HLPF 2018 Recap
In 2015, the United Nations developed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of 17 different goals that they hope to achieve by 2030, in order to make the world a better and safer place to live in. These include goals such as reducing hunger, having clean energy, and promoting partnerships. This is a continuation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that lasted from 2000 to 2015. Each year, the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) is held to discuss the progress of a few of the SDGs, with the SDGS being discussed in 2018’s HLPF being Goal 6, 7, 11, 12, 15, and 17. 48 Countries also gave Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) to discuss the progress they have made with the implementation of the SDGs.
Goal 6 relates to clean water and ensuring sanitation for all. Considerable progress has been made in this SDG, especially when it comes to people living in rural areas. One notable country that has made a lot of contribution to SDG 6 is Algeria. In Algeria, the government will be building nearly 100 units of wastewater treatment plants by 2020. Other countries, such as Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, and Sweden, all vowed to provide financing to developing countries in order to ensure that they can achieve SDG 6 [1]. To read more about SDG 6, click the link below:
Goal 7 ensures that people can have clean and affordable energy. In a report by United Nations Department of Economics and Social Affairs; in the last decade, electricity consumption in the world has increased by more than 10%. There has also been over 1.3 trillion dollars worth of investment into clean energy since 2013. Portugal has also produced enough clean energy to power the entire country. 7 million people die each year due to air pollution so having clear energy is essential [2]. However, we must be careful with clean energy as wind farms and solar farms are built in places that displace indigenous people. One of the main themes of the Sustainable Development Goals is “Nobody left behind”, however people often forget about indigenous people. We build wind farms and solar farms on their land and neglect to help them when they need it. To read more about SDG 7, click the link below:
SDG 11 is about sustainable cities and communities. Countries discuss the importance of this SDG and what they are doing to ensure its success. Brazil is investing over 100 million dollars on housing for low income and lower middle income family. For low income families there is only a low symbolic fee to ensure they have housing. Israel also emphasized the importance of this SDG because 93% of people in Israel live in cities. Israel says they are committed to building more open spaces such as parks to ensure people can live healthier. To read more about SDG 11, click the link below:
SDG 12 discusses responsible consumption and production. Multiple countries, such as Ireland have said that this SDG is going to be hard to achieve. This is because telling people to stop eating meat is simply too much to ask for and not enough people will do it. However, countries like Ireland signed the Food Waste Charter trying to reduce food waste[3]. To read more about SDG 12, click the link below:
SDG 15 is about life on land and how to preserve wildlife. Ireland introduced acts to protect wildlife from invasive species. During the Greece VNR, they also talked about the importance of preserving forests saying Article 24 of their Constitution talks about environmental protection. During HLPF, it is said that the net forest loss is beginning to slow down and there is more financial support in regards to the implementation of this SDG. To read more about SDG 15, click the link below: http://bit.ly/2MdRdvm
The final goal that was talked about is SDG 17, which is strengthening partnerships for global development. Progress has been made as more countries are engaging in Public Private Partnerships (PPP) such as Japan and South Korea[4]. There was also a vote on the 2018 HLPF outcome document on the amendments. A vote by Russia to weaken efforts to strengthen women rights, a vote by America to get rid of conditional aid, and a vote to get rid of the entire outcome document by America. All didn’t pass. To read more about SDG 17, click the link below:
The HLPF occurs every year to review multiple SDGs. This year, the SDGs that were being reviewed were 6, 7, 11, 12, 15, and 17. As shown throughout the different reports, these SDGs have made significant progress, although more can always be done. One way to help is by learning the SDGs and starting a discussion about it, as not many people know about it. To learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals, click here:
References
[1]United Nations Water . “SDG 6 Synthesis Report 2018 on Water and Sanitation.” Accessed July 10, 2018. http://www.unwater.org/publication_categories/sdg-6-synthesis-report-2018-on-water-and-sanitation/.
[2]World Health Organization . “7 million premature deaths annually linked to air pollution.” Accessed July 10, 2018. 7 million premature deaths annually linked to air pollutionhttp://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2014/air-pollution/en/.
[3]Mullins, Andrew. “Minister for Environment Launches Food Waste Charter.” Irish Food Board . Accessed July 25, 2018. https://www.bordbia.ie/industry/manufacturers/insight/alerts/pages/ministerforenvironmentlaunchesfoodwastecharter.aspx.
[4]MOHIELDIN, Mahmoud. “SDGs and PPPs: What’s the connection?.” The World Bank. Accessed July 20, 2018. http://blogs.worldbank.org/ppps/sdgs-and-ppps-whats-connection.
