India & SDGs

Why in news?

The United Nations will be halfway towards achieving its sustainable development goals (SDGs) for 2030 if India were to deliver on its targets, according to UN Global Compact CEO.

What is UN Global Compact?

• It is an initiative by the UN to encourage businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies, and to report on their implementation.
• It is a principle-based framework for businesses, stating ten principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption.
• Under the Global Compact, companies are brought together with UN agencies, labour groups and civil society.

What are SDGs?

• The SDGs, officially known as Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a set of 17 Global Goals with 169 targets between them.
• They are a new, universal set of goals, targets and indicators that UN member states will be expected to use to frame their agendas and political policies over the next 15 years.
• The SDGs follow, and expand on, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were agreed by governments in 2000, and ended on 2015.
• Enormous progress has been made on the MDGs, showing the value of a unifying agenda underpinned by goals and targets. Despite this success, the indignity of poverty has not been ended for all.
• The new Global Goals, and the broader sustainability agenda, go much further than the MDGs, addressing the root causes of poverty and the universal need for development that works for all people.

What did the CEO of UNGC said?

• India has the potential for $1 trillion worth of business opportunities and 72 million job opportunities by 2030 for companies working in the sustainable development space, especially in sectors such as food and agriculture, energy, construction, and healthcare.
• Quoting excerpts from the 'Better Business World - India Report', she said more than 72 million jobs can be created by 2030 in India through sustainable development.
• 50% of the delivery of the global goals will come from progress made in India.
• Highlighting the significance of India's role, she said with its thriving economy and strong leadership from business, government and civil society, India is prepared to turn awareness on the SDGs into concrete action.

Source: Business Standard