SDGs | Urban Innovation Challenge: Citypreneurs

THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

“Sustainable development is more than a goal.

It is our responsibility to our planet and future generations”

António Guterres – Secretary General of the UN

WHAT ARE THE SDGs?

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for people and the planet, now and into the future.

At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), or Global Goals to be achieved by 2030, which are a universal call to action by all countries to ensure no one is left behind. They represent an unprecedented opportunity to end extreme poverty and protect the planet, putting the world on a sustainable path towards peace and prosperity.

HOW ARE THE SDGs ORGANIZED?

Building on the successes of the Millennium Development Goals, the Sustainable Development Goals comprehensively cover all three aspects of sustainable development – social, economic and environmental – while touching upon new areas of challenges ranging from climate change, responsible consumption to economic inequality and justice, among others.

Each of the 17 Goals states an overall objective, followed by associated targets (169 in total). All targets are assigned indicators, which are ways of measuring the success and progress of the goals.

The SDGs are designed to interlink with each other so that progress in one area does not cause negative effects in others; that is the essence of sustainable development. Goals 16 and 17 provide a pathway to achievement by advocating for peace, strong institutions and multi-stakeholder partnerships that are all necessary to fulfill these goals.

WHO ARE THE KEY PLAYERS?

In short, everyone is an actor. To achieve these ambitious goals by 2030, the SDGs call on everyone from individuals and communities, to businesses and governments to align their strategies with whichever goals and targets are most related to their practices. While the SDGs set targets, the solutions are for everybody to contribute towards.

HOW CAN ENTREPRENEURS CONTRIBUTE?

Citypreneurs encourages entrepreneurs to look at how the SDGs can be achieved in cities through addressing urban issues. By participating in our urban innovation challenge, you will be guided by the SDGs to develop sustainable business models and identify key issues your solution can address, while making connections with think tanks, policy makers and other innovators to further strengthen the network of sustainable development actors in our global community.