What are the SDGs? A Road towards sustainability

15 January 2016, 13:00-18:00U Thant Hall, United Nations University

Prof. Norichika KanieProfessor, Keio University

Senior Research Fellow, UNU-IASProject leader, S-11

What is the POST2015 (S-11) research project?Key research objectives:Contribute to establishing the post2015 development agenda.Re-defining sustainable development in the 21st Century based on

scientific knowledgeCreate a new trans-disciplinary epistemic community by promoting

research-based collaboration. This is to address the lack of communication between research communities dealing with environmental issues and development issues.

Aim to become an international research center through relevant international collaboration and networks.

コア研究グループ（ S-11研究分担者）

International research team

Advisory Board meetings; (Environment Research and Technology Development Fund of MOE)

International Advisory Board

Advisors for each theme (peer review)

ENB team: advice on timing and contents

Guest (e.g., Jeffry Sachs, Co-Chairs of UN Working Group etc)

Research projects(IRF, Bhutan Project WEF, ICSU etc.)

Asian Development Bank (ADB), JICA, S-6, S-10

Policy makers (Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Foreign

Affairs, UN etc)

Collaboration

S-11 research group

POST2015 (S-11) research team

17 Goals and 169 targetsIndicators to be agreed in March 2016

What are the SDGs? 2012: Rio + 20 (United Nations Conference on

Sustainable Development) agreed to set up a process to establish international goals on sustainable development

Integrating the Post 2015 development agenda (global goals after Millennium Development Goals)

2013-2014: discussions at the Open Working Group of the UN General Assembly (OWG)

The UN General Assembly adopted the OWG’s proposal for SDGs (17 goals and 169 targets)

2015: negotiations on the Post 2015 development agenda

2015 September: Adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is composed of 17 goals and 169 targets (SDGs)

Triple layer: goals-targets-indicators Monitoring and review of the implementation of

the SDGs (no legal obligations) Goals to be achieved by 2030 Applicable to all countries Take into account different national realities,

capacities and levels of development, and respect national policies and priorities

1992 　 UN Conference on Environment and Development

　　　　　　⇒ adoption of the Rio Declaration and the Agenda 21

　　　　　⇒ UNFCCC and CBD

　　　　　⇒ GEF and UNCSD

2002 　 World Summit on Sustainable Development

1972: UN Conference on the Human Environment

1987 　 Brundtland Report － Our Common Future －

2012 　 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development

（ UNCSD, Rio+20 ）

Environment and development related events

Millennium Development Goals related events

1995 　 World Summit for Social Development

2000 　 UN Millennium Summit⇒ Millennium Declaration

⇒ Millennium Development Goals （ 2001 ）

Post 2015 Development Agenda/ Sustainable development goals

Transforming Our WorldThe 2030 Agenda for Sustainable

Development

From “development” to “sustainable development”

Integrating three pillars of sustainable development: environment, economic and social aspects

SDGs Proces

s

Post MDGs

Process

Others

1-2 Jul. (NY)The Role of Partnerships and

their Contribution to the Post-2015 Development Agenda

30 Jun.-3 Jul. (NY) HLPF Non-ministerial meeting

7-9 Jul. (NY) High-level aspect of the Forum

1 Sep. (NY) High-level Stock Taking Event on

Post-2015 Agenda

1-12 Dec. (Peru)UNFCCC COP 20/CMP 10

2013 2014 2015

Sep. (NY)70th

UNGA

Jul. UNSG’s Report

21-23 Sep.(TBC)

UN Summit to adopt the

post-2015 development

agenda

24 Sep.(TBC)

Approval by UNGA

Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing

UN SG High-Level Panel (Jul. 2012 -

May 2013)

Consultations by theme/country

Sep.(NY)68th UNGA

Expert Group Meeting on Science and SDGs (Mar. 2013) Technical Support Team

Expert Group

30 Nov.-11 Dec.

(Paris)UNFCCC COP 21/CMP 11

14-18 Mar. (Sendai, Japan)

3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk

Reduction

4-8 Nov. (Okayama, Japan) Stakeholder Meetings, World Conference on ESD

10-12 Nov. (Aichi, Japan) World Conference on ESD

By June 2015 (TBC)Hearing with civil

society and the private sector to provide input

Global Sustainable Development Foundation

Future Earth

16-29 Sep. (NY)69th

UNGA

4 Dec. UNSG’s

Synthesis Report

International Conference on Financing for Developments (27-29 Jan. / 13-17 Apr. / 13-16 Jul.)

