What is the 2030 Agenda
The importance of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The 2030 Agenda is the roadmap promoted by the United Nations to advance more sustainable, inclusive and resilient development. Through its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it seeks to address some of the world's greatest challenges, including climate change, inequality, biodiversity loss and access to clean, affordable energy.
At the start of the new millennium, in 2000, the United Nations launched a set of goals focused on reducing extreme poverty, lowering child mortality rates, combating epidemics and fostering a global partnership for development. These became known as the Millennium Development Goals, comprising eight goals and 28 targets to be achieved by 2015. Before that period ended, in 2012, the UN launched a process to review the remaining challenges and identify solutions. This led to the creation of a new International Development Agenda, the 2030 Agenda
Enlace externo, se abre en ventana nueva., together with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Despite the progress achieved since 2015, the United Nations warns that advancement towards many of the SDGs remains insufficient, reinforcing the need to accelerate joint action by governments, businesses and civil society.
What is the 2030 Agenda and how did it emerge?
On 25 September 2015, the 193 UN Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, an ambitious plan aimed at achieving prosperity while respecting both people and the planet.
The 2030 Agenda provides the global roadmap for promoting sustainable development that combines economic prosperity, social inclusion and environmental protection. Through its 17 SDGs, it seeks to drive transformation capable of addressing some of the defining challenges of our time, including climate change, inequality and biodiversity loss.
The 2030 Agenda builds on the UN Millennium Development Goals (2000-2015), which represented the first major international framework for addressing global challenges such as eradicating extreme poverty and hunger and improving access to education. Although the goals were not fully achieved, they contributed to significant progress which was expanded in 2015 through the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs.
Alongside the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, established the framework for accelerating the decarbonisation of the economy and limiting the rise in global temperatures.
In addition, protecting and restoring biodiversity has become a global priority for achieving multiple SDGs, particularly those related to terrestrial and marine ecosystems, climate resilience and the sustainable management of natural resources.
Summary of the 2030 Agenda (core pillars)
The 2030 Agenda is built around five dimensions, also known as the 5 Ps:
-
People
End poverty and hunger in all their forms while ensuring that all people can fulfil their potential in dignity and equality within a healthy environment.
-
Planet
Protect the planet from degradation through sustainable consumption, production and management of natural resources, while taking action to tackle climate change.
-
Prosperity
Ensure that all people can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives and that economic, social and technological progress takes place in harmony with nature.
-
Peace
Promote peaceful, just and inclusive societies that are free from fear and violence.
-
Partnership
Mobilise the resources needed to implement the 2030 Agenda through a spirit of solidarity and a global partnership focused on the needs of the most vulnerable.
Iberdrola’s priority SDGs
As a company committed to the electrification of the economy and the energy transition, Iberdrola makes a particularly strong contribution to two SDGs:
SDG 7. Affordable and clean energy
Promote access to safe, sustainable and affordable energy through the development of renewable energy, smart grids, storage and electrification.
Accelerate the decarbonisation of the economy through emissions reductions and the deployment of clean energy solutions aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
These objectives are fundamental pillars of Iberdrola’s strategy and contribute to progress across many interconnected SDGs.
The SDGs and their impact on the economy, society and the environment
Economy
Supported by a prosperous environment and society, the SDGs from an economic point of view are focused on industry, innovation and infrastructure, the reduction of inequality, responsible consumption and production; decent work and growth disassociated from environmental deterioration.
Society
Social development is impossible if the environment is harmed and natural resources become scarce. Thus, the SDGs associated with clean energy, the eradication of poverty and hunger, peace and justice, sustainable cities, education, gender equality and health, serve as a foundation for the goals that are financial in nature.
Environment
A healthy environment is an essential starting point for promoting social justice and economic development. If we fail to meet the targets regarding clean water and sanitation, marine life, life on land and climate action, we will never achieve the other objectives.
SEE INFOGRAPHIC: The SDGs and their impact on the economy, society and the environment [PDF]
How to accelerate progress towards the 2030 Agenda
Achieving the 2030 Agenda requires collaboration between governments, businesses, financial institutions, social organisations and citizens. Among the key priorities identified by the United Nations are:
- Accelerating the energy transition and decarbonisation;
- Promoting more sustainable production and consumption models;
- Reducing social and economic inequalities;
- Protecting biodiversity and natural resources;
- Advancing innovation and resilient infrastructure;
- Strengthening international cooperation and public-private partnerships.
Businesses play a key role in this process through sustainable investment, technological innovation, the creation of quality employment and the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria into their strategies. In this context, electrification based on renewable energy not only helps reduce emissions but also strengthens energy security, improves economic competitiveness and supports progress towards multiple SDGs.
