Sustainable development goals (SDGs)

The theme

The 2030 Agenda is the action plan for sustainable development unanimously adopted by the 193 member countries of the United Nations on 25 September 2015. Entering into force in January 2016 to replace the previous Millennium Development Goals, the Agenda calls for the achievement of 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 “targets” or goals by 2030. The new SDGs can only be achieved through an integrated and innovative approach, which balances economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection as interconnected dimensions centred on the “five P”:

People: eradicating hunger and poverty in all forms, ensuring dignity and equality;

Prosperity: ensuring prosperous and full lives in harmony with nature;

Peace: promoting peaceful, just and inclusive societies;

Partnership: implement the agenda through strong partnerships;

Planet: protecting the planet’s natural resources and climate for future generations.

The 2030 Agenda enshrines the unsustainability of the development model adopted to date and represents a global commitment to overcome it. For the first time, all member countries are called upon to adopt new strategies to contribute to the common effort towards sustainability and the achievement of the 17 SDGs, which are also interdependent: it is in fact impossible, for example, to ensure health and well-being (Goal 3) or reduce inequality (Goal 10) without gender equality (Goal 5), or without guaranteeing freedom from hunger (Goal 2) and economic growth (Goal 8) for all.