26 Jun. – 8 Jul. High Level

Political Forum

• 19-21 Jan. Stocktaking• 17-20 Feb. Declaration• 23-27 Mar. SDGs and targets• 20-14 Apr. Framework for monitoring and review

of implementation • 18-22 May Means of Implementation and Global

Partnership for Sustainable Development• 22-25 Jun. / 20-24 Jul. / 27-31 Jul. Finalization of

the outcome document• 25-27 Sep. United Nations Summit to adopt the

post-2015 development agenda

Post-2015 Intergovernmental Negotiations (Jan. – Jul. 2015)

Integrating Post MDGs and SDGs processes

Sustainable Development Solution Network

Open Working Group on SDGs (Mar. 2013 – Jul. 2014)

Independent Expert Advisory Group on the Data

Revolution for Sustainable Development (IEAG)

(Aug. – Nov. 2014)

<Towards SDGs Indicator Adoption> (Informal)• Jul. 2015: 1st proposal of an indicator framework Complete a first proposal• Sep. 2015: Formal adoption of the post-2015 agenda• End of 2015: Deliver final update of the indicator framework• Feb 2016: official adoption

United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) (Mar. 2015 – Mar. 2016)・・・・・・

Characteristics of the SDGs negotiation process

2. 30 seats shared by 70 UN Member StatesAvoiding coalition formation of negotiating groups

3. Negotiation texts provided by the Co-Chairs of the OWG (UN Ambassadors from Kenya and Hungary)Avoiding using brackets to enclose non-agreed matters, e.g., [30][50]per cent

1. Stakeholders and researchers were invited to the Open Working Group (OWG) to provide information on the issue of sustainable development (account for 2/3 of the OWG)

Strengthening science-policy interfaceDiscussing the issue of sustainable development based on scientific data and knowledge

The agreed documents contain scientific languages

OWG-1: General discussion (including “achieving and building on the MDGs,” “balancing the three dimensions, linking priority areas,” “national application of global goals,” “guiding principles” and “means of implementation.”) OWG-2: Conceptualizing the SDGs Poverty eradication OWG-3: Food security and nutrition, sustainable agriculture, desertification, land degradation and drought Water and sanitation OWG-4: Employment and decent work for all, social protection, youth, education and cultureHealth, population dynamics

9

OWG-5: Sustained and inclusive economic growth, macroeconomic policy questions (including international trade, international financial system and external debt sustainability), infrastructure development and industrialization Energy OWG-6: Means of implementation (financing, science and technology, knowledge-sharingand capacity building)Global partnership for achieving sustainable development Needs of countries in special situations, African countries, LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS as well as specific challenges facing the middle-income countries Human rights, the right to development, global governance OWG-7: Sustainable cities and human settlements, sustainable transportSustainable consumption and production (including chemicals and waste) Climate change and disaster risk reduction OWG-8: Oceans and seas, forests, biodiversity Promoting equality, including social equity, gender equality and women’s empowermentConflict prevention, post-conflict peacebuilding and the promotion of durable peace, rule of law and governance

Challenges need to be addressed at the multi-layered approach

Approach 1: Regional, national and local authorities can design their own targets which connect within the global target defined in the SDGs process.

Approach 2: Sub-global targets are nested within each other in a system where political decisions at one level shape progress at other levels.

The S-11 research outcome was reflected to the agreed documents, which suggested each governments and stakeholders to set their own targets rather than to set “one-size-fits-all” type of targets.

Approach 1 Approach 2

Transdisciplinary research approach

Workshop in NY by inviting researchers, UN staff, representatives from countries, OWG co-chairs etc.

