The last global goal is to promote cooperation among nations in order to reach all the goals set out by the global community. While reaching all the other goals includes overcoming numerous challenges, achieving goal 17 does not only mean that the other targets need to be fulfilled, but also that all nations cooperate closely to advance progress on an international level.
Video Transcript
The last of the United Nations Sustainable Goals is very broad, and meeting its targets are required if progress on any of the other 16 SDGs is to be achieved. SDG17 aims to “strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.”
Strengthening resource mobilization, financial and other, both within one country and crucially between countries - including the full implementation of developed countries’ plans to financially support developing countries - is at the base of improving global partnerships. Another part of this is assisting in the development of debt sustainability worldwide by putting in place debt management and debt relief strategies as well as addressing debt distress felt by highly indebted countries.
Trade should be encouraged by a number of means including promoting a universal and equitable multilateral trade system under the World Trade Organization and in line with the conclusion of the Doha Development Agenda. Increasing the exports of developing countries, so that they increase twice as much as the exports of developed countries, and implementing duty- and quota-free market access for the least developed countries will also play a role in evening the playing field globally.
Enhancing international cooperation in scientific fields, increasing the amount of knowledge shared willingly and constructively, and improving access to technology also all configure into SDG 17, since technological disparities and scientific secrecy hinder the whole globe’s ability to be sustainable and peaceful. This focus on cooperation can be further specified, with other aims of SDG 17 being to “promote the development and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms,” and to enhance the use of “enabling technologies” particularly communication and information technologies in developing countries.
In terms of policy, governments and international organisations all need to improve the coherence of sustainable development policy and macroeconomic policy. At the same time, the leadership of individual governments should be respected and time should be given for policies addressing poverty eradication and other issues of sustainability to be implemented domestically.
Enhancing global partnerships, enhancing capacity building support to developing nations, and promoting action at all levels, must occur for not just SDG 17 but all of the SDGs to be fulfilled.
Before the downturn caused by Covid-19, progress on financial cooperation was middling, with more investments towards LDCs and developing countries being made, but with the biggest economic burdens still shouldered by the most developed nations.
The spread of technology and the investment in capacity building was steadily increasing in 2019, but the pandemic has once again widened disparities between nations.
Progress on SDG17 has been severely handicapped by Covid-19, with world trade being expected to drop between 13 and 30% and a loss of 100 billion dollars for the global market. However it is in times of worldwide crisis that multilateralism and global partnerships are the most important. All governments at all levels should be cooperating to fight the virus and provide support for those affected.
Despite the troubles being faced by every nation, SDG17 is a call for global cooperation that should not be ignored. The race towards sustainability is not a sprint, it is a marathon, and no matter the set-backs, efforts should still be moving forward to try and make a better and healthier future for the Earth and all its inhabitants.