“Let us maintain our SDG commitment,” he said. speak in a speech at a high-level event at United Nations Headquarters aimed at focusing on the 17 Goals, including ending extreme poverty, reducing inequality, achieving gender equality and combating climate change.
Wealth and understanding exist
While the Sustainable Development Goals represent a commitment to a better global future, they are “facing major obstacles,” he said at the SDG Moment event, noting that more than four out of five targets are off track due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, debt burden, conflict, inequality and other challenges.
“The world has the wealth, technology and know-how to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” he stressed, before urging leaders to focus on “three drivers of development” that could accelerate progress.
Funding progress
Mr. Guterres stressed the need for finance because “heavy debt and inefficient tax systems are draining investment in health, education and food in many developing countries.”
He said that Treaty for the futureadopted by world leaders last Sunday, includes support for a Stimulating SDGs planning and reforming the global financial architecture to help alleviate the debt crisis facing many developing countries.
Climate Action Plan
The Secretary-General called on governments to put forward ambitious national climate action plans in line with the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
“This requires aligning national energy strategies with a 1.5-degree warming world, ending fossil fuel subsidies and pricing carbon,” he said, stressing the need to phase out fossil fuels and scale up renewable energy.
“It is also important to protect development gains from climate change,” he added, calling for new and generous contributions to the Loss and Damage Fund, and for developing countries to keep their promise to double adaptation funding by 2025.
‘We need peace’
Mr. Guterres emphasized the need for peace, the third driving force.
“All our development plans are quickly being erased by persistent conflicts that cause death, destruction, famine, displacement and gender-based violence,” he said.
“We need peace — from Gaza to Ukraine to Sudan and beyond. I call on global leaders to heal divisions, end conflict and invest in people and peace.”
Focus: President of the General Assembly
The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Philemon Yang, recalled that world leaders adopted a political declaration at SDG SummitLast year we launched a new phase of action to achieve the Goals.
“The challenge before us today is to maintain this focus,” he said. “Success comes from determined action. And this is a time for ambition.”
Mr. Yang stressed the need to commit to bold and equitable transformations that advance food systems, expand access to renewable energy, expand digital connectivity, and increase education and decent work opportunities, especially for women and girls.
He pledged to prioritize this during his presidency, “with the aim of unleashing the full potential of everyone, everywhere.”
Searching for the SDG ‘multiplier’: Canadian Prime Minister
The SDG event also saw world leaders, civil society representatives and other prominent figures reflect on what is needed to accelerate progress towards the Goals.
“One of the things we really need to look at is which Goal is most relevant to many other goals,” said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, one of the 17 SDG Supporters appointed by the Secretary-General.
For Mr Trudeau, the top three “multipliers” are tackling climate change, ensuring opportunity for women and girls, and increasing youth participation, and he pointed to the connection between them.
For example, he said many young people around the world are concerned about climate change, “and that is why bringing their voices to places of leadership, bringing their concerns to bear and empowering them to challenge the status quo will be essential – not only in the fight against climate change but in achieving all 17 Sustainable Development Goals“ .