Conceptualization of discussions, policy advocacy, publication of policy briefs

Agreed documents, academic articles

Co-designing research questions; co-producing outputs together with researchers and policy makers

Characteristics of the SDGs negotiation process

2. 30 seats shared by 70 UN Member StatesAvoiding coalition formation of negotiating groups

3. Negotiation texts provided by the Co-Chairs of the OWG (UN Ambassadors from Kenya and Hungary)Avoiding using brackets to enclose non-agreed matters, e.g., [30][50]per cent

1. Stakeholders and researchers were invited to the Open Working Group (OWG) to provide information on the issue of sustainable development (account for 2/3 of the OWG)

Strengthening science-policy interfaceDiscussing the issue of sustainable development based on scientific data and knowledge

The agreed documents contain scientific languages

Nature of the SDGsBenefitsInclusiveness: “leave noone behind”Universality: applicable to both

developing and industrialized countriesDiversity: each government to set its

own national targets guided by the global level of ambition. A set of global indicators will be complemented by indicators at the national levels

Integrity: integration of environment, social and economic aspects

Activities: implementation of the SDGs

CriticsToo many targets (17 goals and

169 targets)Difficult to understandLow interest by industrialized

countriesNo legal obligations

Background of the SDGs

MDGs’ unfinished tasks

Challenges raised by the limits of the Earth System

Social aspect of sustainable development (equity and equality)

SDGs: Recognition of interlinkages among environmental, social and economic aspects

Sustainable development in the 20th

Century (MDGs) Sustainable development in the 21st Century (from pillars to nested)

ENV SOC ECON

SD

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.　（ Brundtland Report, 1987)

Development that meets the needs of the present while safeguarding Earth’s life-support system, on which the welfare of current and future generations depends

David Griggs, Mark Stafford-Smith, Owen Gaffney, Johan Rockstrom, Marcus C Ohman, Priay Shyamsundar, Will Steffen, Gisbert Glaser, Norichika Kanie and Ian Noble, ‘Sustainable Development Goals for People and Planet.’ Nature (Vol 495, 21 March 2013).

Interlinkages to attain the goalsE.g. linkages between the SDG targets and food, including food loss and food waste

2.1 end hunger2.2 end all forms of malnutrition

12.a Support developing countries to strengthen their capacity towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production

2.3 double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers2.4 ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices2.5 promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources2.a Increase investment in rural infrastructure to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries2.b Correct trade restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets2.c Adopt measures to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets in order to limit extreme food price volatility

12.6 Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle

12.1 Implement the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns,

8.4 Improve resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavor and decouple economic growth from environmental degradation

12.8 ensure that people have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles

4.7 ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge needed to promote sustainable development, including through ESD and sustainable lifestyles

12.5 reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse

12.4 achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes

11.6 reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities by waste management

12.2 achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources

8.9 implement policies to promote sustainable tourism

12.b Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism

12.BY 2030, reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses

12.3 By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels

Food loss

Food waste

Production

waste

ConsumptionLife-style

Responsibility of consumers

SCP

Food and tourism

Responsibility of producers

AgricultureFood security

Poverty and hunger

International cooperation

Environmental management

Waste management

Waste reduction

Education Potential collaboration of Education for All (EFA) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

(1) New approach from EFA to ESD• Strengthening a synergy between ESD and “dealing with

poverty and social marginalization” and ”gender empowerment”

(2) New approach from ESD to EFA• Re-recognition of equality and objective of education• Various “Literacies” to lead to behavior changes and to

provide knowledge and value to attain sustainable development

1. Problem solving skills2. Knowledge of global environmental issues

3. Civic values and attitudes

4. ESD Policy & System

5. Incorporation of ESD in formal education, NFE& IFE6. Inclusion of ESD in teacher education

7. Tools and materials for ESD

8. Research on ESD

9. International　 cooperation on ESD

0

50

100

Issues to be solved by the synergy approachEnergy and climate changeReduction of disaster risks

Sustainable consumption and productionUrbanization

HIV/AIDS, healthbiodiversity

（１） development of equitable quality education（２） solution of the global environmental issues and poverty/ social marginalization issues

Maintaining the balance of the Earth SystemPlanetary Boundaries

Quality change of environmental problems:from environmental issue to “global change” issueC.f. Anthropocene (Crutzen 2002)

Source: Steffen et al. (2015), Science

How to keep safe by distributing limited resources?

