Structure & Importance
Structure and Integration
The SDGs are designed to balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection. These goals are interdependent and often overlapping, crafted to ensure that progress in one area does not adversely affect another, which was a critical lesson from the implementation of the MDGs.
The SDGs are unique in that they apply universally to all countries—poor, rich, and middle-income—underlining the universal nature of the comprehensive development challenges they seek to address. Each goal has specific targets (169 in total across all goals) and indicators to measure progress, making the SDGs a framework for quantifying and achieving sustainable development globally.
The Importance of the SDGs
Global Blueprint for Dignity, Peace, and Prosperity
The SDGs serve as a global blueprint for dignity, peace, and prosperity for people and the planet, now and in the future. They are intended to transform our world and to create a global partnership that ensures no one is left behind. The integration of the goals into the national strategies of countries across the world underscores their importance in guiding policy and governance to meet these ambitious targets.
Focus on Systemic Change
The SDGs recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth—all while tackling climate change and working to preserve oceans and forests. They provide a roadmap for systemic change, driving nations to think globally while empowering local action.
Inclusive and Collaborative Efforts
The development and execution of the SDGs are based on a process that included the participation of millions of people from many different stakeholder groups around the world, illustrating an unprecedented level of inclusiveness and collaboration in global decision-making. These efforts are ongoing, as achieving these goals requires the continued partnership of governments, private sector, civil society, and citizens alike to ensure better outcomes for future generations.