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Transforming Our World: Exploring the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development

March 13, 2024

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In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a bold and ambitious agenda known as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Central to this agenda are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which serve as a blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all.

These goals, also referred to as the Global Goals, address a wide range of interconnected issues, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice. They represent a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by the year 2030.

Let’s delve into each of the 17 Global Goals:

  1. No Poverty: End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
  2. Zero Hunger: End hunger, achieve food security, and promote sustainable agriculture.
  3. Good Health and Well-being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
  4. Quality Education: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
  5. Gender Equality: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
  6. Clean Water and Sanitation: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
  7. Affordable and Clean Energy: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
  8. Decent Work and Economic Growth: Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
  9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.
  10. Reduced Inequality: Reduce inequality within and among countries.
  11. Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
  12. Responsible Consumption and Production: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
  13. Climate Action: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
  14. Life Below Water: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.
  15. Life on Land: Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
  16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: 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. Partnerships for the Goals: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.

Each of these goals is interconnected, and progress in one area often depends on progress in others. For example, achieving gender equality (Goal 5) can contribute to poverty eradication (Goal 1) and sustainable economic growth (Goal 8). Similarly, addressing climate change (Goal 13) is crucial for preserving life below water (Goal 14) and life on land (Goal 15).

The Global Goals require collaboration and partnership among governments, businesses, civil society, and individuals worldwide. 

Hence why Spring places effort on the Impact Startup Visa Program, which is a gateway to bring international changemakers, innovators and Founders to Canada, under one core theme, IMPACT!

To find out more about the ISV program, read here