Iron

Copper

Gold

Silver

Zinc

Bauxite

Nickel

Manganese

Lead

Chromium

0 50000 100000 150000 200000 250000 300000 350000 400000

Asia Non Asia

IronCopper

GoldSilver

ZincBauxite

NickelManganese

LeadChromium

0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000 120000 140000

Additional costs of limiting the use of mineral resources

Total cost of 10% reductions of resource use (10 years)

Unproportional relation between required additional costs for limiting natural resource use and amount of reduction

Preferable to set higher reduction targets in non-Asian regions

Impacts of biological resource use to the planetary boundaries

The increase in food demand will exceed the planetary boundaries of land use change (from forest to agricultural land).

Development of scenarios to stay within the planetary boundaries

Either 30% reductions of meat consumption or zero food waste is required to stay below 400Mha (tentative)

The boundaries for mammals is to be met if the 400Mha’s land use change is distributed to the areas that have low extinction rate of species.

SDGs in terms of planetary well-beings: natural resource use

Total cost of 20% reductions of resource use (10 years)

Planetary boundaryAddi

tiona

l nee

ds o

f lan

d us

e ch

ange

to

agric

ultu

re

FY2013 in Japan; FY2014 in Thailand and US; FY2016 in Indonesia

Results （ environmental issues ） Japan, US and Thailand: high interest in global

warming The survey in Thailand showed that people have

interests in the local issues such as wastes and water pollution as well as a global warming issue that does not affect their lives in a short period of time

Discussion Universal goals in the 2030 Agenda need be

considered at the regional and local levels’ perspective, taking into account their capacities and levels of development.

Energy system and demand for copper

Without intensive recycling, it will run short of coppers around 2060-2070.

To close the gap of the deficiency (1) by recycling, the recycle rate should be 90% by 2100 compared to the current rate of 30%, (2) by resource efficiency, the efficiency needs to be improved up to two and a half times.

Survey on the subjective well-beings

SDGs in terms of planetary well-beings: natural resource use

Renewable twofold scenario

Scenario for attaining the spread of grid in 2030

Scenario for RES twofold + attaining in 2030

Governance through GoalsA New Governance Strategy for Sustainable Development

International Regimes and MEAs (e.g., climate change treaty)⇒　 Rule-based governance

SDGs: Start with setting gals then aspiration NO implementation set forth (when goals are set)

NO legal obligationsBut, monitoring and reviews

Pledge what is achievable/possibleInsufficient actions

• Raise ambition• Promote integrated approach• Highlight non-MEA agenda （ e.g.,

SCP）

Kanie and Biermann eds. Governance through Goals to be published by MIT Press

Facing difficulties (e.g., COP15 in Copenhagen)

Multi-level governance for implementing the SDGs Analyzed the implementation process of the MDGs and the National

Sustainable Development Strategies (NSDS) for the Agenda 21Results Government effectiveness is correlated with achievement of the

MDGs. The improvement of government effectiveness will lead to the implementation.

Four elements are important (leadership and vision, institutional arrangements, stakeholder participation and review of progress). Lack of the review of progress in the Asian region. Stakeholder participation is limited even in the European region.

Priorities and roles of industrialized, emerging and developing countries would be different.

Developing countries: access to basic needs (food, water, education, health etc.)

Emerging countries: improvement of efficiency (infrastructure, energy etc.)

Industrialized countries: transformation of life-style (SCP, MOI etc.)

Each government needs to set its own targets taking into account its priorities and needs based on the universal goals.

There are limits of top-down approach. All stakeholders, including private sector, academia and citizen, should participate in the process applying their comparative advantage. Data improvement, partnerships and Coalitions of Willing are important. Models for blended Finance have been developed （ SE4ALL, Power Africa, SDIP, GFF etc). Inclusiveness and autonomy as well as vertical and horizontal development are important.

Private financingThe research extracted challenges for the private financing around the private sector’s environmental activities.

The risks that take into account environmental aspects in business are high. E.g., prediction of cash-flow is difficult due to unclear forecast of price for fossils and FIT

Opportunity costs are high due to high initial investment and long pay-back period (e.g., forest management), and thus there is an imbalance in types of environmental projects in private business

Weak support from customers. Unclear demands. Added-value of the environment is not recognized in developing countries.

Risks are high due to policy change of governments, especially in the environment and energy areas. International rules on MRV are complicated and require costs to implement.

