Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are based on the successes that have been achieved through 2015 Millennium Development Goals, and also on identifying deficiencies in order to address them through the concept of goals integration. SDGs focuses on moving forward to eradicate poverty in all its forms. The new set of goals are unique, serving as a call for action by all countries of various income levels to take the necessary procedures to reinforce prosperity while protecting the planet.
Beginning of 2016, the 17 SDGs of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Over the next fifteen years, with these new Goals that universally apply to all, countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.
Though SDGs are not legally binding, nevertheless, governments are expected to take ownership and develop a national framework to achieve these goals. Therefore, countries have to take the main responsibility of following up and reviewing the SDGs progress, which will require quality-oriented, accessible and timely data collection for regional follow-up and review. The latter relies on analysis conducted on nationally, which will contribute to the process of following up and review on a global level. The 17 SDGs and its 169 targets will be monitored using total of 241 global indicators that have been approved by UN Statistical Commission. In 2015, 193 countries adopted the following 17 goals:
1. No poverty
2. Zero Hunger
3. Good health and well-being
4. Quality education
5. Gender equality
6. Clean water and sanitation
7. Affordable and clean energy
8. Decent work and economic growth
9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure
10. Reduced inequalities
11. Sustainable cities and communities
12. Responsible production and consumption
13. Climate action
14. Life below water
15. Life on land
16. Peace, justice and strong institutions
17. Partnerships for goals
Although the 17 goals are comprehensive in their content and indicators to achieve the required balance for a sustainable development, the particularly seven goals below are directly associated with the environmental issues:
Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
The delegation of Kingdom of Bahrain at high-level political forum for goals of sustainable development 2030
In cooperation with the Information and e-Government Authority and under the supervision of the National Information Committee. The Council drafted the concerned chapters on environmental objectives (7, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15). The report aimed at compiling, summarizing and analyzing national data from various sources in the context of the indicators and objectives of the sustainable development goals. It came out as an combined report that contained stories of the successes and accomplishments of the Kingdom towards attaining sustainable development. The report was launched during the meeting of the High Level Political Forum of the United Nations Economic and Social Council in New York during 16-18 July 2018. The Minister of Cabinet Affairs headed the delegation, of which the Supreme Council was a member among other official participants. The presentation of the report was an opportunity to highlight the triumphs of the Kingdom towards achieving 2030 agenda for sustainable development, and \ also at reflecting its experiences and challenges.