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In 2015, the United Nations adopted Sustainable Development Goals for 2015–2030 to replace its mainstream Millennium Development Goals in place from 2000–2015. While the sustainable development agenda from the 1992 Rio Earth Summit factored in clearly to some of the individual goals, the overall focus was still on poverty alleviation through the historic paradigm of economic development. During that same period of implementation, countries began to embrace sustainable development as a key pathway to creating an economy that can provide for the population without undercutting the people and planet that form the basis of that very economy.

In 2012, countries met again in Rio for a new global summit on sustainable development. By this time, it was clear the development and environment agendas were becoming more aligned. Countries shared progress they had made towards sustainable development and discussed challenges going forward, but largely diverted conversations about targets. There were questions about how to best integrate economic and social development with environmental considerations, and governments began focusing on high‐level efforts to merge development and environment, building from the Millennium Development Goals and Rio summits on Sustainable Development. There are two ways to view this development: one is that countries have found environmental problems challenging and wish to avoid taking on new, high‐profile commitments. The other is that the concept of “sustainable development” has become so mainstream that environmental considerations have become integrated into the broader development dialogue.

In the second decade of the twenty‐first century, countries began developing a broad set of “sustainable development goals” intended to help the United Nations develop new targets after the Millennium Development Goals had run their course by 2015. By integrating these sustainable development goals with conventional, high‐level development discussions at the UN, countries made it clear that the concept of sustainability is fundamental to development.

In September 2015, to a standing ovation from many world leaders, 193 nations unanimously adopted the UN Sustainable Development Agenda as a “blueprint for development.” UN Secretary‐General Ban Ki‐moon welcomed the decision, calling it “an agenda for people, to end poverty in all its forms … It is an agenda for shared prosperity, peace and partnership (that) conveys the urgency of climate action (and) is rooted in gender equality and respect for the rights of all. Above all, it pledges to leave no one behind.” This agenda sets forth 169 targets supporting 17 Goals for 2030. As the next step beyond the Millennium Development Goals, these Sustainable Development Goals reflect a concerted global effort to provide for the growing number of people on the planet by alleviating poverty, improving livelihoods, and sustaining the ecosystems necessary to maintain all of the Earth’s inhabitants in the coming decades. We have included these goals below, as they are relevant to every chapter in this book. As you think about where “development” is headed, consider what actions governments will need to take to realize all of these goals and how different the world might look if some or all of the goals are achieved.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

1 End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

2 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.

3 Ensure healthy lives and promote well‐being for all at all ages.

4 Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

5 Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

7 Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.

8 Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

9 Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.

10 Reduce inequality within and among countries.

11 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

12 Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.

15 Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss.

16 Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.

17 Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

Now sustainable development is more integrated and global development goals are increasingly focused on the social and environmental basis of well‐being in addition to conventional economic indicators. Countries have adopted ambitious targets and indicators, and the world is watching to see what kind of progress can be made in the coming years to meaningfully advance towards these goals – including whether wealthy nations will step up financial and other assistance to help achieve these goals.