International public financingThe research examined the existing innovative mechanisms e.g., direct access modalities of the Adaptation Fund

If the support were provided directly to developing countries’ national authorities from the Adaptation Fund (but not through multi-lateral agencies):

It increases the ownerships of national implementing entities of the recipient countries Spread best practices of adaptation by using knowledge of experts from the recipient countries However, the projects are not clearly implemented with a bottom-up approach in a way to include

development needs of high vulnerability areas

Effective financial mechanisms for SDGs implementation

Finance distribution Project implementation Project performance

International agencies

Recipient countries

Multi-lateral funds

Multi-lateral agencies

Foreign companies, organizations

Domestic entities Government,

organizationsChange madeby direct access

1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020

Developing countries

20.7 22.4 25.0 28.9 34.7 42.0 49.9

Industrialized countries

6.2 6.3 6.4 7.1 8.1 8.8 9.5

2.4倍

1.5倍DE ONIS, M., BLOSSNER, M. & BORGHI, E. 2010. Global prevalence and trends of overweight and obesity among preschool children. Am J Clin Nutr, 92, 1257-64

double burden

• Increase in population in developing countries

• Increase in aging of population in industrialized countries

• the issue of obesity and overweight

The issue of distribution needs to be considered

Distribution (internationally and domestically) is a key to solve the issues simultaneously (Double burden will not be achieved solely through economic growth)• the issue of hunger

Future challenges1. Setting institutions for the SDGs implementation

Setting an institution to solve cross-cutting issues that existing frameworks cannot deal with. (e.g., disasters, food wastes, job creation, local revitalization) political authority is needed

Challenges for domestic policies and for international policies

2. Promoting Japan’s best practices at the global level (policies, industries) Promoting sustainable technologies that lead to Japan’s growth, and improving awareness of Japan by

promoting such best practices internationally

3. Promoting awareness of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Recognition that the SDGs are strategies for economic growth Benefits for strengthening existing policy frameworks such as local revitalization

4. Enhancing partnerships among governments, companies and non-governmental organizations Comprehensive implementation is required at multiple levels

Reduce the environmental impact of food production processes

Provide information regarding sustainability-friendly agricultural products

Ensure sustainable food production and promote local businesses and communities

Preserve seeds and DNA information of certain agricultural products

Promote long and healthy lives

Address mental health problems and drug addiction

Prevent and control pandemics

Establish equal access to quality medical and elderly care services

Promote equal access to quality education and vocational training 　

Promote Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

Promote inclusiveness within and around schools

Promote international collaboration in research and higher education

Improve overall social welfare system to ensure equal access to quality medical care and support

Provide financial and social support to couples experiencing difficulties in starting families

Prescription 2.1 　

Prescription 2.2 　

Prescription 2.3 　

Prescription 2.4 　

Food security

Prescription 3.1 　

Prescription 3.2 　

HealthPrescription

3.3 　

Prescription 3.4 　

Prescription 4.1 　

Prescription 4.2 　

Prescription 4.3

Prescription 4.4 　

Education

Prescription 1.1

Prescription 1.2 　

Poverty & Disparity

Related UN SDGsTargets

Promote efficient energy use

Promote production and use of renewable energy

Enhance energy literacy among citizens and promote self-supply of energy

Improve resource productivity

Enhance preparedness for water-related disasters and problems

Maintain clean and safe water environment

Enhance water literacy across the country

Contribute to the global efforts of addressing water-related problems

End any gender-oriented discrimination in the work place 　　

Promote women’s leadership in business and overall society

Eradicate gender-based violence (GBV) and promote human rights

Promote maintenance of biodiversity

Establish institutional frameworks for the achievement of the SDGs 　　

Enhance the mobilisation of funding for the implementation of the SDGs

Prescription 7.1 　

Prescription 7.2 　

Prescription 7.3 　

Energy and resources

Prescription 7.4 　

Prescription 6.1 　

Prescription 6.2 　

Prescription 6.3 　

Prescription 6.4 　

Water

Prescription 5.1 　

Prescription 5.2 　

Prescription 5.3 　

Gender

Prescription 8.1 　Biodiversity

Prescription 9.1 　

Prescription 9.2 　

Governance

Related UN SDGsTargets

29

Publication (in Japanese)

Journal: special issue

http://www.post2015.jp/

http://sd.iisd.org/post2015-update/

http://sdg.earthsystemgovernance.org/

International collaboration

Final outcomes

Participation in the expert meetings of UN

Contribution to Policy makiing

Contribution to the domestic policy process