Frequently encountered in ESG-related news, SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) refer to the Sustainable Development Goals. Adopted by the United Nations in 2015, the SDGs aim to end poverty worldwide, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity, and are to be achieved by the international community by 2030.
The term "Sustainable Development" (SD) here means pursuing development in the present while safeguarding the future. It was first presented in the 1987 report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." This concept arose as the limits of global resource supply and demand came to the fore, and people began to develop a critical awareness of lifestyles and development paths that destroy the environment and disregard human rights. In South Korea, the concept of sustainable development—encompassing "social development," "economic growth," and "environmental preservation"—was codified with the enactment of the "Framework Act on Sustainable Development" in 2008, which defined it as "development that achieves a balance among economic growth, social stability and integration, and environmental preservation, based on the concept of sustainability, which means achieving harmony and balance without wasting or degrading economic, social, and environmental resources that future generations will need in order to meet the needs of the present generation."
The Sustainable Development Goals are composed of a total of 17 goals. The goals are divided along the three axes that make up the concept of sustainable development: Goals 1 through 6 address social development, Goals 8 through 11 address economic growth, and Goal 7 and Goals 12 through 15 address environmental preservation. Goals 16 and 17 set out the preconditions necessary for achieving the preceding Goals 1 through 15. Because the scope of each goal is broad, each goal includes specific targets, of which there are 169 in total.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Goal 1. No Poverty
Goal 2. Zero Hunger
Goal 3. Good Health and Well-Being
Goal 4. Quality Education
Goal 5. Gender Equality
Goal 6. Clean Water and Sanitation
Goal 7. Affordable and Clean Energy
Goal 8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
Goal 9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Goal 10. Reduced Inequalities
Goal 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
Goal 12. Responsible Consumption and Production
Goal 13. Climate Action
Goal 14. Life Below Water
Goal 15. Life on Land
Goal 16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Goal 17. Partnerships for the Goals
by Editor O