UN creates sustainable development group to ‘define the world we want’

The United Nations General Assembly has established a 30-member working group that will aim to draw up a set of sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Issues such as poverty, environmental protection and global prosperity will be factored into the proposals, which will then be tabled in front of all 193 UN members at the 68th session in September.

This formation of the group was suggested during talks at Rio+20 in June – after which, a document called The Future We Want was published.

“The Future We Want has broadened the scope for global action for people and the planet”, said UN under-secretary-general for economic and social affairs, Wu Hongbo.

“Sustainable development goals that build on the successes of the millennium development goals, and that apply to all countries can provide a tremendous boost to efforts to implement sustainable development and help us address issues ranging from reducing poverty and creating jobs to the pressing issues of meeting economic, social and environmental aspirations of all people.”

In a speech to mark the creation of the working group in New York yesterday, General Assembly president Vuk Jeremic said, “This is a moment for us to imagine the future, and to decide on new ways to address global challenges to truly define the ‘world we want’, and the UN we need to make such a vision a reality.”

He added that a concrete, sustainable global framework should be implemented “to ensure that our children inherit a planet where no nation is left behind.”

Further reading:

Reflections on Rio: was it really that bad?

Sustainable tourism can help tackle the world’s biggest challenges, says UN official

Africa told to invest heavily in education to ‘stop poverty transmission’

Rio+50: the long view