Sustainable Development Goals and its impact in Nigeria

 

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.

The 17 SDGs are integrated—that is, they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic, and environmental sustainability.

Through the pledge to Leave No One Behind, countries have committed to fast-track progress for those furthest behind first. That is why the SDGs are designed to bring the world to several life-changing ‘zeros’, including zero poverty, hunger, AIDS, and discrimination against women and girls.

Everyone is needed to reach these ambitious targets. The creativity, know-how, technology, and financial resources from all of society are necessary to achieve the SDGs in every context. 

 1 No Poverty

2 Zero Hunger

3 Good Health and well being

4 quality education

5 gender equality

6 clean water and sanitation

7 affordable and clean energy

8 Decent work and economic growth

9 industry innovation and infrastructure

10 Reduced inequality and infrastructure

11 sustainable cities and communities

12 Responsible consumption and production

13 Climate Action

14 Life below water

15 lives on land

16 Peace justice and strong institution

17 Partnership for the goals

No Poverty

Do you know that more than 82 million Nigerians live on less than $1 a day according to the National Bureau of Statistics? Nigeria a third-world country struggling to shake off the 2016 recession before the coronavirus still considered the biggest economy ofin Africa due to the massive exportation of crude oil which account for more than half of the government revenue. But a failure to diversify the economy and build much infrastructure needed to spread the wealth to not just the rich elite but also to the wailing masses.

The statistical office said about 52 percent of people in the rural areas live in poverty, compared to 18 percent in the urban areas of the country.

Zero Hunger

Nigeria is one of many food-deficient countries in Africa, and its alarming hunger statistics are tied to high levels of conflict that have plagued the region surrounding Nigeria for years. A food crisis such as Nigeria's causes distressing levels of stunting in children and is correlated with high rates of poverty.

Good Health and Well Being

Health and well-being can be described as the achievement and maintenance of physical fitness and mental stability. This is a positive definition of health and well-being. - health and well-being as being the result of a combination of physical, social, intellectual, and emotional factors.

Good health is essential for sustainable development goals and the 2030 Agenda reflects the complexity and interconnectedness of the two. It takes into account widening economic and social inequalities, rapid urbanization, and threats to the climate and the environment.

Multisector, rights-based and gender-sensitive approaches are essential to address inequalities and building good health for all.

Quality Education

Quality education aims at developing a balanced set of capabilities for children they require to become economically productive, develop sustainable livelihoods, contribute to peaceful and democratic societies, and enhance individual well-being. Quality education enables people to develop all of their attributes and skills to achieve their potential as human beings and members of society. ... Quality education provides the foundation for equity in society. Quality education is one of the most basic public services.

Gender Equality

Gender equality is when people of all genders have equal rights, responsibilities, and opportunities. Everyone is affected by gender inequality - women, men, trans and gender diverse people, children, and families. ... Societies that value women and men as equal are safer and healthier. Gender equality is a human right

Clean Water and Sanitation

Having clean water and sanitation means being able to avoid exposure to countless diseases. Every year, millions of people die from diseases caused by inadequate water supply, sanitation, and hygiene. Other than pneumonia, diarrhea is the main cause of death in children under age 5.

But the benefits of having a source of clean water in a community are much wider. When women and girls no longer have to walk miles to fetch water each day, they have more time to learn. Literacy rates rise. And when schools build proper toilet facilities, girls spend more time in school and less time at home.

Affordable and Clean Energy

Ensuring universal access to affordable electricity by 2030 means investing in clean energy sources such as solar, wind, and thermal. ... Expanding infrastructure and upgrading technology to provide clean energy sources in all developing countries is a crucial goal that can both encourage growth and help the environment. It also helps conserve the nation's natural resources, and provides reliable power supplies and fuel diversification, which enhance energy security and lower the risk of fuel spills while reducing the need for imported fuels.

Decent work and economic growth

 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services.

Lower interest rates reduce the cost of borrowing and increase consumer spending and investment.

Increased real wages which if nominal wages grow above inflation then consumers have more disposable to spend.

Higher global growth leads to increased export spending.

Industry innovation and infrastructure

Develop quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure, including regional and trans-border infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all. Industrialization drives economic growth, creates job opportunities, and thereby reduces income poverty. Innovation advances the technological capabilities of industrial sectors and prompts the development of new skills.

Reduced inequality and infrastructure

Enough economic inequality can transform a democracy into a plutocracy, a society ruled by the rich. Large inequalities of inherited wealth can be particularly damaging, creating, in effect, an economic caste system that inhibits social mobility and undercuts equality of opportunity: Reduce income inequalities.

By promoting universal social, economic, and political inclusion, ensuring equal opportunities, and end discrimination and adopting fiscal and social policies that promote equality SDG can reduce inequality

Sustainable Communities and Cities

Making cities sustainable means creating career and business opportunities, safe and affordable housing, and building resilient societies and economies. It involves investment in public transport, creating green public spaces, and improving urban planning and management in participatory and inclusive ways.

