connections to economic, social, and cultural issues beyond just the environment.

2. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The SDGs are the heart of Agenda 2030. They are a set of 17 interconnected goals that serve as a universal call to action.

3. The Role of Business: The "Decade to Deliver"

A key theme is that achieving the SDGs is not solely the responsibility of governments. The private sector's role is critical.

• The "Decade to Deliver": A phrase from a 2019 UN Global Compact report, framing the 2020s as the crucial decade for business action on the SDGs.
• Why Business is Crucial: The private sector accounts for 75% of global GDP, making its mobilization essential for success.
• Areas of Lagging Business Action: A global CEO assessment highlighted specific goals where business contribution was perceived as low:
  • SDG 14 (Life Below Water): 13%
  • SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): 20%
  • SDG 15 (Life on Land): 21%
  • SDG 1 (No Poverty): 25%

4. Current Status & The Bigger Picture

• Progress Report: According to the UN Secretary-General, "we are not on track" to meet key targets like eradicating extreme poverty by 2030. Progress has been further hampered by events like the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Systemic Transformation: The SDGs are more than a checklist; they are a call for a fundamental transformation of society through collaboration, innovation, and justice.
• A Broader Definition of Sustainability (Theis & Tomkin): Sustainability can be viewed as a "meta discipline" focused on redesigning institutions and economic systems to support justice, resilience, and long-term wellbeing.

Exam Tip: Be prepared to explain why the private sector is considered crucial for achieving the SDGs, referencing the "Decade to Deliver" concept. Memorizing the four SDGs where business action has been weakest is a key data point that demonstrates a deeper understanding of the topic.