Introduction
What are the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
What is the United Nations?
In 1919, after World War I, the League of Nations was created. The goal of the League of Nations was to promote international cooperation to achieve peace and security.
The United Nations (UN) was established in 1945 (after World War II) and replaced the League of Nations. The UN is now an international organization where the world’s nations can come together to address global issues and find shared solutions to benefit everyone in the world. It has grown from 45 member states (countries) in 1945 to 193 member states today. Visit the UN website to see the full list of member states.
Watch UN Sustainable Development Goals – Overview (2 mins) on YouTube
Video source: UNICEF Georgia. (2018, April 25). UN Sustainable Development Goals – Overview [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-iJM02m_Hg
The United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, the United Nations including 193 countries adopted the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development. It set a target of 15 years to “secure a world free of poverty and hunger, with full and productive employment, access to quality education and universal health coverage, the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, and an end to environmental degradation.” (Government of Canada, 2024.) This course is an introduction to the 17 SDGs and how we can be part of supporting the world to become a better place for all.
Getting to Know the 17 SDGs:
Getting to know the 17 SDGs (text version)
Match the image description to the corresponding Sustainable Development Goal
Image description:
- Three cubes, stacked.
- A bar graph with a growth arrow trending up.
- A diamond shape with an 8 inside it.
- A sun icon with a power button in the middle.
- A glass of water with an arrow pointing down.
- A book and pencil.
- The male and female gender icons merged, with an equals sign in the middle
- A group of people (icons) standing together
- A bird holding a branch, standing on a gavel
- Waves with a fish
- An eye with an image of the word as the pupil
- Multiple different building standing side by side
- A bowl with steam rising from it
- 5 rings interlocking and overlapping in the shape of a flower
- A graph of a heartbeat, that ends in a heart icon
- The infinity symbol with an arrow on the interior part of the loop
- A tree, birds flying, and grass
Sustainable Development Goals.
- No poverty
- Zero hunger
- Good health and well-being
- Quality education
- Gender equality
- Clean water and sanitation
- Affordable and clean energy
- Decent work and economic growth
- Industry, innovation and infrastructure
- Reduced inequalities
- Sustainable cities and communities
- Responsible consumption and production
- Climate action
- Life below water
- Life on land
- Peace, justice and strong institutions
- Partnerships for the goals
Activity source:
Valuing Sustainability:
Why are the SDGs important?
As you will see in the following chapters, the world needs help. We hear about extreme weather due to climate change. We know human rights are not honoured in all parts of the world. We know that not everyone has access to quality education. We know there are people who are hungry, poor and sick.
But, what can we do about it?
The short answer: lots.
We each may just be one person. But if we each choose to care, if we each value human life and respect the earth we live on, and if each of us takes action to do what we can on any of the sustainable development goals, then together, we can all make a difference.
In each of the following chapters, you will learn more about each of the 17 SDGs, why they’re important, and where the world stands right now in terms of reaching these goals by 2030.
Most importantly, you will find tips and steps you can take to make your own positive impact on each of the goals so that you become part of the solution, for yourself and those you love, for others in the world, and for future generations.