An Ordinary Human’s Guide To…. 2030 Sustainable Development Goals

This series hopes to break down key sustainable terms and ideas to make them more accessible for everyone to understand and use to make change. If you are already are familiar with these ideas, refresh your mind and use your knowledge, but if this is new to you, read on and learn!

The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals are a group of 17 goals created by the UN that we as a planet are working towards to create a more sustainable future by 2030. While for many people, these policies and targets are merely for the work of politicians, I think it is important to have an individual understanding of the goals, both for keeping track of your own sustainable development and also keeping your country accountable for the progress it is making, wherever you may be. Also because relying on politicians doesn’t normally provide solutions….. 🙄

In this post, I will provide some very quick thoughts on each goal, on a global and individual level, to help you better understand what goals you can be working towards in your everyday life as well as on a wider scale to create a happier and healthier planet. If you want more information on the goals, feel free to do your own research as well (More info and quick video here: THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development (un.org))

1. No Poverty 🏡

World: Tackling all forms of poverty everywhere by implementing sustained and secure policies (quite a big one)

You: Doing what you can to alleviate the effects of poverty in your area e.g. donating to grassroots initiatives, donating food/products to those in most need and being there for people struggling in your area.

2. Zero Hunger 🥣

World: Ending world hunger and promoting sustainable agriculture

You: Reduce you food wastage, buy local, support sustainable farming systems ad donate to local food banks if you can.

3. Good Health & Wellbeing 🩺

World: Promoting healthy lives through disease prevention and good healthcare practices

You: Lead healthy lives and keep yourself well by eating nutritional meals, following healthcare advice including getting the right medicines/vaccinations, exercising and finding ways you can personally look after your mental health so that you are in a healthy place to go on to help others.

4. Quality Education 🎒

World: Ensuring inclusive and equal access to education for all

You: Supporting education initiatives, making use of lifelong learning and being open to continually learning throughout your life.

5. Gender Equality ❤

World: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

You: Educate yourself on different gender issues, be an ally, be respectful, act consensually, make space for women and challenge any unconscious biases you may have around gender.

6. Clean Water & Sanitation 💧

World: Ensure sustainable water usage and sanitation for all

You: Reduce water usage and wastage, become more water efficient and maintain high levels of sanitation to promote healthy lives.

7. Affordable & Clean Energy 🔌

World: Access to reliable and sustainable energy resources for all

You: Switch your energy supplier to renewable energy, become more energy efficient and waste less energy

8. Decent Work & Economic Growth 💰

World: Secure decent employment for all while ensuring economic development is sustainable

You: Invest in companies/stocks that prioritise the planet, practice sustainable economic activities e.g. ecotourism and be more conscious about what you do with your money.

9. Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure 🏙

World: Build resilient infrastructure and encourage sustainable innovation solutions

You: Adopt sustainable business policies, be innovative e.g. create your own sustainable small business and encourage a new way of thinking.

10. Reduced Inequalities 🧕🧑🏿👩‍🦽

World: Reduce inequalities within and amongst countries

You: Be open to educating yourself on different inequalities be it in regards to race, disability, income, age or background and work on creating a more inclusive community in your area.

11. Sustainable Cities & Communities 🌆

World: Make cities, urban areas and human settlements safer and more sustainable

You: Increase and protect nature in these areas, reduce your air pollution and pick more sustainable options of transport etc.

12. Responsible Consumption & Production 🛒

World: Move to more sustainable practices of production and consumption.

You: Recycle everything you can, reduce the amount you consume, reduce waste and reduce your dependence on high consumption goods such as fast fashion.

13. Climate Action 🌎

World: Commitment to limit global warming to 1.5^oC and take urgent action to combat the impacts of climate change e.g. deinvestment in fossil fuels

You: Drastically reduce your carbon footprint by halting carbon intensive activities such as flying, eating excessive amounts of meat and burning fossil fuels

14. Life Below Water 🌊

World: Conserve the oceans, seas and marine resources and encourage their use sustainably

You: Reduce use of polluting single use items/plastic, reduce consumption of unsustainable fish and marine products and use our oceans in a respectful and conscious way.

15. Life On Land 🏞

World: Protect and restore terrestrial ecosystems and combat deforestation, desertification and biodiversity loss

You: Reduce use of polluting single use items/plastic, protect your local nature patches, rewild your garden and local areas, plant native trees and plants, restore habitats for wildlife, reduce damaging activities e.g. strimming and support sustainable activities.

16. Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions 🕊

World: Build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels in society

You: Using your human rights wherever you are to stand up for justice, encourage free speech and be respectful.

17. Partnerships For The Goals 🤝

World: Create global partnership to ensure implementation of the goals

You: Work with local grassroots projects e.g. nature groups, local councils, include everyone from all levels, spread awareness about sustainability and be a global citizen

We made it!!! If you made your way through all of that, well done my friend! Now when you are goal planning, you can identify which of your own goals aligns with on of these 2030 SDGs. For example: reducing plastic use ( Goals 12, 14 & 15) or joining a volunteer group for vulnerable people in your community (Goals 10 & 17). There are many targets and policies within these goals that governments can measure success by, but as an individual, these may be useful for checking in every once in a while and seeing if you can progress year on year to living sustainably by 2030. Grab those goals and good luck!