Sustainable Development Goals and Sustainability

Öykü Su Sabancı co-authored this article.

United Nations (“UN”) has prepared a global call to action that include stargets to be achieved by the end of 2030 in 2015, that aims to reach sustainable development on a global scale. “United Nations Sustainable Development Goals” (“UN SDGs”) which includes main objectives such as reducing negative effects of climate change, eliminating economic inequality, providing sustainable consumption, ensuring justice and living in peace and prosperity, has been ratified by one hundred and ninety-three (193) United Nations members and by twenty-three (23) international companies and entered into force in January 2016. The UN SDGs, is a call for developing and developed countries to act in common ground for targeted goals by the end of 2030 and determined seventeen (17) fundamental sustainability goals. Since the duration of these determined goals will be expired by 2030, years between 2020 and 2030 are also named as “Decade of Action”. For these reasons, achieving goals has critical significance.

A. United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The UN SDGs headings that aim to end poverty, protect environment, take precautions against climate crisis, prosperity, fair sharing and peace are listed below

(https://iucn.org/our-work/informing-policy/international-policy/un-sustainable-development-goals)

In accordance with SDGs published by the UN, Türkiye has established Sustainable Development Coordination Institution (“Institution”) within Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. The Institution’s responsibility is creation, implementation and evaluation of policies towards SDGs. Information regarding fundamental goals is given below.

A.1. End Poverty (SDG 1)

One of the most substantial goals, SDG 1 titled “End of Poverty” aims to abolish extreme poverty. In line with this goal, it is targeted to enhance and take action in increasing aids towards people with disadvantages, provide economic and social life integration and strengthen social aid programs.

In accordance with the report that analyses countries’ status on Sustainable Development Goals, published annually by Sustainable Development Solutions Network (“SDSN”) and The Bertelsmann Stiftung, Türkiye has become one of the countries that showed most progress in international comparisons between 2000-2016. In a forementioned report, countries are examined in direction of goals through indicators and there is a different adequacy analyses for each goal. In the report published in 2023, we can see that Türkiye ranks better in SDG 1 compared to other goals. That being said, the report in question states that Türkiye ranks 72^ndin global ranking in 2023.

A.2. End Hunger (SDG 2)

In SDG 2, titled “End Hunger”, the sub-goals include to end hunger, food safety and accessing good nutrition and supporting sustainable agriculture, productivity in small-scale food producers and increasing their income. In accordance with this goal, it is crucial to take necessary actions for all people but especially children to have adequate food, technology and to promote sustainable agricultural practices that support equal access to market and in order to increase productivity in agriculture, it is necessary to make international collaboration to invest in infrastructure and technology.

A.3. Health and Quality Life (SDG 3)

SDG 3, which aims to have quality life and health, especially for children and elderly and for all ages, is a pledge to abolish infectious diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis and others by 2030 and to support mental health, improvere productive health and family planning. It seeks to take necessary actions towards safe and reliable treatment and for everyone to access medication.

SDG 3 has thirteen (13) sub-goals in its scope. These sub-goals include supporting the production and/or development of vaccines and medicine for infectious diseases which mostly affect developing countries, ensuring access to affordable, necessary medicine and vaccines for all, in accordance with the Doha Declaration, which reaffirms the right of developing countries to fully implement the provisions of the Agreement on Trade Relations of Intellectual Property Rights (“TRIPS”) for the protection of public health.

A.4. Quality Education (SDG 4)

Considering that having the right education has a great impact on determining and applying goals, it includes necessary legal and administrative adjustments to increase opportunities to access lifelong learning opportunities and to provide equal opportunity for education so that everyone can access quality education. These goals include ensuring all boys and girls to complete free, righteous and quality primary and secondary education , therefore achieving relevant and effective learning outcomes; ensuring all students to acquire the knowledge and skills to progress in sustainable development, and increasing the supply of qualified teachers through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially in small island countries.

By increasing mandatory education to twelve (12) years and taking various action in access to education in accordance with SDG 4, Türkiye has significantly progressed in SDG 4 sub-goals.

A.5. Social Gender Equality (SDG 5)

SDG 4, which aims to provide social gender equality and to strengthen all women and girls and demolishing discrimination in all fields, has nine (9) sub-goals. Among these sub-goals there are topics like; to eliminate wrong practices such as violence towards all women and girls, woman trafficking, all types of abuse including sexual abuse, underage marriage, forced marriage at a young age, and women to affectively participate in decision making progresses in politics, economics and social life.

A.6. Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6)

SDG 6 aims to secure water access and wastewater services and sustainable water management on a global scale and to prevent diminishing safe water resources that effect all continents. In direction of this goal, it is required to have the right infrastructure to have safe and accessible water within reach, construction of sanitary system and have hygiene at all levels. Within SDG 6’s eight (8) sub-goals, there are goals such as implementation of integrated water supply management at all levels through cross-border cooperation when necessary and the protection and restoration of aquatic ecosystem by 2030. 

In line with Türkiye’s SDG 6 and its’ sub-goals, regarding access to municipal water and sewerage, it can be seen that there has been an improvement between 2000-2016 however Türkiye has not been able to make the same progress recently due to rapid urbanization and increasing effects of climate change on water resources. For this reason, it is necessary to continue taking action on integrated water supply management.

A.7. Accessible and Clean Energy (SDG 7)

As per SDG7, it is necessary to invest in clean energy resources such as solar, wind and thermal to achieve affordable, reliable and sustainable energy access by 2030 for all. There are five (5) sub-goals under SDG 7. Among these goals, doubling the rate of global energy efficiency progress by 2030, improving international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technologies, and encouraging investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.

