Sustainable development

We are committed to implementing and promoting sustainable development so that our society can move forward in a better world by putting people and the environment at the center of our activities.

Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 1: No poverty

Extreme poverty rates have been halved since 1990, a remarkable achievement indeed, but one in five people in developing regions still live on less than $1.25 a day and millions more earn little more than that amount per day, and many more are at risk of falling back into poverty.

Poverty is more than a lack of income and resources to ensure sustainable livelihoods. Its manifestations include hunger and malnutrition, limited access to education and other basic services, social discrimination and exclusion, and lack of participation in decision-making. Economic growth must be shared to create sustainable jobs and promote equality.

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Purpose 2: Zero Hunger

When done correctly, agriculture, forestry and fishing can produce food for all and generate decent incomes, while supporting rural-centred development and environmental protection. It's time to rethink the way we grow, share and consume our food.

It is possible; agriculture, forestry and fishing can provide nutritious food for all and generate decent incomes, while supporting rural development and environmental protection.

But currently our soils, fresh water, oceans, forests and biodiversity are rapidly degrading. Climate change puts even greater pressure on the resources we depend on and increases the risk of natural disasters such as droughts and floods. Many rural households can no longer make ends meet by cultivating their land, forcing them to migrate to cities in search of new opportunities.

A profound change in the global food and agriculture system is needed if we are to feed the 925,000,000 people who are hungry today and the additional 2 billion people expected by 2050.

The food and agriculture sector offers key solutions for development, and is central to the eradication of hunger and poverty.

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Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being

Empowering healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages is essential for sustainable development. Substantial progress has been made in increasing life expectancy and reducing some major causes of infant and maternal mortality. Notable progress has been made in improving access to safe water and sanitation, reducing malaria, tuberculosis, poliomyelitis and the spread of HIV/AIDS. However, much more needs to be done to eradicate a wide range of diseases and to address many very different, persistent or emerging health issues.

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Goal 4: Quality Education

Getting quality education is the foundation for improving people's lives and sustainable development. Major progress has been made in improving access to education at all levels and increasing enrollment rates at all levels in schools, especially for girls. Basic knowledge has progressed dramatically, but more needs to be done to move even faster towards achieving universal education goals. Thus, the world has managed to achieve equality between girls and boys in primary education, but few countries have reached this target at all levels of education.

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Goal 5: Gender Equality

Progress has been made worldwide in gender equality as part of the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (including equal access to primary education for girls and boys), but women and girls continue to suffer from discrimination and violence in all regions of the world.

Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but also a necessary foundation for building a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.

Ensuring equal access for women and girls to education, health care, decent work and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will nurture the building of sustainable economies and will be beneficial to societies and to all of humanity

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Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation

Clean and accessible water for all is an essential part of the world we want to live in. There is enough water on the planet to make this dream come true.

But due to weak economies or poor infrastructure, every year millions of people, mostly children, die of diseases linked to inadequate water supplies and a lack of sanitation and hygiene facilities. .

Water shortages or poor quality water and lack of sanitation negatively impact food security, life choices and educational opportunities for poor families around the world. Drought is affecting some of the world's poorest countries, worsening hunger and malnutrition.

By 2050, at least one in four people is likely to live in a country affected by chronic or frequent water shortages.

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Goal 7: Clean and Affordable Energy

Energy is at the center of almost all major challenges, but also promising prospects, facing the world today. Whether it's jobs, security, climate change, food production or increased incomes, access to energy for all is essential.

Sustainable energy is an opportunity to transform lives, economies and the planet.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon leads the Sustainable Energy for All initiative, which aims to ensure universal access to modern energy services, improve energy efficiencies and increase the use of renewable energy sources.

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Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

About half of the world's population still lives on the equivalent of about $2 a day. In too many places, having a job does not guarantee the ability to escape poverty. The slow and uneven nature of this progress means that we must review and reorganize our economic and social policies aimed at the complete eradication of poverty.

The continuing lack of decent employment opportunities, insufficient investment and under-consumption have led to an erosion of the basic social contract that underpins democratic societies, namely that everyone must share in the progress made. Creating quality jobs will remain a major challenge for almost all economies long after 2015.

Achieving sustainable economic growth requires societies to create the conditions for people to have quality jobs that boost the economy without harming the environment. It is also necessary that employment opportunities are offered to the entire population of working age and that everyone can work in decent conditions.

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Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Investments in infrastructure – transport, irrigation, energy, information and communication technologies – are key to achieving sustainable development and community empowerment in many countries. It has long been known that growth in productivity, income, and improvements in health and education require investment in infrastructure.

Sustainable and inclusive industrial development is the main source of income generation. It enables a rapid and sustained increase in everyone's standard of living and provides technological solutions for industrialization that respects the environment.

