ESGmark® Supports the Sustainable Development Goals

Posted by ESGmark on 10th May 2021 -

THE UN'S TO-DO LIST - AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SDGS

Most of us love a to-do list, there is something so satisfying about ticking things off. The UN has its own - the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For people within the sustainability space, ‘SDG’ is one of the most common acronyms going, but for those who are not, it may not be familiar.

‘The goals are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030’ – The United Nations

Sounds wonderful on paper and a set of goals that any rational person could really get behind. So, why haven’t we collectively got behind them? Why has progress to date been slow? Are we stuck in our ways and unprepared to change? Or do we simply not know enough about them?

A brief history

Did you know that the history of the SDGs date back to 1972? Almost 50 years ago, at the UN’s Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, the UN member states recognised for the first time that human activities were causing severe damage to our environment.

The Rio 1992 ‘Earth’ summit that followed 20 years later, produced three multilateral environmental agreements on climate, on biodiversity, and on combating desertification. Great intentions. The UN member states met again 20 years later at the not so originally titled ‘Rio + 20 summit’ but unfortunately, not enough progress had been made on the three environmental agreements.

In 2000, the Millennium Development Goals were created, aimed at fighting poverty. The UN decided to use that goal framework for sustainable development and in 2015, a couple of months before the pivotal historic Paris Climate Change agreement, the 17 SDGs were born.

The structure of the 17 SDGs comprises distinctive layers including:

• 169 global targets spread within the SDGs, they set targets and deadlines to reach the goals;

• 232 global indicators, which review the progress of SDGs actions against global targets.

The UN has set these goals with the very best interests of the people of the world at heart. With these goals, we have a shared global vision of where we want to be and a pathway to get there.

Goals and targets are great, but action is needed

We are now in 2021, almost 6 years since the SDGs were put in place. Why hasn’t more progress been made? Politics may be to blame, with the former leader of one of the world’s most powerful nations claiming that climate change is a hoax. The current prime minister of Australia once brought a chunk of coal into Parliament, proclaiming ‘This is coal, don’t be afraid.’ In the UK, Brexit was a distraction. That is all before you even mention the pandemic. In this context, one can understand why the SDGs may have slipped down the collective to-do list.

The tide could finally be turning. The White House recently announced that the US will aim to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by between 50% and 52% by 2030, based on 2005 levels. In the UK the government has brought forward its carbon cutting goals by 15 years - carbon dioxide is to be cut by 78% by 2035 compared with 1990 levels. It is certainly a step in the right direction on Goal 13 – Climate Action, but they are yet to put in place the necessary policies needed to achieve these targets.

Why should we care whether the goals are hit?

Because our wellbeing, the wellbeing of our children and the wellbeing of society depends on them. Now is not the time to be nihilistic or doomist, there is still time left as well as energy, innovation and collective commitment to make the goals reality.

What can we do?

The SDGs are undoubtedly ambitious. It is entirely understandable how individual people and organisations may struggle to comprehend how their own behaviours, actions and choices could possibly make a difference. The fact is of course, that without change at the level of the individual person and organisation, the global community is bound to fall short.

We understand that plenty of individuals and organisations feel that they want to contribute to positive change, but are unsure how to or where to start. So, we have produced a comprehensive ESGmark® Guide to the SDGs (link here) which for each of the 17 goals, provides actionable ideas that we can all start to put into practice.

ESGmark® was founded to help organisations become fit for the future and to be at the forefront of change. Through our certification and community, we aim to help organisations of all shapes and sizes embrace and act on their responsibilities to the planet and society. If you feel this resonates with the ambitions of your organisation, we would love to hear from you. Contact us at [email protected] or click to Join Us today.