A.8. Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8)

According to International Labor Organization’s data, more than 204 million people are unemployed in 2015 which plays a significant role in establishment of this goal. With SDG 8, it encourages consistent and sustainable economic growth, higher productivity levels and technological innovations. These twelve (12) sub-goals include increasing economic productivity through diversification, technological development and innovation, focusing on high value-added and labor-intensive sectors, ensuring access to full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including youth and people with disabilities by 2030 and embracing principle of equal pay for equal work. Although there has been progress in sectoral distribution and women’s participation in employment in Türkiye, there is still a need to continue working.

A.9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9)

It holds a great importance to support sustainable industry in sustainable development, investing in innovation in this field and building durable infrastructures. SDG 9 promotes technological progress in solving environmental and economical problems, creating new employment opportunities and increasing energy efficiency. Many investments and projects have been carried out by Türkiye regarding highway, airport, sea harbor and railway transportation. Nevertheless, investments regarding innovation, technology level and digital transformation need to be prioritized.

A.10. Reducing Inequality (SDG 10)

All types of inequality in countries and among society has become a global issue and the solution requires improving economic markets and institutions and development aids. SDG 10 holds ten (10) sub-goals. A few of these goals are, to unsure the income of the bottom 40 percent of the population continues to increase and is sustained at a rate higher than the national average by 2030, to provide equal opportunity and reducing inequality by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and supporting proper legislation, policies and implementations in this regard, and application of the principle of special and favorable treatment for developing countries, especially the least developed countries in accordance with World Trade Organization agreements are among those sub-goals.

A.11.  Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11)

Providing safe, durable and sustainable cities holds critical importance since most of the world’s population is living in cities. The following actions can be taken in the scope of this purpose; transforming shanty towns, to make safe and sustainable cities, to create green areas in the public spaces, to invest in public transportation, and to address natural disaster management processes.

A.12. Responsible Production and Consumption (SDG 12)

Promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns is intended with SDG 12. In order to achieve economic growth and sustainable development, it is highly important to take conscious actions in areas such as choosing production methods that does not harm environment, using planet’s resources efficiently and reducing waste. Within the scope of this objective, there are eleven (11) various sub-goals for instance the implementation of 10-Year Framework Program for Sustainable Consumption and Production, with the developed countries taking the lead and all countries taking action, considering the development and capabilities of developing countries and ensuring the sustainable management and efficient usage of natural resources by 2030.

A.13. Climate Action (SDG 13)

SDG 13 is established in the ground of climate change and its’ negative effects which is defined as “a serious existential risk” by The World Economic Forum and having the need for urgent action in a right manner to combat.  The purpose of Climate Action is to prevent increasing extreme weather conditions like drought, flood and taking necessary action towards risks like melting glaciers, greenhouse gas emission. There are five (5) sub-goals under SDG 13. Those goals are:

• – To strengthen resilience and adaptability towards climate related dangers and natural disasters all around the world

• – To integrate precaution regarding climate change to national politics, strategies and plans

• – To educate, raise awareness and improve capacity on human and corporate level on decreasing climate change, adapting to climate change, reducing effects and early warning

• – To implement the commitment undertaken by developed countries that are parties to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to jointly mobilize 100 billion USD annually by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries, in the context of meaningful reduction action and transparency in implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through capitalization as soon as possible.

• – To support mechanisms on effective planning and management that will increase capacity especially in least developed countries and developing small island states regarding climate change focusing on women, youth, local communities and excluded groups.

A.14. Life Under Water (SDG 14)

With increasing water pollution and damages to ecosystems and biodiversity, SDG 14 –Life Under Water aims to protect seas, sea and water resources and take necessary actions towards sustainable development. In the scope of Life Under Water, there are ten (10) various goals such as, addressing and minimizing the impacts of ocean acidification through scientific collaboration at every level and as indicated in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to protect oceans and their resources and improve sustainable usage through implementation of international law.

A.15. Terrestrial Living (SDG 15)

Being parallel to SDG 14, Terrestrial Living titled SDG 15 aims to protect terrestrial ecosystem, provide sustainable forest management, combat against desertification, stop land degradation and protect biodiversity. We would also like to point out that, with Sustainable Development Goals we aspire to restore and protect terrestrial ecosystems such as forests, wetlands and drylands by 2020. At the same time, there are twelve (12) sub-goals such as combating desertification, restoring lands including ones that has been damaged by desertification, droughts and floods and making an effort to create a neutral world where there is land degradation, mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to protect and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems by2030.

A.16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16)

SDG 16which encourages inclusive societies and order in peace and justice, aimsjustice for all, effective and accountable execution of this justice system andto establish institutions that provide service in line with these principles. The purpose is to cleanse countries and societies from issues such as sexual violence, crime, abuse and torture and to work together with societies in this direction. SDG 16 includes twelve (12) goals, for instance improving the rule of law at national and international level and ensuring equal access to justice for all, significantly reducing all forms of corruption and bribery, providing legal identity for all, including birth registration by 2030 and promoting and implementing non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development.

A.17. Partnerships for Purposes (SDG 17) 

SDG 17which aims for countries, institutions and/or organizations and societies to take steps in direction of the Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizes that a global and strong commitment is needed to prevent issues like financial resources, scarcity of knowledge and lack of policies that may constitute obstacles to global development. There are nineteen (19) sub-goals in this context. Some of the sub-goals are, mobilizing additional financial resources from various sources for developing countries, strengthening domestic resource mobilization through international support to developing countries to increase domestic capacity for tax and other revenue generation, total and net official development assistance to least developed countries as a proportion of gross national product (“GNP”) of the Development Assistance Committee donors of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”).