More efforts are needed to meet SDG targets: UN

NEWDELHI: Achieving human wellbeing and eradicating poverty for 8.5 billion people by 2030 is possible if we change the relationship with nature and invest in science, said a United Nations report on the sustainable development goals (SDGS) to tackle the biggest threats to humanity including hunger, climate change, gender inequality and conflict.

At current rates, many of the 17 goals are attainable, including reducing child mortality and full enrolment in primary school, but some such as ending extreme poverty and hunger and providing universal access to electricity will need additional effort to be met, said the report to be released at the 2019 SDG Summit in New York on September 24-25.

Maternal mortality rates, child malnutrition and access to safe drinking are making slow progress, while goals like cutting greenhouse gas emissions, preserving biodiversity are not moving in the right direction.

Prof Jagdish Krishnaswamy, senior fellow, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment, said, “Indian record is slightly better than other third world countries in terms of wildlife conservation and one of the reasons could probably be that demand for animal parts within India isn’t as high.”

With just over 10 years remaining to achieve the 2030 Agenda, no country has convincingly met a set of basic human needs at a globally sustainable level of resource use, the report said.