Responsible consumption and Production

Sustainable consumption and production are about promoting resource and energy efficiency, sustainable infrastructure, and providing access to basic services, green and decent jobs, and a better quality of life for all. Achieving economic growth and sustainable development requires that we urgently reduce our ecological footprint by changing the way we produce and consume goods and resources. This can help with food security, and shift us towards a more resource-efficient economy. ...

Climate Action

Climate action means stepped-up efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-induced impacts, including climate-related hazards in all countries; integrating climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning; and improving education

Life Below Water

The world's oceans – their temperature, chemistry, currents, and life – drive global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind. They help with the breakdown and removal of waste and pollution, and their coastal ecosystems act as buffers to reduce damage from storms. Maintaining healthy oceans supports climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. And have you been to the seaside? It's also a great place for tourism and recreation.

 Life on Land

Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, spiders), as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water (e.g., fish, lobsters, octopuses), or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats

 Life on Land help protect the Earth's ecosystems, promote the sustainable management of forests, and put a stop to land degradation and biodiversity loss. This goal aims to conserve all forms of life on land, from humans to every last insect.

 

Peace Justice and Strong Institution

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels. We can Meditate and invite others to meditate. Study nonviolence, ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution), Conflict Management, Conflict Resolution, and Peace studies. Learn another language. Reduce your carbon footprint (walk or bike, carpool, recycle, eat more fruits and vegetables) as a method to promote peace justice, and strong institution.

Partnership for the Goals

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

The Global Goals can only be met if we work together. International investments and support are needed to ensure innovative technological development, fair trade, and market access, especially for developing countries. To build a better world, we need to be supportive, empathetic, inventive, passionate, and above all, cooperative.

Now you know a little about the Sustainable Development Goals.

Each of the 17 SDGs address a particular global challenge, ranging from poverty to equality to climate change and beyond. The hope is that, together, we can achieve each of these goals by 2030, now less than a decade away, so as to secure a better, more sustainable future for us all.

 

As a young person, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals may seem daunting—how can I help to effect change when I am still in school or have no money to donate?

1. Educate Yourself

Before you take any action, whether to support the Sustainable Development Goals or another cause, it is important that you understand it. Luckily, with the wide availability of the internet and the access to free information instantly, it’s quite easy for us to educate ourselves on each of the SDGs.

To get started, there is no better place than the United Nations’ official website for the Sustainable Development Goals. There, you can learn about each goal in depth, and you’ll also get key numbers, targets, and further links.

2. Volunteer

Once you’ve educated yourself, whether on all of the SDGs or one passion cause, volunteering is another great way to support the Sustainable Development Goals.

Through volunteering, you can choose to support any SDG or multiple SDGs at once. For example, help achieve Quality Education (Goal 4) by volunteering to teach or tutor children. Or, by donating your time to an animal care or conservation organization, you will be working towards achieving Life on Land (Goal 15).

3. Recycle

No conversation on sustainability would be complete without mentioning recycling. And, like most of the other actions on this list, recycling helps to achieve multiple goals. While it is obvious that recycling promotes Clean Water and Sanitation (Goal 6), Climate Action (Goal 13), Life on Land (Goal 15), Responsible Consumption and Production (Goal 12), and Life Below Water (Goal 14), it also has some less-apparent benefits.

4. Donate

According to the World Bank, more than 735 million people around the globe live in extreme poverty, which equates to about $1.90 a day or less.

Donating money costs money, of course, which makes it a less-than-ideal action for most students and young adults. However, if you have items you don’t or can’t use, consider donating them. And, as an added benefit, donating your old belongings is another way to recycle, helping to keep landfills from overflowing and plastics from entering the world’s water supply.

If you have books you have finished reading, give them to a local library. When you upgrade appliances at home, send the previous ones to a cause which accepts them, such as the Salvation Army. After concluding a large event, such as a birthday party, donate the leftovers to a local food bank; it will cut down on waste, and it can go a long way to feeding the most vulnerable among us.

5. Prioritize Businesses Which Support SDGs

Ever heard the saying vote with your wallet? This idiom means that you support the organizations where you make purchases, whether it be products or services. If you are passionate about bringing about a more sustainable world, paying attention to where you shop helps multiple SDGs.

Finally, one of the most impactful ways to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals is to raise awareness of the various issues. The SDGs are quite ambitious, and, to reach success by 2030, we all need to play our part.

Once you have educated yourself, spread the word on the Sustainable Development Goals, especially about then goal(s) which concern you the most. Start with your friends and family. If you study, participate or organize an extracurricular group which promotes the SDGs, or make them the focal point of a class project.

In public, make sure you are always taking public transportation, bringing your own reusable bags, and shopping at businesses which promote diversity, equality, and sustainability. There’s no better way to spread the message on the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals than through leading by example!

 Thanks for reading!!

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