Technological progress is the basis of efforts undertaken to achieve environmental objectives, such as the optimal use of resources and energy. Without technology and innovation there will be no industrialization, and without industrialization there will be no development.

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Goal 10: Reduced inequalities

The international community has made significant progress in lifting people out of poverty. The most vulnerable nations – least developed countries, landlocked countries and small island developing states – continue to score points in poverty reduction. However, inequalities persist and there are still vast disparities in access to health services and education and other means of production.

Moreover, while income inequalities between countries have been reduced, internal inequalities have increased. There is a growing consensus that economic growth is not enough to reduce poverty if it is not beneficial for all and does not address the three dimensions of sustainable development, i.e. economic, social and environmental.

In order to reduce inequalities, it was recommended to apply policies whose principle is universal while paying attention to the needs of disadvantaged and marginalized populations.

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Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Cities are hubs for ideas, commerce, culture, science, productivity, social development and much more. Considered at their best, cities have enabled their inhabitants to progress socially and economically.

However, there are many challenges to ensuring that cities continue to generate jobs and prosperity, without straining land and natural resources. Common city problems include overcrowding, lack of funds to run basic services, insufficient adequate housing and degraded infrastructure.

These difficulties can be overcome by allowing cities to continue to prosper and grow, while optimizing the use of resources and reducing pollution and poverty. The future we want includes cities that provide great opportunity for everyone, with easy access to basic services, energy, housing, transportation and more.

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Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Sustainable consumption and production encourages the efficient use of resources and energy, the establishment of sustainable infrastructure and the provision of access to basic services for all, green and decent jobs and better quality of life. life. They contribute to implementing general development plans, reducing future economic, environmental and social costs, enhancing economic competitiveness and reducing poverty.

Sustainable consumption and production aims to "do more and better with less", increasing the net socio-economic gains from economic activities by reducing resource use, degradation and pollution throughout the life cycle, while improving the quality of life. They involve different stakeholders, including businesses, consumers, policy makers, researchers, scientists, retailers, media and development cooperation agencies.

They also require a systemic approach and cooperation between the different actors operating in the supply chain, from the producer to the final consumer. They go through consumer engagement using in particular awareness and education on consumption and sustainable lifestyles, the provision of adequate information to consumers through standards and labels and the practice of sustainable public procurement. .

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Objective 13: Measures Related to the Fight Against Climate Change

Greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities have never been so high. Driven by economic growth and population growth, climate change is having widespread effects on human and natural systems in all countries and on all continents.

With the warming of the atmosphere and oceans, the amounts of snow and ice have decreased and sea levels have risen. The Earth's surface temperature is expected to increase during the 21st century, and if action is not taken, this increase could exceed three degrees Celsius during this century.

Because of the effects of climate change on economic development, natural resources and poverty, the fight against it has become an inseparable part of achieving sustainable development. By finding affordable and scalable solutions to climate change, the progress made over the past decades will not be undermined by this phenomenon and countries will have healthy and resilient economies.

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Goal 14: Aquatic Life

The world's oceans – their temperature, chemistry, currents and life are the source of the global systems that make the Earth habitable for humans.

Our rainwater, our drinking water, our weather, our climate, our coasts, much of our food, and even the oxygen in the air we breathe, are all ultimately fed and regulated by the sea. Throughout history, the oceans and seas have been essential for trade and transportation.

Careful management of this vital global resource is key to a sustainable future.

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Purpose 15: Life Earthly

Forests cover 30% of the planet's surface, provide food security and shelter, and are essential for combating climate change, protecting biodiversity and the homes of indigenous peoples. Each year, 13 million hectares of forests are lost while the continual degradation of arid zones has led to the desertification of 3.6 billion hectares.

Deforestation and desertification – caused by human activities and climate change – pose major challenges to sustainable development and negatively impact the lives and livelihoods of millions of people struggling against poverty. Efforts are being made to manage forests and combat desertification.

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Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions

Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals emphasizes the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, access to justice for all, and the strengthening of accountable and effective institutions at all levels.

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Goal 17: Partnerships For The Achievement of the Goals

Effective partnerships between governments, the private sector and civil society are necessary for a successful sustainable development agenda. These inclusive partnerships built on principles and values, a common vision and common goals that put people and the planet at the center, are needed at global, regional, national and local levels.

Urgent action is needed to mobilise, redirect and unlock the power of trillions of dollars of private resources to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Long-term investments are needed, such as foreign direct investment in key sectors, especially in developing countries. These sectors include sustainable energy, infrastructure and transportation, and information and communications technology.

The public sector needs to set clear direction on this issue. The review and monitoring of frameworks, regulations and incentive structures that enable such investments need to be revamped to attract investment and enhance sustainable development. They should also strengthen national oversight mechanisms, in particular supreme audit institutions and the corresponding audit function in the legislature.

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