Sustainable Development Goals
The world is in the era of very rapid development and progress. Every country in the world is competing to build a more sustainable country for a better future. However, that effort is not necessarily an easy task. Many of the challenges of national development are difficult to solve. Besides that, there are still many countries that need help in overcoming their internal problems. Seeing this, in 2015 the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
This agenda is designed as a form of encouragement for each country to achieve sustainable development and ensure that no country is left behind. In it, there are 17 main objectives in achieving a sustainable 2030. Those objectives are including: 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 inequality; sustainable cities and communities; responsible consumption and production; climate action; life below water; life on land; peace and justice strong institutions; and partnerships to achieve the goal.
In terms of implementing Sustainable Development Goals, Indonesia is in the game-changing process, too. Goals number 4 and 13 — quality education and climate action — for example, as a fairly important basis in life, Indonesia apparently still struggle to improve the quality of its education. Based on the latest UN development report (2015), Indonesia ranks 110th out of 187 countries in the Human Development Index (HDI) with a value of 0.684, still behind Malaysia and Singapore (cited from the Ministry of National Development Planning of the Republic of Indonesia website).
Besides, environmental issues in Indonesia are also in the spotlight. One of them is the alarming issue of water, soil, and air pollution. In 2018, based on the data from PODES, it was reported that the number of water pollution increased by 14.42 points from 2014, and the number of soil pollution increased by 1.11 points from 2014. Although the number of air pollution decreased 2.77 points from 2014, this is still something to be taken seriously (cited from the 2018 Indonesian Environmental Statistics, Indonesian Central Statistics Agency).
These data are strong warning for Indonesia to continue overcoming all existing challenges. It is hoped that with the Sustainable Development Goals, Indonesia can provide solution and form appropriate strategies to overcome all problems with the main goal to build a nation that continues to grow for a better future.
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Writer: Natasya Aline Limarga
Editor & Translator: Catleya Ayundasari
Image: Pixabay
