UNIT 5: INTERNATIONAL FINANCE AND CONTEMPORARY
ISSUES IN IB
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 global goals
adopted by all United Nations (UN) member states in 2015 as part of the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These goals aim to address
global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental
degradation, peace, and justice.
List of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
1. No Poverty
● Aim: End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
● Key Targets:
○ Reduce the proportion of people living in extreme poverty.
○ Implement social protection systems.
○ Increase access to basic services, land, and financial resources.
2. Zero Hunger
● Aim: End hunger, achieve food security, and promote sustainable
agriculture.
● Key Targets:
○ Ensure access to safe and nutritious food.
○ End malnutrition.
○ Promote sustainable food production and resilient agricultural
practices.
3. Good Health and Well-being
● Aim: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
● Key Targets:
○ Reduce maternal mortality and child mortality rates.
○ End epidemics of major diseases like AIDS, tuberculosis, and
malaria.
○ Improve mental health and well-being.
4. Quality Education
● Aim: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote
lifelong learning opportunities.
● Key Targets:
○ Ensure all children complete free, equitable, and quality primary
and secondary education.
○ Promote vocational and technical education.
○ Improve literacy and numeracy rates.
5. Gender Equality
● Aim: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
● Key Targets:
○ End discrimination against women and girls.
○ Eliminate violence, including trafficking and exploitation.
○ Promote equal participation in leadership roles.
6. Clean Water and Sanitation
● Aim: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and
sanitation for all.
● Key Targets:
○ Provide universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
○ Improve water quality and wastewater treatment.
○ Protect and restore water-related ecosystems.
7. Affordable and Clean Energy
● Aim: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern
energy for all.
● Key Targets:
○ Increase the use of renewable energy.
○ Improve energy efficiency.
○ Enhance international cooperation on clean energy research.
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
● Aim: Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth,
full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
● Key Targets:
○ Improve economic productivity through innovation.
○ Promote policies for job creation and entrepreneurship.
○ Eradicate forced labor and child labor.
9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
● Aim: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable
industrialization, and foster innovation.
● Key Targets:
○ Develop reliable and sustainable infrastructure.
○ Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization.
○ Increase research and technology capabilities.
10. Reduced Inequality
● Aim: Reduce inequality within and among countries.
● Key Targets:
○ Improve the income growth of the bottom 40% of the population.
○ Promote social and economic inclusion.
○ Ensure equal opportunities and end discrimination.
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
● Aim: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and
sustainable.
[A "resilient city" refers to a city that can effectively handle and
recover from various shocks and stresses, whether natural or
human-made, while prioritizing sustainable development and
well-being.]
● Key Targets:
○ Ensure access to affordable housing and basic services.
○ Improve urban planning and reduce slums.
○ Promote sustainable transport and waste management.
12. Responsible Consumption and Production
● Aim: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
● Key Targets:
○ Reduce waste generation and improve recycling.
○ Encourage sustainable business practices.
○ Promote responsible consumption habits.
13. Climate Action
● Aim: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
● Key Targets:
○ Strengthen resilience to climate-related disasters.
○ Improve education and awareness on climate change.
○ Promote policies for reducing carbon emissions.
14. Life Below Water
● Aim: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine
resources.
● Key Targets:
○ Reduce marine pollution.
○ Protect and restore marine ecosystems.
○ Regulate fishing practices and prevent overfishing.
15. Life on Land
● Aim: Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial
ecosystems.
● Key Targets:
○ Reduce deforestation and desertification.
○ Promote biodiversity and restore degraded ecosystems.
○ Combat illegal wildlife trade and poaching.
16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
● Aim: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies, ensure access to justice,
and build accountable institutions.
● Key Targets:
○ Reduce violence and corruption.
○ Promote rule of law and equal access to justice.
○ Strengthen institutions to prevent crime and terrorism.
17. Partnerships for the Goals
● Aim: Strengthen global partnerships for sustainable development.
● Key Targets:
○ Increase financial resources for development.
○ Enhance international cooperation.
○ Promote sustainable trade and technology sharing.
Implementation and Challenges of SDGs
Implementation Strategies
1. Government Policies – Governments integrate SDGs into national
policies and laws.
2. Public-Private Partnerships – Collaboration between businesses, civil
society, and governments.
3. Technology & Innovation – Use of advanced technology for
sustainable development.
4. Education & Awareness – Spreading knowledge about sustainability.
Challenges in Achieving SDGs
● Financial Constraints – Developing nations lack resources.
● Political Instability – Conflicts hinder progress.
● Climate Change – Environmental changes impact development.
● Inequality – Economic and social disparities slow progress.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a roadmap for a better
future, focusing on economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental
protection. Achieving these goals requires global cooperation, strong
policies, financial investment, and public participation. The deadline for
achieving these goals is 2030, but continuous efforts are needed to build a
sustainable world for future generations.
